Monday

Brewing Green Tea

     Getting all my info together for this post made me say to myself  "uh, why aren't you drinking more green tea?"  I don't drink it as much as I should.  I used to hate green tea until I learned how to brew it correctly, and I had to practice.  I had to make myself drink it for a while until I learned to like it.  Hey, I had to make myself learn how to like coffee back in college....it's the same deal.

    The health benefits of green tea are many.  There has been study after study done -- I'll let you do the research -- google "health benefits of a cup of green tea".  But, there is one main reason I like to drink it.  It calms me down.  It's the theonine in it.  Theonine makes you mellow and unanxious (I don't think that's a word :-).  Some of the other reasons I should be drinking it -- it is traditionally used to help control blood sugar and it helps to lower cholesterol and triglycerides.  For those two benefits alone I should be drinking it.

     So, here's how I make my green tea.



I start with a tea pot made for brewing loose leaf tea.
There is a basket that fits inside to hold the tea.





I buy a good quality loose leaf tea.
This is Frontier (the brand) "Gunpowder" green tea.
I buy it by the # at my local health food store.
I also like the Frontier Jasmine green tea, and I buy their decaf
green tea for late afternoon brewing.






Water gets heated in my stove top pot to barely boiling.
If you use too hot of water (boiling) the tea will get bitter.
When it is hot,  I rinse the loose leaf tea pot with some
 hot water to warm it.








Then I fill the basket of the pot about 1/3 full (or less) -- it's going to expand.







Now start filling the pot with water.  It takes a bit as the water seeps through the tea.
Pour...wait...pour...wait....you get the idea.  When it's full put the lid on.
Now I put the timer on for exactly 2 minutes.
Longer than 2 minutes, the tea will be bitter.
Less than 2 minutes, not many polyphenols (antioxidants) -- the main reason for drinking it.
Take the tea basket out.






The pot holds about 3 cups of tea.  Drink them all to get the medicinal benefits.
It is amazing how long the tea stays hot in the pot. 
 But, if it gets cold, I still will drink it down as "medicine".

                        After a couple days of drinking tea, a calm comes over me.....so worth it.


.....jean

Linked To:  Homestead Barn Hop

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love green tea too! Especially this time of year. I never thought there was so much to it either. I like adding a little honey to mine when I've got a cold.

TexWisGirl said...

thank you for this. i usually take to drinking green tea over winter to stay warm. i will need to begin doing so as the temp starts dropping. :)

Jill said...

This was really interesting. I just wish I could make myself like tea. No luck so far but I will sure take this under consideration.

Carol J. Alexander said...

Gunpowder green tea is my favorite. This post was great. I also drink it iced. Switch off with Yerba Mate.

Dr. Kristy Sipple said...

Where did you get your nice teapot?

Unknown said...

I'm curious about your teapot too! I drink green tea often, by the potful, and especially if I've been around a person with a virus, sniffles, sore throat, etc. I really believe its ability to improve our immune system. Pair that with some honey, and the drink does double duty! Thanks for your great step-by-step! Now, about that teapot?

Candy C. said...

Thanks for the tutorial. I always thought green tea was bitter, duh, because I was brewing it too long! ;-)

Dicky Bird said...

For those 2 reasons alone - I too should be drinking green tea. I have never bought "loose" tea like that - I have an antique tea ball - I think I will give it a try. Thanks.

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

I do not like tea but you gave me a reason to try it again...it sounds beneficial

dr momi said...

Thanks for commenting all you green tea lovers....and all you green tea "I think I'll try it again" people thanks for commenting too!:-)

My tea pot I bought at my local health food store too. If they don't have them in the store, but sell Frontier herbs, I know they can order one for you!

Carol....I never think to drink it iced, but why not! I should be drinking yerba mate too --
maybe I should be switching back and forth.

Carolyn said...

I've been meaning to try green tea (as I drink lots & LOTS of black tea), but the only two at the health food store are the Jasmine and Gunpowder. And honestly, the only reason I haven't tried it is because of the names. I mean, who wants to drink something named "Gunpowder"? And although I kinda like the smell of jasmine, it just didn't seeem right to drink that smell.

Thanks for the post, I'm going to jump in and buy / make myself some green tea this week. I'm also one who tends to over-steep my teas, so thanks for the two-minute tip!

dr momi said...

Carolyn...too funny :-) The only reason they carry those two teas is because they are the best! :-) I used to be part owner in a health food store. You would not believe the number of people that actually think there is "gunpowder" in the jar LOL! When you brew jasmine tea correctly -- it is wonderful. (I think I like it the best)

Nancy said...

I like the idea of drinking tea -- the steps involved in brewing it. My mother loves tea -- I have never developed a taste for it, but perhaps I should.

PS - I picked my asparagus seeds yesterday! :)