Posted by Amber (Portland, Oregon) on 03/28/2009
★★★★★
I agree about using the freshest form of Green Tea available. From what I've read and experienced, Matcha Green Tea is 'the most superior' form concerning using Green Tea for it's health benefits. It is made of green tea leaves which are steamed at a lower temperature, not roasted; so it stays a vibrant emerald green color, and retains more of the nutrients/antioxidant properties. It is ground up into a powder, and all you need to do is mix it in water...doesn't even need to be hot! You can make smoothies or green tea ice cream with this! And This way you are ingesting and absorbing the highest amount of green tea. It may seem more expensive, but it is worth it if you can spare the expense. And actually, you only need to use such a tiny amount, that I figured out it actually lasts the same as buying boxed green tea in the long run, for the price and duration. I order from a local company, the Tao of Tea, here in Portland, and you can buy it from many online retailers.
Posted by Kim (Silverdale, Washington) on 02/04/2008
★★★★★
I use Green Tea. I actually started using it more for it's taste than anything else, drinking fresh tea leaves that I purchased at the "Black Pearl Tea Shop". It helped me start to lose weight by drinking at least 60 oz a day (I LOVE THIS TEA). However, when I lost my pouch of tea, i bought the kind that is already in tea bags and was sadly disappointed. It tasted bitter and didn't work as well.
So my advice is this. Get fresh, loose tea, and if you drnk the pre-bagged kind, get Jasmine Green Tea. The Jasmine gives the tea the most wonderful smell and taste, and kills the bitter flavor. I never add sugar, honey, lemon, nothing. this tea is perfect the way it is.
Also, NEVER BOIL your tea. it should be steeped at 170 degrees. (basically, right under boiling point). Boiling burns the tea leaves, giving your tea a more bitter taste and nutralizing alot of key nutrients.
If you can't brew tea throughout the day, Jasmine Green Tea also tastes good cold. Brew enough for a whole day and put it in a thermos or other container. but remember, NEVER EVER BOIL TEA!
