Green Tea: Brewing, Caffeine and Who Should Limit It
Most bitter green tea is simply brewed too hot or too long. Here is how to get a smooth cup, how much caffeine you are drinking, and who should go easy on it.
Green tea is one of the world's most popular drinks. It comes from the same plant as black and oolong tea, but the leaves are heated and dried soon after picking instead of being fermented, which keeps their fresh, grassy flavor.
It is also easy to brew badly. Water that is too hot or leaves left in too long give you a harsh, bitter cup. A few small changes make a big difference, and knowing the caffeine content helps you decide how much is right for you.
Brewing temperature and time
Green tea leaves are delicate. Boiling water draws out bitter compounds quickly, so most green teas taste best with water around 70-80 °C (158-176 °F). You do not need a thermometer: boil the kettle, then leave it to stand with the lid open for 3 to 5 minutes.
Use about 1 tsp (2 g) of loose leaf or one tea bag for 250 ml (1 cup) of water. Steep for 1 to 3 minutes, then taste. If it is weak, add more leaf next time rather than steeping longer, which mostly adds bitterness.
Good loose leaf can usually be steeped two or three times. Each round is a little lighter in flavor.
Smooth Everyday Green Tea
You need
- loose green tea leaves, or 1 tea bag1 tsp (about 2 g)
- water heated to about 70-80 °C (158-176 °F)250 ml (1 cup)
Method
- Bring the water to a boil, then let it stand for 3 to 5 minutes so it cools a little.
- Warm your cup or teapot with a splash of the hot water and pour it out.
- Add the tea and pour over the water.
- Steep for 1 to 3 minutes, tasting after 1 minute.
- Strain or remove the bag, and let the tea cool until comfortable to drink.
Tips
- Japanese green teas such as sencha often prefer cooler water. Chinese pan-fired teas can handle the warmer end of the range.
- For less caffeine, use a little less leaf or drink a second steeping.
- For cold-brewed green tea, steep the leaves in cold water in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours, then strain.
Let it cool before you sip
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that drinking very hot beverages, above 65 °C (149 °F), probably causes cancer of the esophagus. This is about temperature, not about tea itself.
Green tea brewed at 70-80 °C (158-176 °F) cools quickly in the cup. Give it a few minutes until it is comfortable to sip rather than scalding.
What the evidence says
NCCIH reports no safety concerns for adults drinking green tea as a beverage. It also says definite conclusions cannot yet be reached about whether green tea helps with most of the uses it is promoted for, including weight loss and disease prevention.
Some studies found green tea modestly lowered total and LDL cholesterol, but most of those studies used extract supplements rather than the drink. Studies on cancer have been inconsistent, and a link with lower heart disease risk was seen in Asian populations but not in Western ones.
In short, green tea is a pleasant everyday drink for most adults. It is not a proven treatment for any condition, and it does not detox your body or burn fat.
Caffeine and who should limit it
Mayo Clinic lists about 29 mg of caffeine in a 237 ml (8 oz) cup of brewed green tea, compared with about 48 mg in black tea and 96 mg in brewed coffee. Stronger brews contain more.
Up to 400 mg of caffeine a day seems safe for most healthy adults. People who should be more careful include those who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding, people who are very sensitive to caffeine, and people with anxiety, seizure disorders or bladder control problems, as caffeine can make these worse. Caffeine is not recommended for children.
Questions people ask
Why does my green tea taste bitter?
Usually the water is too hot or the leaves steeped too long. Try water around 70-80 °C (158-176 °F) and a 1 to 3 minute steep.
How much caffeine is in green tea?
About 29 mg in a 237 ml (8 oz) cup of brewed green tea, according to Mayo Clinic. That is roughly a third of a cup of brewed coffee.
Is it safe to drink green tea every day?
For most healthy adults, yes, as long as total caffeine stays within about 400 mg a day. Check with your doctor if you are pregnant, take certain medicines or have a condition caffeine can worsen.
Sources
- Green Tea: Usefulness and Safety — NCCIH
- Caffeine content for coffee, tea, soda and more — Mayo Clinic
- Caffeine: How much is too much? — Mayo Clinic
- IARC Monographs evaluate drinking coffee, maté, and very hot beverages — International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO)
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and health conditions. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before trying a herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, giving it to a child, or taking any medication.
