# Can't get into green tea



## mikey1090 (May 5, 2015)

Has anyone got any green tea recomendations?

I've been told by the guy that works in the gym to start drinking it to aid my fat burning. I just seem to wince when I drink it though. Where should I start?

Brands?

Water temp?

Flavours? Thought apple etc might appeal more.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Just plain dragon well loose leaf tea. Really refreshing drink. Don't think of it as a mug of tetley tea - enjoy it for what it is


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## paul whu (Sep 25, 2014)

My tip for green tea is to avoid it like a dose of the pox.


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

I really love houjicha - its basically green tea roasted like coffee so has certain similarities - mainly that its more mild than green tea and has a laid back taste.

Traditionally though, it is seen as a little cheap (comparably to stuff like sencha) so don't give it to your Japanese guests unless you want them to leave.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

most people haven't a clue on how to brew green/blue/yellow/white teas. Dose, temp, time & water quality are equally as important as with coffee. You need good quality loose leaf to start with!


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

Green tea is just as particular as espresso.

Dose, temp and steep have to be perfect or it won't go well.

Houjicha is pretty forgiving with temp, but will run away pretty quickly with time.

A good rule of thumb for green tea is 80c for about 30 seconds - but that will in most cases only get a drinkable cup.

But it's better to be gentle.

You can brew tea many times* - so if you brew too aggressively, tea will quite happily give what it's got. Which is probably a whole lot of bitter.

* in the same sitting - it's not a good idea to leave tea for any significant amount of time.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Green tea bag

Boiling water

Leave it in forever

Boom


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

well come folks lets get some recipies up to help the guy out then!


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

coffeechap said:


> well come folks lets get some recipies up to help the guy out then!


Without the type of tea at the least it's difficult to make any suggestions.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Most reputable loose leaf tea is supplied with a recipe showing g/L and time


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Very generic guide here :

http://lifehacker.com/this-time-and-temperature-chart-helps-you-brew-the-perf-1447451469


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## "coffee 4/1" (Sep 1, 2014)

if your still looking for green tea try high quality MILK OOLONG from london tea exchange, spitalfieds

your taste notes will be wonderful liquid velvet+light whipped cream, above a very pleasant light bouquet of orchids

(warning once tried your hooked for this tea)


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## DeloresSteele (Jul 31, 2015)

Green tea is a wonderful beverage with potential health benefits. Prepare water at 160°F to 180°F. Good quality water is essential for green tea.


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## Kman10 (Sep 3, 2014)

Try jasmine pearls


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

The Hotmetalette brought me back some lovely tea from a trip to China. They're long leaves wrapped up as balls and when you pour water on them they open out into beautiful flowers. You do need a glass tea pot to enjoy the full effect of course, but the tea is lovely too.


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

They have these in wagamama. Try one in a long glass latte cup


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

Green tea does not make you lose fat, the trick is putting less in your mouth than your body uses.

Ian


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Cam, these are the tea balls I mentioned above. I haven't got the perfect glass for them to look great in, but they work alright in my double-wall glasses.


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

Goto Costa. You buy their lovely tall glass latte glasses there very cheaply and they are just right


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## TeaChest (Aug 14, 2015)

Have you found a green tea to your liking Mikey?

As said here there is a huge variety in what is available and it is a case of finding something that is right for you. Some people like a light sweet tea like the Milky Oolong mentioned or a Jasmine tea, while others prefer a earthier tea like Bancha or something that sits between the two like Chun Mee.

Don't use boiling water and don't steep the tea for too long, and I'm sure you'll find something that suits you.


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## kbrembo (Nov 27, 2015)

Try Matcha....

http://www.matchateafactory.com/drink-matcha-8-c.asp


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## TastetheTea (Feb 14, 2016)

mikey1090 said:


> Has anyone got any green tea recomendations?
> 
> I've been told by the guy that works in the gym to start drinking it to aid my fat burning. I just seem to wince when I drink it though. Where should I start?
> 
> ...


Hi Mikey1090,

Not sure if your using teabags or loose leaf but if you are using teabags, I *strongly recommend switching to loose leaf,* the flavours are much more organic and refreshing.

As for taste, green tea can often be grassy and many people find they just don't compare to a good proper English brew, but as you state, green tea has certain benefits.

Have you tried* flavoured loose leaf* green teas? *Raspberry Green *tea is delightfully fruity and is delicious iced with a little mint! My review on a certain brand of Raspberry green can be found on ym blog http://www.tastethetea.co.uk/2016/02/06/raspberry-green/

I find water temperature doesn't affect green tea too much however, if it is brewed for more than a few minutes it can often take on a really bitter taste that's unpleasant so it's important to not over brew.

