Not everyone can enjoy drinking green tea. But do not worry, as changing its flavor is not very hard to do. Given that there are many advantages offered by green tea, trying ways to make it likable will be worth all your effort. Let us explore the best ways of how to make green tea more delicious and enjoyable.
Understanding the Benefits of Green Tea
Before going to the tips, let’s understand the benefits of green tea. This drink contains antioxidants called catechins. These compounds help fight free radicals in the body. Moreover, green tea may enhance metabolism and improve brain function. These health benefits make it a popular choice for many.
Another good benefit of green tea is its ability to sustain heart health. Scientists have discovered that it can, in fact, lower cholesterol levels when taken regularly. It can also reduce the possibilities for some diseases to appear. If you already know all these benefits, you may continue drinking green tea every day.
How to Select the Right Type of Green Tea
First off, you need to select the proper flavor of green tea for taste. There are Sencha, Matcha, Genmaicha, among so many others. They’re all unique with respect to flavor and smell.
Actually, Matcha is too rich and creamy for anybody who likes strong tea. With Sencha, however, you get a lighter experience. Experiment on various versions to determine your preference.
Also, review the tea leaves used. Generally, a better leaf is a better drinkable liquid. Organic options or high-end brands can contribute to a better experience.
Brew Perfection
The brewing process will be the most influential to the flavor of tea. First, use fresh filtered water. This prevents any impurities from reaching your tea, which will harm its taste. In addition, it is not safe to let the water boil before brewing because the scorching of leaves is likely to make your green tea taste bitter.
Most green teas prefer a brewing temperature between 160°F and 180°F (70°C to 80°C). You want to let the boiling water cool a bit before you pour it over the leaves. This should stop a bitter taste.
More importantly, the steeping time should not be overlooked. If you over-steep the tea, it becomes bitter, while under-steeping it gives a poor taste. As a rule, green tea should be steeped for 2 to 3 minutes. Depending on personal taste, this may need adjustment.
Adding Flavor through Natural Infusions
Infusion with natural flavors can be used to enhance the flavor of green tea. A number of flavorings may add a delightful taste to the beverage without dominating the taste of the green tea.
For example, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice. Green tea and lemons get along pretty well because their citrus flavors go well together. Vitamin C, contributed by the lemons, would enhance this healthy tea as well. Think about sweetness: honey and agave nectar can add that too. In either case, the sugar alternatives cut the bitter flavor of the tea very well.
Herbs like mint or basil can also be added to make it refreshing. One simply crushes a few leaves before brewing to extract their essences. This is actually how a scented, flavored infusion is created.
Other Flavors with Natural Additives
Besides using natural ingredients, there are a few more flavor options that might interest you. Mix tea with ginger to make something warm. Ginger provides this warm sensation with the inclusion of spicy kick that enhances one’s digestion.
Match it with fruits like berries or peaches. The fruit can bring sweetness and flavor to the tea, thus making it a great beverage to be consumed. Infuse the brewed tea with fresh slices of fruits for a perfect blend.
Experiment with spices. A little cinnamon powder or a few sprinkles of cardamom can be added to give it more flavor. This gives it warmth and makes it even complex.
Iced Green Tea for a Refreshing Twist
If you like cold drinks, iced green tea is a refreshing alternative. Brew a strong batch of tea. Use twice the amount of tea leaves to get a robust flavor.
Brew the tea and let it cool down to room temperature. Serve it over ice and have a cool drink on hand. You can always add slices of fruit and fresh herbs to give a bit of a flavor from them. It is, after all an excellent drink for summer.
Green tea is also sweetened with various natural sweeteners. One could make a drink by adding natural sweetness without making the health benefit of such a drink go amiss.
