How to Brew a Superior Cup of Green Tea

Are you looking for a change from the same old coffee routine? Look no further than a delicious and healthy cup of freshly brewed green tea. Green tea is not only a feast for the senses, it's also a powerhouse of healthy antioxidants which can lower your risk of disease.

Enjoying a cup of green tea can be a truly relaxing experience. You can savor it's naturally sweet flavor while you relax in the morning reading the daily paper or brew a fresh pot to sip on throughout the day. There's something very soothing and zen like about sipping this tasty
beverage.

Want to learn how to maximize your green tea drinking experience? Discover how to brew green tea to maximize it's taste and health benefits. Here are some guidelines:

1.Green tea tastes best when the leaves are allowed to float freely in the water during the steeping process. For this reason, tea balls should be avoided and your tea should be steeped in a ceramic or glass container.

2.Consider using loose green tea leaves as opposed to tea bags. This gives a higher quality cup of tea with better flavor as the leaves have room to move around during the steeping process. If you use tea bags, it's best to keep the bag in motion in order to maximize the antioxidant release.

3. For maximum flavor and health benefits, use 1 teaspoon of loose green tea leaves per 6-8 ounce cup.

4. Water temperature should be between 175 - 180 degrees when added to the leaves. This can be accomplished by boiling the water then turning off the heat and allowing the kettle to cool for 5 minutes before pouring it over the tea. Boiling water should never be poured over green tea leaves.

5. Brewing times are shorter with green teas than with black teas. Green teas should be allowed to brew no more than 2-3 minutes to avoid a bitter or excessively strong taste. You may want to experiment a bit and see what brew time gives a flavor that's most appealing to you.

6.Did you know you can "naturally decaffeinate" your green tea at home? It's actually quite easy to do.After bringing your water to the appropriate temperature (around 175 degrees), pour it over your green tea leaves in the usual manner. Allow it to steep for 30 seconds and then pour off
the water. The water you poured off should contain most of the caffeine. You can now proceed to add more hot water and steep in the normal manner which should give you green tea which is around 80% caffeine free.

Now that you have the "perfect" cup of green tea, add to the ambience by adding your freshly brewed tea to a beautiful, ceramic tea cup. Find a quiet place to relax and enjoy the taste and aroma of your freshly made brew. Try making it your morning ritual. It's a great way to start the day!