Brew Your Green Tea

Green tea can be purchased as leaves, powder, tea bags, and there are even some bottled drinks. The tea comes from the plant Camellia sinensis. There are a number of varieties and each has different chemical properties. There can be differences depending on when it was picked and how it was treated after picking. Try a number of different ones to decide on your personal favorite.

Leaves, Powder, or Bags

It is your personal preference whether you purchase leaves, powder or tea bags. Leaves are generally preferable to tea bags. You have to dunk the bags to get the best extraction of the beneficial polyphenols. If you use leaves, the small ones are best. The large leaves and the curled leaves need more steaming time. The small leaves provide a better cup of tea.

Water Quality

The quality of water you use for brewing is important. It is suggested that you use bottled, filtered, or mineral water to get the best taste.

Temperature

There is a difference of opinion among green tea drinkers as to whether you should pour boiling water on the leaves or to let the boiling water rest for a minute. The hotter the water, the better the extraction of the antioxidants will be from the tea. The water temperature should be 165-170 degrees F (73-76 degrees C).

Steeping the Tea

If you steep the tea less than two to five minutes, you will get a high-caffeine beverage with fewer polyphenols. A longer steeping time produces more polyphenols. The instructions on the packages of some tea bags may indicate steeping for one to two minutes. You should steep them for at least two minutes. Also remember to continuously dunk the tea-bags in the water to extract more of the polyphenols. You can dunk the tea bag in a covered cup or teapot by pulling on the attached string. Be careful and hold the cover so that it doesn't accidentally fall and break. Letting the tea bag rest in the cup or teapot will not produce the needed extraction of polyphenols needed for maximum benefit.

How to Brew Green Tea

Your tea can be brewed in a cup, teapot, or coffee maker. Because of the health benefits derived from drinking the tea, some people have replaced their morning coffee with a cup of green tea.

For a single cup of tea, you may want to purchase a ceramic cup with a cover. There are sets you can purchase that have a small pot sitting on top of the cup for single cup use. Use approximately one teaspoon. Pour the boiling water into your cup and cover it. Let it sit for at least three minutes.

If you are making more than one cup, you should use a teapot. The teapot should be rinsed with hot water to preheat it. Pour out the water and add the leaves (approximately one-and-a-half-to two teaspoons per six ounces of water). You should experiment with the combination until you find the right one for you. Pour the freshly boiled water into the teapot and cover it. Let it sit for at least 3 minutes, no more than five.

You can use a coffee maker to brew green tea just as you do coffee. If you use the same coffee maker, make sure you thoroughly clean it to remove all traces of coffee. Put the leaves in a paper coffee filter. Your measurement should be approximately one to one-and-a-half teaspoons of leaves for every six to eight ounces of water. This should be based on your personal preference. Brew the tea as you would your coffee.

If you like iced tea, you can brew your own. However, you should never use hot water for brewing and then cool the tea. It becomes oxidized and loses its health benefits. You should use double the amount of tea leaves. Place them in cold water in a sealed container. Place the container in your refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes. As you drink the tea, you can refill the container with cold water to brew more. Don't drink all the tea in the container before starting the next batch.

I have noticed the instructions on a tea bag box that says you should boil the water, dunk your tea bags in the hot water for 10 minutes, remove the tea bags and then pour the tea and cold water into a container. You lose the health benefits of the tea, but it is a pleasant drink.

You can re-use your tea leaves three to four times before discarding them.

Green tea is an acquired taste. Some have an astringent taste and overheating can cause bitterness. Some are sweeter than others. When you buy tea bags or bottled teas, you can get them sweetened with honey or artificial sweeteners and with lemon.

For me, the most enjoyable experience is using the green tea leaves. When you uncover the tea, just before drinking it, smell the aroma. You may be drinking green tea for its health benefits, but it can also be a pleasant experience to break up the tension of a long day.

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