Making green tea can be tricky. If you don’t brew it just right you’ll end up with a bitter cup of tea that isn’t enjoyable. When made correctly this can be a delicious way to help you lose weight, satisfy a sweet tooth, or cool down on a hot day. Since green tea doesn’t get dark like other forms of tea, it’s common to over-brew it. If you are considering switching to green tea, here are a few tips to help you get the perfect cup every time.
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Hot Green Tea Bags
If you want to make a cup of green tea with green tea bags, this is fairly straightforward. You want to get your water ready first. If you boil the water with the tea bag in it, you may end up scalding the tea. This will make a bitter cup. Bring the water to a boil first, then pour it in to a mug with the tea bag. If you are making several cups or one large cup, use more than 1 bag. Unless you are using family sized tea bags, a single bag will brew 8-12 ounces. Many people make the mistake of thinking that letting the tea brew for longer periods of time will yield more tea. It’s actually the amount of tea that determines the strength. So if you plan on making several cups, use an extra Japanese green tea bag or two. Allow the tea to steep for about 5 minutes, and taste the tea. If it tastes strong enough, you can remove the bag and add your sweetener. If it’s still watery, allow it to steep for an additional minute or two. Try not to let it brew for more than 8 minutes. Longer than this and you will have a cup that is far stronger, and possibly acidic. Don’t rely on the color of the tea either. Green tea will have a naturally lighter color, and usually won’t be any darker than a pale amber color.
Hot Loose Leaf Tea
If you would rather use fresh loose leaf green tea instead of bags, the brewing process will be a little different, but not by much. You want to use a good quality tea ball or strainer. A lot of tea balls are made of a flimsy plastic. While this is a cheaper option, the plastic can absorb the oils from the tea leaves and affect the green tea flavor. The nutritional value of the green tea is also much stronger in the oil. You’ll still get some benefit, but not as much. Use 2 tablespoons of loose green tea for each 12 ounce cup you wish to make. Boil the water first just as you would with the bags. Place the tea ball in the mug, and pour the water over it. Allow it to steep for the same amount of time. If you are using a strainer or a press, you will place the loose green tea in the bottom of the mug and add the water. It will take the same amount of time to brew. When you press or strain the tea, you want to do so gently. If you crush the leaves as you strain you can release too much of the oils, and create a harsh flavor green tea. It’s also best to try to use organic loose green tea to get the best and freshest flavor.
Iced Green Tea
Iced green tea can be a refreshing way to cool off on a hot day. Most people don’t like the taste of cold green tea as is. But you can add sweeteners that don’t take away from the unhealthy quality. When you brew iced green tea you will start the process the same way as you would for hot tea. The difference is going to be you need to sweeten it before it cools off if you are using crystal sugar. This will allow the sugar to fully dissolve while the water is still hot. You can also use simple syrup and sweeten it after. A lot of people enjoy sweetening green tea with honey too. The honey will enhance the flavor and remove a lot of the bitterness that can happen as the tea cools. Honey is best added when the tea is brewing. A lot of green tea products are already flavor enhanced. If you purchase weight loss green tea, check a cup first before you add a lot of sweetness. Once you cool the tea down and pour it over ice, you can always add more sweetener to the green tea to taste if you need to.
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