Loose Leaf Green Tea

​In my trip to China in 2011, I visited a green tea plantation. There was demonstrations on how they pick green tea, dry it and brew it. This made me appreciate the effort that goes into growing green tea. Loose leaf green tea has a stronger flavor than dried green tea in sachets. I also like to chew on the green tea leaves. 

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There is no doubt about the health benefits of drinking green tea. However, green tea is one of the only herbal teas to contain caffeine, so if you are sensitive to caffeine you should only drink small portions of green tea during the daytime. 

At the plantation, the workers demonstrated how to serve the green tea with dried orange zest. This takes away some of the overpowering taste of green tea, making it more drinkable. I replicated this with lemon zest and a slice of lemon. I drink my tea slightly diluted. They taught us to pinch the leaves with your three fingers and your thumb, which will be enough for one glass of green tea. 

During the winter it is nice to drink hot, but in the summer there is always an option to brew it and store it in a large pitcher in the refrigerator. Also you can serve it over ice. 

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Health Benefits of Green Tea