Bhojan Daily

Green Tea is a bright, refreshing drink made from unoxidized tea leaves, known for its light, earthy flavor and health benefits. Along with Earl Grey and Tulsi Tea, it’s one of my favorites to sip during the day. Enjoy it plain or lightly sweetened – perfect for a calming afternoon break. Learn how to make Green Tea just right for a soothing and rejuvenating cup.

About Green Tea

Our mornings typically begin with Indian Masala Chai, as it is a very strong and bold drink with a good amount of caffeine.

Since I’m not much of a coffee person I tend to try different teas instead, and chai is definitely my go-to for getting started in the morning.

However, for afternoons or evenings I like to make green tea or Kashmiri Kahwa (which uses green tea leaves with lots of spices, such as saffron, cloves and cardamom).

These tend to have slightly less caffeine than chai but still contain a generous amount of pep.

I have tried white tea, tulsi tea, english breakfast tea, earl grey and many more varieties. And green tea is definitely at the top of my list of favorites as far as drinkability are concerned.

Green tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. It’s minimally processed and not oxidized, which helps preserve its natural green color and fresh, delicate, grassy flavor.

Originating in China and Japan, green tea has been consumed for centuries both as a daily beverage and for its medicinal properties. It is rich in antioxidants, particularly catechins, which are known to support overall health and well-being.

The taste of green tea can range from mild and sweet to slightly astringent, depending on how it’s brewed and the variety used.

You can serve this tea hot, with or without your sweetener of choice. Whether prepared as sweet or left plain to be slightly savory and earthy, green tea is great to pair with snacks.

Enjoy a cup as it is or with a healthy side snack or cookie. Plus, it can also be served chilled over ice to enjoy cold. This is a fantastic refreshing drink for summer!

Does green tea have caffeine

Yes, green tea does have caffeine. Each cup has slightly less caffeine than ¼ cup of coffee – about 20 to 30 milligrams.

However, this is significantly less caffeine than black tea, which has about 55 milligrams of caffeine per cup – or equal to ½ a cup of coffee.

It’s limited amount of caffeine is one of the many reasons green tea is terrific to enjoy as an afternoon drink. (Source Healthline)

That said, do not have green tea or even black tea in the night as they will keep you awake.

Green tea has many Health Benefits that you should not ignore. The polyphenols in it lowers the risk of some types of cancer. It also helps in weight loss and in detoxifying the body.

What you need

You will need looseleaf green tea or tea bags from your favorite brand. To the tea you can add herbs and spices such as lemongrass, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, black pepper, cardamom.

This green tea recipe makes 2 large cups or 3 small cups. Feel free to double or triple the ingredients to make in larger batches.

You can also try other teas – like a healthy cup of Turmeric Tea or refreshing glass of Iced Tea.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Green Tea

1. First, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat add 2 cups water.

2. Add 4 teaspoons of raw sugar or preferred sweetener. This creates a sweeter green tea, so feel free to skip this step if you want a more earthy and unsweet tea.

If using other spices or flavorings, add them to the water now.

3. Allow the water to come to a gentle simmer as you stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves.

4. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Place it on your kitchen countertop. Add 2 teaspoons of looseleaf green tea leaves. Continue reading for my tips for using whole tea bags.

5. Next, cover and steep the tea for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not steep for any longer or else the tea may become bitter.

Tip: Some quality of tea leaves may require you to steep for more than 3 minutes. Check the taste and if the brew is mild, you can always steep for some more time.

6. Use a sieve to strain the leaves. Serve hot or warm, with a squeeze of lemon if you like. 

Make green tea with tea bags

Boil one cup of water (237 to 250 ml) for every cup of tea you are making. Once the water comes to a gentle boil, turn the heat off and remove the saucepan from the burner. Place pan on your kitchen countertop.

Gently dip the tea bags into the hot water and allow them to steep for 2 to 3 minutes. Again, do not over-steep the tea to avoid it becoming overly bitter.

Never boil the green tea bags or leaves in water.

Now add sugar or sugar cubes or a sweetener of your choice, and enjoy!

How to make Iced Green Tea

To make iced green tea recipe, refrigerate the tea in a covered jar, pitcher or bottle until cold. Serve chilled with a garnish of lemon slices or mint leaves.

Some lemon or lime juice squeezed in the tea will also make it refreshing and cleansing to the palate.

If you plan to add honey, let the tea cool at room temperature and then only add honey. Stir to give a thorough mix and refrigerate. For lighter diluted flavors, you can add 1 cup water later or top with ice cubes.

Green Tea vs Black Tea

Green tea and black tea actually come from the same plant – camellia sinensis. But while black tea leaves are dried and allowed to ferment and oxidize, green tea leaves are processed much quicker.

This means they either do not ferment at all, or the fermentation process is not very long. Less fermenting creates a tea that isn’t as strong in flavor or caffeine as black tea.

Expert Tips

1. Brewing time: The brewing time varies with the quality and grade of the tea leaves. It can vary from 2 to 5 minutes. From my experience, working with the various types of tea leaves, 2 to 3 minutes work perfectly. Longer steeping time will result in making the tea bitter.
2. Sweeteners: I personally prefer to use raw sugar or jaggery in my green tea. You can definitely add your preferred sweetener.
3. Honey: I do not recommend adding honey to a hot green tea. Ayurveda mentions that honey becomes toxic when mixed in hot liquids. But you can surely add honey to a lukewarm tea.
4. Diabetic friendly version: Green tea is supposed to be good for people with high glucose levels. For a healthy cup, simply skip adding sugar or any sweetener in the tea.
5. Make ahead and scaling: Make a large batch of this green tea recipe and refrigerate for a few days. Serve it chilled with a few sprigs of mint leaves or a dash of lemon juice. Do not reheat the refrigerated green tea as the flavors won’t be the same. If you love hot teas, then always brew them fresh.
6. Where to buy: You can easily buy green tea leaves from any super store, health store or online.

FAQs

More Coffee And Tea Recipes To Try!

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Green Tea recipe from the archives was first published on April 2010.