3 Reasons Your Green Tea Doesn't Taste Good (and why it doesn't need to)

Green tea is full of anti-oxidants, low in caffeine and reputed to have a huge number of health benefits. It is not surprising that many people drink it purely for wellness reasons, but it can be delicious.  

Here are the top reasons it might not be tasting good for you, and what you can do about it...

1. You're using boiling water

Boiling water will make green tea taste bitter because certain components of the tea are pulled out by high temperature water.  The tannins, anti-oxidants (also known as polyphenols), and caffeine in green tea have a really bitter flavour.  They are extracted really quickly if boiling water is used.  In comparison, green tea has some delicious compounds, like amino acids, that can give the tea sweetness, but they will be dominated by the polyphenols and caffeine which are bitter.

You should use 70-90 degree water in order to make a delicious cup of green tea.  Let the lid of your kettle sit open for 10 min before you pour it on your tea.  Or buy a temperature controlled kettle!  Using cooler water will make the tea sweeter and more delicious.

2. You're using a paper tea bag

Paper tea bags can only be filled with dust or CTC (cut, tear, curl) tea - these grades of tea are tiny and have a huge surface area.  A high surface area means that it will release more of those bitter tannins, caffeine and polyphenols - often making it hard to drink.  It will also lose it's complexity in flavour as it is exposed to the air and will many of it's layers.  

Use whole leaf tea instead - it has a lower surface area and will be less bitter and far more drinkable.

3. You brew for more than 2-3 minutes

Green tea shouldn't be brewed for a long time - we only recommend brewing for 2-3 minutes.  This will keep it light and delicate, not bitter and overly grassy.

So take your tea bag out, or pour off all the water if you're using loose leaf tea and a tea pot.

Green tea shouldn't be disgusting to drink - so from now on, you can enjoy it's flavour and it's health benefits too!  We'd highly recommend our Take A Pause green tea, which has a blend of tea and herbs which can support stress, brain fog, hot flushes and uterine wellness.