Green tea is rich in health benefits. Green tea is composed of nutrients and antioxidants capable of reducing the risk of cancer, helps prevent dementia and lose weight.
But how do we know if we are getting the most out of a cup of tea? Most people don’t know that there are ways to maximize the effects of green tea in a positive way just like How to make herbal tea taste good .
How is green tea prepared?
Use the right temperature in the water .
Boiling water is often too hot to brew green tea. If the water is too hot, the tea can taste bitter and astringent. If the water is too cold, it may not extract all the flavor from the leaves.
The proper temperature above the water would be between 160 and 180 degrees. When it starts to boil, the water will be hot and bubbles will start to form at the bottom of the pot, not at the top.
The best thing would be to heat the water until we have a continuous stream of steam from the kettle. We can also boil the water completely and then let it cool for a few minutes.
How to improve the taste of Matcha tea?
A water bath for the right time.
Tea is very delicate, it is vitally important to let it soak for around 2 or 3 minutes. A shorter time prevents the tea leaves from releasing their full aroma, while a longer time will taste bitter and not what you expect.
Boil the tea for 2 minutes, then taste every 30 seconds until you get a nice flavor. A study reported in the Journal of Food Science managed to find that antioxidant activity was significantly influenced by infusion temperature and time.
What can be added to green tea to make it taste better?
Add a little honey or another sweetener.
Green tea on its own can taste a bit “herbal.” Some people are addicted to this flavor, while others cannot do without it. if it is from this category, adding a little honey to your liking will help to make the flavor better.
Use fresh tea leaves and high-quality tea.
Having totally fresh tea leaves (ie freshly picked leaves as opposed to tea bags) can produce a better flavor as the tea leaves are freer to “breathe”. The taste is much better and authentic unlike bagged tea.
Use an adequate amount of tea.
The adequate amount to generate a good portion would be 2 grams of tea leaves for the amount of water that would be 170 g, but you can also adjust the proportion a bit according to each person’s taste. The higher the amount of tea leaves per gram, the more pronounced the flavor will be.
How to remove the bitterness of green tea?
Add mint or lemon juice.
Both can help subtly enhance the flavor of green tea. Try them separately or both together. Sometimes a little bit of mint or lemon is enough to give the tea a delicious flavor. Adding a bit of mint or lemon can help enhance the flavor of the tea.
Be sure to use good quality water for the infusion.
Water with too many minerals can sometimes suppress the natural minerals in the tea leaves and create a pungent taste. Purified or spring water is best, as it is free of contaminants that can alter the taste of the tea.
Now that you know how to properly brew green tea, you can experiment with different varieties that you can see in the next section to see which one you like best. Treat yourself to a good cup of tea, sit back and enjoy your fresh brew.