Green tea has become widely popular among especially Asian people. Some of them use as a breakfast tea; some take advantage of it to make special dishes or just simply consume it as a dietary treatment.
If you like to join the community of green tea lovers, I am so glad to help you with full reviews of best green tea products in the market and how to choose the most healthy one.
What is green tea?
Green tea originates from the plant species called Camellia sinensis. Different kinds of green tea are produced over the world including South Carolina, Hawaii, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, India, Japan, and China.
After being harvested, tealeaves will be quickly heated by steaming or pan firing. Next, they will be dried to prevent oxidation that could turn the leaves into brown as well as change their original flavor.
Main kinds of green tea
As you might know, there are plenty of types of green tea that taste completely different even though they are from the same plant. The most widely consumed green tea are those hail from Japan and China.
These two sorts do not have similar flavor because they are distinctively processed. To be more specific, tealeaves in Japan are steamed while in China, they get pan fired.
#1. Japanese green tea
Its steaming process will create a unique profile that is seaweed-like, vegetal, and sweet. Some common types of Japanese green tea consist of:
- Matcha
- Gyokoro
- Genmaicha
- Hojicha
- Sencha
#2. Chinese green tea
The style of Chinese green tea is made by the pan firing in which tealeaves will be heated inside a basket and then mechanized so that farmers can prevent the oxidation. The flavor of green tea is changed due to the type and the number of firings.
In general, Chinese green tea is described to have a roasted, earthy, and grassy flavor and often present a dark green or yellowish green color. There are 2 main kinds of Chinese green tea including:
- Gunpowder
- Dragonwell
Why should you use green tea?
Green tea has been used by Indian and Chinese people for hundreds of years ago as traditional medicines to heal wounds, control bleeding, body temperature, improve mental health and heart.
Green tea may help your liver - or it may not, depending on how you consume it and in what quantities. While drinking a moderate amount of green tea may reduce the risk of liver cancer and other liver disorders, taking large amounts of green tea supplements could have toxic effects on your liver. - http://www.livestrong.com/article/473429-green-tea-liver-problems/
Beside, there are 9 huge benefits linked to green tea that you should know.
#1. Alzheimer’s
According to research in 2011, it is suggested that green tea can decrease the risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease by affecting the key protein. However, to see its result, you must take a very high dose of green tea.
#2. Working memory
Researchers have indicated that green tea can enhance the cognitive functions of our brain, especially working memory. They also said that green tea might be used in treating cognitive impairments related to neuro psychiatric disorders, for instance, dementia.
#3. Inflammation of skin diseases
According to 2007 studies, scientists confirmed that green tea might be taken in new treatments of skin disorders including dandruff and psoriasis. Through experiments on animals, they saw that green tea could slow down the skin cell overproduction.
#4. Weight loss
This is a very well-known advantage of green tea. In fact, it could enhance non-significant and small weight loss in obese patients. Apart from using green tea, you should have a balanced diet with a regular exercise program.
#5. Type 2 diabetic patients
To be honest, the relationship between diabetes and green tea is not consistent. Some studies have proven that there is no relation between diabetes and tea consumption while some have found that tea drinkers are less likely to have type 2 diabetes.
#6. Stroke risk
It is evident that drinking coffee or green tea on a daily basis could reduce the risk of getting a stroke. Adding green tea to your everyday diet with a healthy lifestyle will make you less prone to stroke risks according to scientists.
#7. Lower cholesterol
The published studies in 2011 have shown that using green tea in the capsule form or as the beverage will have a strong impact on the reduction of a high cholesterol level that is likely to cause heart disease.
#8. Heart benefits
Based on research in 2006, drinking green tea regularly will strongly support you in reducing mortality as a result of cardiovascular disease. At least five cups of green tea per day will minimize the risk of death from heart problems.
Polyphenolic compounds, catechins in green tea are considered to enhance the protective effects on your cardiovascular system.
#9. Cancer prevention
Polyphenols found in green tea is believed to help you destroy cancerous cells as well as prevent their growth. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which green tea deals with those cells has not been found yet.
Also, the cancer rates in countries that consumed a large amount of green tea tend to be fairly lower. Several studies have illustrated the positive effects of tea on specific kinds of cancer, which are:
- Stomach
- Skin
- Prostate
- Lung
- Throat
- Bowel
- Ovarian
- Bladder
- Breast
2 – 10 cups of green tea is the recommended dosage for those who want to use green tea as a cancer preventive substance.
Moreover, researchers also stated that green tea could be effective at preventing chronic fatigue, stress, dental cavities, and skin conditions.
Best green tea products reviews
As I promised, to help you find out your favorite green tea brands, I will do full reviews of five green tea products available in the market.
Product name | Our rating | Check extra price | |
|---|---|---|---|
Bigelow Green Tea, 40-Count Boxes (Pack of 6) |   | ||
Twinings Green Tea, Green Decaf, 20 Count Bagged Tea (6 Pack) |   | ||
Stash Tea Premium Green Tea, 100 Count Box of Tea Bags in Foil |   | ||
Kirkland Ito En Matcha Blend Japanese Green Tea-100 ct 1.5g tea bags |   | ||
Yogi Tea, Super Antioxidant Green, 16 Count (Pack of 6), Packaging May Vary |   |
#1. Bigelow Green Tea, 40-Count Boxes (Pack of 6)
Produced in the U.S, Bigelow Tea is one of the most well-known brands in this country and customers could use on a daily basis. If you are interested in green, the packaging will be a plus point. What I like is its clear appearance with detailed instructions that show me how to brew green tea as perfect as possible.