Hope this helps









Chelsea


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## Tidiman (Apr 4, 2016)

Hi All,

I have dropped a few lines about the Green Tea Benefits. Basically the green tea is very good and there are almost none negatives and it is hardly to believe that someone is overdone with it. It helps for Heart, its anti bacterial, improve the memory, helps for fat burning, lower the risk of the various type of cancer.


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## JKK (Feb 19, 2014)

First off bus some decent green tea, not super market stuff.

This place in London sells decent Japanese Sencha

https://tombotea.myshopify.com/products/zen-sencha?channel=buy_button&referer=http%3A%2F%2Ftombocafe.com%2F&variant=5993716612

Or try Ippodo [super famous Kyoto tea company] which ships internationaly

http://shop.ippodo-tea.co.jp/kyoto/shopf/goods/sencha.html

When brewed with with the previously mentioned recipe

80c 30sec

It should taste sweet, not bitter.

-jkk


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## TastetheTea (Feb 14, 2016)

Heyyy, A few hints









- NEVER go for store bought tea bags.. The tea leaf used in them is low grade (called fannings or dust) Due to the size of them they infuse quicker and prone to bitterness. even steeping for a shorter amount of time is no good, as then you won't get the great taste.

- Go for loose leaf. It's far better tasting and better quality than store bought.

- Temperature is a BIG thing. If you steep green tea in boiling water it can often ruin the tea and make it bitter. Try steeping at 85C. Although if you buy loose leaf, most companies will tell you the recommended temperature and steep time on the packet. I always follow these guidelines and then adjust to personal preference if I feel the tea could go a little longer.

- If your not sure and don't want to commit to loose leaf, go for a flavored loose leaf to ease you in.

Try places like Adagio, Bruu or Bluebird Tea Co which have a large range of flavoured blends, your bound to find a few that appeal to your preference.


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## letthemeat (Aug 14, 2016)

I'm not a massive fan of green tea but do like jasmine dragon pearls. Can recommend Teahouse Emporium in Bath - they have a really good selection and you can order online if you're not in the area.

http://www.teahouseemporium.co.uk/products/tea/


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## Espresso88 (Sep 9, 2016)

Try adding a squeeze of honey


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Try coffee LOL! Sorry couldn't resist.


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## PreCoffeeCantankerousness (Dec 14, 2014)

Well this is an old thread..

But for those of us who like tea and coffee...

Supermarket teas are surprisingly and exceedingly bad. For less money than some tea pigs you can get tea shipped directly from a supplier in china.

I've been using this company for several years

http://www.amazing-green-tea.com

brewing instructions - applies to their jasmine & dragon well tea

http://shop.amazing-green-tea.com/dragon-well-tea.html#brewingguide

Although Jasmine is ridiculed as inferior tea, I love jasmine and I love the tea when its good quality and uses good quality leaves as a base. Pearls tend to be inferior quality and more astringent than good open tippy leaves

This years Moli Jinzhen golden needle King AAA Grade is very good.

The difference in quality between this and the aforementioned tea pigs I tried out of curiosity is laughable.

I go for a 70-90C Temperature. I personally do not find the temperature to be as pernickety an issue as for coffee.

When pouring boiling water into my cold tetsubin, the temp drops to 80 in seconds and the cast iron pot holds the heat for a good time. On second and subsequent steeping, I use my thermometer to ensure the temperature drops sufficiently before adding the tea in the diffuser.

I sample the tea intermittently, until it tastes right to my own tastes, i.e. enough flavour without becoming astringent. Currently 5-10 minutes. Take the diffuser out and put to one side for the next pot. The flavour improves over the second and third steeping, by which time I've generally had my fill of tea for the day.

Edit: Water is important. I had to give up drinking tea when I moved to london for a few years. Soft Scottish water passed through a brita water filter to remove the chlorine works nicely for me.


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## Beowolf (Sep 15, 2016)

Hi I use http://www.teagems.co.uk absolutely brilliant cheaper and better quality than tea pigs as well as being delivered to your door. I can recommend the earl Gray as well as the jasmine pearls. In fact I have tried most of the flavoured teas and found them all to be deliciouse. Sorry I sound like an advert I'm not on commission.


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## Maia (Dec 13, 2016)

Green tea will help you to aid some fat. My trainer also recommend it to me, but you must take care of possible side effects. You can find some informations here link removed..


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## Yulia Kolomiytseva (Apr 16, 2017)

Mikey1090, although I have turned into a huge lover of tea, including of green tea 5 years ago, I will be honest, I am not entirely convinced that green tea is the best and most scientifically-supported way to boost your metabolism. I am a great supporter of healthy living, so have researched this thoroughly.

