What makes green tea unique from other teas is its high polyphenol or antioxidant content. Green tea contains considerably more of these all important anti-aging, anti-cancer, anti-arthritis compounds than do other teas that are made from the same plant as it is. Green tea is different from other teas and for that reason it should be brewed in a different manner.
The traditional way to release the nutritious compounds in tea is to steep the leaves in hot water and to thus create a hot drinkable tea from the plant's leaves. When brewing green tea it is very important to allow ample time for the many nutrients within these leaves to be released into the hot water that will become your tea. To receive the maximum health benefits of green tea it is very important to completely release the polyphenols of green tea into the liquid, or tea, that we will drink.
The longer that the tea leaves infuse with the boiling water then the more of these nutrients will be released into this beverage. It is suggested that most teas steep in boiling water for three to five minutes to create tea but that green tea leaves should steep for the full five minutes. This ensures that the maximum benefits of green tea are diffused into the water surrounding it but it can also cause this strong tea infusion to have a bitter or tart taste.
Fortunately there are ways to reduce the bitterness of green tea. Boil your tea water but allow it to cool for a minute or two before you pour it over your green tea leaves.
Other ways to overcome having a bitter tasting green tea is to blend green tea with other flavors of herbal tea. Instead of creating a tea using two bags of green tea per pot, place one bag of green tea in the pot along with one bag of your regular tea, or favorite herb tea. This way you can enjoy the nutritional benefits of sipping green tea while also enjoying all the flavor of your favorite teas.
Green tea tends to have a more subtle flavor than other teas, but like most teas, when it is brewed to full strength it can have a bitter taste to it. Fortunately there are a number of varieties of green teas on supermarket shelves, so if you find the one that you are using to be somewhat bitter, try other brands till you find one that is more to your palate's liking.
The size of the leaf is also important when steeping green tea. Purchasing and using a smaller cut of tea leaf compared to a larger leaf variety will enable the diffusion of the nutrients within these leaves to occur more readily within hot water. Loose tea leaves will infuse easier than the bagged variety, so when using bags of green tea, stir the pot often or dunk the teabag rather than leaving it float. This will enable the polyphenols within the green tea Leaves to exit more readily.
Sipping five cups of a relaxing hot green tea each day is the amount recommended to apply the amazing health benefits within it into your life.