The Benefits of Drinking Green Tea

I love tea, to the point where I have nearly taken over a whole cupboard in my kitchen with tea and tea accessories. One of the main reasons I love tea is that it is so healthy! That is of course if you skip the added sugar, which is hard for me because I am such a fan of a classic English Breakfast Tea with milk and sugar so delish!

Photo Credit: Tea Online

My favourite tea to regularly drink is green tea, both straight classic green teas and fruity blends. Green tea is native to China and Japan and has been cultivated for centuries. It was once only drunk by Emperors and rich elites.  It has since grown to be a cultural staple in Asian society. Not only does green tea taste great, it is extremely healthy! Green tea is very healthy because it is high in antioxidants called polyphenols, which are known to prevent aging and damage from free radicals. Green tea also contains catkins, which are known to be antibacterial, metabolize fats, regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It is also high in natural fluoride, which works to prevent tooth decay and gum disease!  On top of all of these it is also considered to be a antiviral meaning it can help prevent colds and flus. The one downside to green tea is that is high in caffeine (about 40-50 milligrams of caffeine per cup).

How To Steep Green Tea
For best results invest in some loose-leaf tea as opposed to pre-made tea bags.
Green Tea is very delicate and can easily be burned, leaving a bitter taste. For best steeping results steep 1 teaspoon of green tea per cup in 80 degree Celsius water for approximately three minutes.

Here are a couple of my favorite loose-leaf green teas from David's Tea

Organic Ever Green

Genmaicha

Green tea can be served both hot and iced and is a great substitute for high calorie and sugar drinks, as well as coffee. For a special treat, try mixing some steeped Toasted Walnut green tea into steamed almond milk for a healthy tea latte. Other ways to enjoy green tea is to steep jasmine green tea into rice to serve with a stir-fry or steep any flavor of green tea into your oatmeal for added benefits and flavor. If you can't resist some sweetener, try some agave nectar.