Green Tea!?

Question

Well I drink a cup of green tea every night as it has some good health benefits, however I cant stand to drink it alone so i add a small spoon of sweetened milk to it [after this, the tea is still not sweet but bearable for me to drink and is rather pleasant]...I'm wondering, will this defeat the purpose of the tea? My dad often jokingly says that by time i finish adding sweetners to something bitter {but HEALTHY} it would be of no benefit to me....Is this really the case?

Im guessing the best way to drink it is to drink it strong and alone without adding anything but i dont have enough self-discipline for that! Lol...i should also mention that my routine is putting the tea bag in a cup, adding the hot water then adding a little of the milk

Also, what are some good recommended brands of Green tea? I have the lipton and bigelow brands

Help will be much appreciated!

Answer 1

I am a tea fanatic on most days. I love green tea. I love your question right away because it tells me that you are aware of the health benefits of green tea. My first answer to you is to drink it however you want. If you aren't watching calories, then adding sweetened milk or whatever is ok. If you are, then I'd slowly try and appreciate the natural flavor of green tea as well as other teas.

Someone above mentioned Celestial Seasonings which I love (there are several different types of green tea like blueberry, raspberry,etc)....But, recently, I tried some Tazo green tea which blew my mind. I might have to splurge for the Tazo since it costs twice as much as the Celestial Seasonings.

Anyway, if your tea tastes bitter, you might be oversteeping it. Green tea is made with delicate tea leaves so you should only be steeping it for 1-2 minutes....Sometimes I leave it in for only 1 minute!.. Plus the tea has to be very hot (but not boiling). Experiment with different steeping times and don't use boiling water for green (or white) teas. any questions, email me...good luck!

Answer 2

Over steeping is what causes tea to become bitter. It should be brewed properly.

http://www.your-cup-of-tea.com/brew-tea.html

Green tea is more delicate than black tea. To brew use water that is about 180 degrees Fahrenheit or just below boiling. This lower temperature helps protect against a bitter taste in green tea. Brew tea for about 3 minutes.

I also found this information that is on black tea in the BBC news.
Heart disease is being discussed.

They showed molecules in the tea called catechins helped dilate the blood vessels by producing a chemical called nitric oxide. The caseins in milk prevented this effect by reducing the concentration of catechins in the tea.

Since all tea come from the Camellia sinensis plant it would seem to indicate that the statement above would also apply to green tea.

http://www.your-cup-of-tea.com/health-benefit-of-tea.html

May I suggest Rooibos tea to you. Rooibos is actually not leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, but the African red bush. This drink contains no caffeine and researchers say it has more antioxidants (the good guys in tea) than regular tea. In other words it may be an even healthier drink for you. It is thought to help with all the things that tea does.

I personally like the taste of Rooibos better than green tea. Green tea has a grassy earthy taste, which Rooibos does not have.

Answer 3

The best way to drink green tea is naked. Dont put any milk or sugar in it. The point of green tea is that it has EGCG and antioxidants and that it is pure so it will more likely burn fat. if you cant survive the bitterness, add some 0 calorie sugar such as Splenda or Sweet N' Low or Equal. There are no recommended brands of green tea. Green Tea is green tea no matter what the name is or how much it is worth.

Answer 4

The honest truth is to drink the tea straight up, but if need be add a pinch of splenda, or a sweetener of your choice. I find that Celestrial Seasons has REALLY GOOD teas! You can also get organic Teas in your grocers Health food section. They can get pricey, but they are all NATURAL! GOOD LUCK hope this helps!

Answer 5

I add honey, never sugar...and I go buying chinese brands. But I never drink green tea at nights cause I would not sleep. I haven´t tried decaffeinated, cause want to keep it real natural...