The NHS is a good source of information on scientific evidence on different claims, as it is peer reviewed by doctors and this is what it says on the matter: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/how-can-I-speed-up-my-metabolism.aspx

However, if you would like to get into green tea anyway, in my opinion, a quality loose leaf dragonwell (also called 'Long Jing' or 'Lung Ching' in Chinese) as suggested above, is a wonderful place to start!

I used to think I don't like unflavoured green tea 5 years ago, when I only drank it in tea bags - it tasted like astringent dishwater to me, until I came across a quality loose leaf tea given as a gift from China to a dear friend of mine, who gave it to me.

It wasn't a dragonwell (I think it was a more vegetal, more delicate tea like a Yun Wu green tea), but I would also recommend that a dragonwell is a much better place to start as it has a lot more flavour - it is very toasty and nutty, being a lovely, rich, pan roasted green tea. Especially if you are used to the richness of coffee, then this would be the most suitable green tea - I think.

Freshness and quality of the leaf especially the tie of year it was plucked - in March - early April is best) is very important though, as green tea loses its flavour, leaving the astringency only quickly.

Yulia.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our tea bottega: www.eastcottandburgess.co.uk

A proud co-owner of my family-run artisan tea company, called the Eastcott & Burgess Tea Bottega.

Inspired by my English grandparents, their life-long, unwaning love for tea and by the beautiful countryside of Surrey county.

Our aim is to inspire and to make this world a happier place through tea.


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## leaf_tea_man (May 13, 2017)

You should green tea a go don't fall at the first hurdle. Remember that green tea needs hot water around 80C not boiling water as this makes it very bitter, a major problem with high street cafes! Try Chun Mee or Gunpowder to start as these have very different flavours.


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

Simples - if you don't like green teas....then don't drink them.

"Life's too short for masochism".


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## ginagreen (Apr 25, 2017)

There are most types of tea you could have a try, dont need to keep yourself into one.


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## Kev1n (Aug 23, 2017)

Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally.


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## ATZ (Aug 4, 2017)

Kev1n said:


> Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally.


It does neither of these to any large degree, it's an urban myth


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## tintinmelo75 (Oct 1, 2017)

I think the reason most people don't like green tea is because they brew it wrong. They drink it like black tea which ends up being bitter.

To get a good cup of green tea, after the kettle boils, let it sit around 5 minutes, so the water temperature is around 80c. Then when you pour into your cup don't brew for more than 2 minutes.

I used to hate drinking green tea but once I figured out the correct way to prepare, I am enjoying it now.


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## Bradders172 (Dec 8, 2016)

I'm no expert but I have had alot of success with chinese gong fu style brewing for green tea which, from my understanding, usually involves a larger quantity of tea leaves than western style tea brewing and shorter steep times.

At the moment I am enjoying what-cha's Zhejiang wild dragon well 'long jing' green tea. I use 6 grams in a 150ml Gaiwan and brew using 80°c filtered water for 60 - 90 seconds then pour through a strainer. This results in a refreshing and tasty brew with no bitterness.

You can get multiple brews out of good leaves this way, how many depends on, in my opinion, the quality of the leaves and how long you steep each brew for.

With good leaves, decent quality water and shorter steep times I have discovered something completely different to the 'green tea' I was used to and now enjoy my little tea sessions.

Hope this helps.


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## Luke. (Feb 20, 2018)

Kyle548 said:


> I really love houjicha - its basically green tea roasted like coffee so has certain similarities - mainly that its more mild than green tea and has a laid back taste.
> 
> Traditionally though, it is seen as a little cheap (comparably to stuff like sencha) so don't give it to your Japanese guests unless you want them to leave.


I'm not sure why it's seen as cheaper as it is usually made from Sencha anyway?


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## AAC (May 24, 2018)

I'm a fan of Green Tea, tends to be my afternoon go to drink.


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## matt0176 (Mar 24, 2019)

what about jasmine tea, they are so easy to drink and basically green tea leaves blend with jasmine flowers.


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## teapro (Apr 28, 2019)

I've heard that white tea is actually much better for fat burning. It's the least processed type from the camellia sinensis plant and contains the highest amount of antioxidants, which are responsible for increased fat burning. 
Here is an interesting article about it: https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/effective-benefits-of-white-tea-for-weight-loss/#gref

If you want a recommendation on which white teas to try, let me know!

Tatjana xx
https://teapro.co.uk/


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## Christine1323 (Dec 10, 2021)

I'm a huge fan of green teas! But only once I learned how to brew it properly. 80 degree water temperature, remove the leaves after 3 minutes etc. I really like the jasmine pearls from Impala & Peacock or they do a cool green tea pack if you want to try a few: https://www.impalaandpeacock.com.au/products/tea-gift-set-green-teas


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