In the following rows, we are going to clear all the confusion you maybe have in your mind with regards to green tea and will be sharing its benefits, how to make, and most importantly when to have a cup of green tea.
What is green tea?
Be it white, green or black tea, all are made from the same tea leaves. Green tea is a product of the plant called “Camellia sinensis“. It contains caffeine and polyphenols. The difference is that green tea is made from tea leaves that have not undergone the process of filtering and oxidation, unlike black tea.
Is green tea really green in color?
The answer is yes. However, it depends on the type of green tea that you have. If you infuse fresh tea leaves, then the color is going to be green, but if the leaves are dry, the color is going to be brown green. It actually depends on the oxidation process and how much the green tea has been oxidised. There are green teas that are less oxidised and that color, in that case, would be green.
Which type of green tea should you buy?
With so many choices available, such as Gyokuro, Genmaicha, Matcha, Sencha, etc. green tea is commonly available in either tea bags or loose. You may find tea bags more easily to handle but we recommend loose leaf tea for the added health benefits of your green tea infusion. However, if you choose tea bags, we recommend you go for a reliable brand such as Twinings or Chamong to get the maximum health benefits of green tea.
Jasmine tea is another variant of green tea. It has a base of green tea and it works towards weight loss.
One of the most consumed variants of green tea is Matcha. It is a powdered green tea and it comes from Japan. Both Matcha and Jasmine tea are superior to the normal green tea for weight loss and fat burning.
How to make a cup of green tea?
You take one-two teaspoons of green tea in the cup or in the tea infuser. The advantage of the infuser is that you can have multiple steeping. Now you fill the cup with water that is 81 to 86 degrees Celsius or 178 to 189 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the water is now boiling yet. Now cover the cup with a lid and let it rest 2 to 3 minutes. This process is known as steeping. If you use an infuser and the green tea is of a good quality, you can steep multiple times.
When to drink green tea?
This is the most asked question and has a lot of assumptions floating around whether to take it before, after or with meals. Well, the timing for your green tea depends on the purpose for which you are drinking it. For example, to obtain the full benefits of the antioxidants in green tea, you should take green tea in between the meals – between breakfast and lunch, between lunch and your evening snack, or before dinner. It is not recommended drinking green tea right before sleep due to its high caffeine intake that may lead to sleep issues.
If you drink green tea for weight loss, it promotes weight loss in two ways: by boosting the body metabolism and by inhibiting fat absorption. In such case, you can have green tea with your meals. The only thing, do not consume green tea early in the morning or on an empty stomach. The caffeine in it can lead to dehydration and could stimulate the release of gastric acid.
How to have it? Cold or hot?
Cold, room temperature or warm? Well, as long as you steep long enough to release the antioxidants, you can drink it hot or even cold and get the same potential health benefits. One minor difference is that hot drink attains more caffeine than cold green tea.
Caffeine addiction? Green tea vs. Coffee vs. Black tea vs. White tea
What if you are addicted to tea or caffeine? An average cup of coffee has about 100-200 mg of caffeine, depending on the variety of the coffee like Arabica, Robusta, etc. Green tea has 55 mg of caffeine, so you would need to drink at least 3 cups of green tea to get the same amount of caffeine. As long as caffeine has negative effects on your health such as decreased iron and calcium absorption and possible blood pressure spikes, green tea is a better option for you.
In the case of green tea vs. black tea, must be said that black tea has 80 mg of caffeine, compared to 55 mg in green tea. So it has slightly more caffeine content than green tea, but green tea wins when it comes to other properties such as cancer-fighting benefits. Black tea contains 10% polyphenols, while green tea contains 40% polyphenols. Polyphenols are nothing but chemical compounds that have antioxidant properties: phenolic acids, lignans, flavonoids, and stilbenes. They protect our body from free radical damage, thereby controlling the ageing process.
White tea is better than green tea in terms of health benefits and Matcha, on the other hand, is the highest quality of green tea.
How to consume green tea?
Sour, sweet, or flavoured? Green tea’s most benefits are shown when consumed sour, but if you still want some flavours, you may add mint leaves or lime juice into the drink for freshness and extra health benefits. We strongly not recommend adding sugar, honey or any other sweetener to the drink tea. Honey lose its properties when mixed with hot liquids, thereby we recommend taking honey separately.
Who must avoid green tea?
Green tea is mostly safe when consumed moderately, but people with stomach problems, caffeine intolerance, dynamic anxiety, bleeding disorders, heart conditions, liver disease, and osteoporosis should avoid green tea.
Is it safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
Pregnant women are allowed to have green tea 2 to max 3 small cups a day (approx. 300 mg green tea). However, a better option is to opt for decaffeinated green tea or white tea, as white tea is safe during breastfeeding.
The health benefits of green tea
Have green tea at least three times a day to reap all its benefits. green tea raises our metabolism and increases fat oxidation and helps with weight loss. it has powerful antioxidants to remove free radicals and prevents a wide range of cancers.
Green tea is loaded with polyphenols as discussed before. They function as powerful antioxidants.
It also lowers the cholesterol levels and alleviates the symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis and lowers the risks of Parkinson’s disease and type 2 diabetes.
Green tea helps reduce dental caries and also helps with a wide range of other diseases.