Also, green tea from Bigelow is effective at weight loss thanks to the huge number of antioxidants burning fat. Other health benefits that could be listed are reducing stress, making your body absorb water, improving metabolism, preventing cancer and so on.
However, this product is not organic, so fresh green tea lovers might not choose this one. Likewise, there are a lot of sweeteners added leading to the masked flavor. Mild migraines could happen if you suddenly stop using it.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Effective at weight management
- Offers a quite long shelf life
- Interesting packaging
- Detailed and easy-to-follow instructions
- Easily sweetened
- Renowned brand
- Reasonable price with 240 bags
WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE
- Not organic
- Too many sweeteners added causing a masked flavor
- Risk of mild migraines if you suddenly stop using the product
#2. Twinings Green Tea, Green Decaf, 20 Count Bagged Tea (6 Pack)
Founded in 1972, Twinings has been at the forefront of this industry with their popular products. Thanks to its natural ingredients, you can taste the traditional, mild and refreshing flavor of green tea.
Similar to other green tea product, Twinings tea also strongly supports in losing weight due to its rich source of catechins. Also, some other advantages that it could bring you are fighting bacteria, cancer prevention, stress relieving, anti-aging and so on.
If you want to experience a strong flavor of green tea, this product is not for you. Also, green tea product from Twinings could not be used with some medication. Although you see ‘6 pack’ on their packaging, in fact, tea bags are individually wrapped.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Effective at weight loss and other health benefits due to positive substances found
- Offers refreshing and mild taste
- Natural ingredients
- Reasonable price
- Interesting packaging
- 120 tea bags per box
- Renowned brand
WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE
- Could not be used with some medications so you should consult with your doctor before use
- Might result in caffeine withdrawal in case you suddenly stop using it
- Does not have a strong flavor
#3. Stash Tea Premium Green Tea, 100 Count Box of Tea Bags in Foil
The special about this brand is that the plants are grown in Brazil while they are blended in the U.S. What I love about Stash green tea is that it has a very rich and sweet flavor of the traditional green tea without any sweeteners.
One more thing that might surprise you is that the seeds are, in fact, handpicked in Japan before being taken to Brazil. The natural color and flavor are created because their green tea is steamed from the garden.
However, it might be difficult to find Stash Tea product. Also, motion sickness could happen if you drink it on an empty stomach. Be careful because it might be very addictive due a great deal of caffeine.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Effective at weight loss and helping boost metabolism
- Good at acne treatment if you use the product for a long time
- Unique aroma and taste
- Good packaging that could retain the freshness of green tea
- Large quantity
- Reasonable price
WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE
- Not easy to be found
- Motion sickness could happen if you use with your empty stomach
- Could be additive
- Might make your teeth turn into yellow if you consume their green tea for a very long time
#4. Kirkland Ito En Matcha Blend Japanese Green Tea-100 ct 1.5g tea bags
Kirkland green tea is a product from Japan – where green originates from and also one of the biggest tea consuming countries. Each tea bag is a combination of matcha and Japanese sencha. The leaves are gently steamed and dried preventing the oxidation to keep the traditional and refreshing taste of tea.
The packaging is quite interesting that you could put in into your pocket and bring anywhere. Therefore, officers who love green tea could consider this brand. Because this is also green tea, it will bring you a lot of health benefits as I listed down before.
However, for some people, it might not be strong if you want a real traditional cup of green tea. Apart from that, Kirkland green tea could some serious allergic reactions, so you had better have a consultation with your doctor before use or stop using it right away when some symptoms like an itchy rash.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Effective at weight loss and other health benefits
- Nice and convenient packaging that you could bring anywhere
- Has a subtly sweet and smooth taste
- A product from Japan
- A combination of matcha and Japanese sencha that results in a very nice color
WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE
- Does not have a strong flavor as a traditional cup of green tea
- Might cause very serious allergic reactions, so have a consultation with your doctor before use
#5. Yogi Tea, Super Antioxidant Green, 16 Count (Pack of 6), Packaging May Vary
Yogi tea is a safe product that is meticulously tested for heavy metals, pesticides, and insecticides. This brand could provide you a wide variety of health benefits including reducing free radicals because it contains grape seed and Alma fruits extracts.
Each box has 16 tea bags, and this brand is distributed widely. The production meets the strict regulations of the National Organic Program of the US Department of Agriculture prohibiting GMO products.
Despite this, it could cause you migraines if you consume it with an empty stomach. Moreover, the price is a little bit higher than other four products.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Boosts metabolism
- Reduces free radicals
- Natural ingredients
- Effective at losing weight
- Strictly tested and meets the requirements of UDA
WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE
- Might cause side effects like migraines
- Quite pricey
Conclusion
That is all for today. Now I am sure that with the amazing health benefits of tea, you are so eager to find the best green tea product for yourself and family.
If you have any questions, leave a comment. Last, do not forget to like and share this post with your friends.