The short answer is YES! tea does expire, But you can prolong the life span of your tea with some that can last up to 3 years before they start to go bad. However, no matter how well you store your tea eventually it will go bad.

If your tea shows any of these’s signs below then there’s a good chance your tea has expired…

• Your tea has started to go moldy
• Your tea has an unusual taste
• Your tea has a strange smell
• Your tea has lost its flavor
• Your tea leaves have started to lose color.

Does Loose Leaf Tea Expire?

So does loose leaf tea expire? Yes they do! when the leaves get towards there expiry date, you will notice a slight colour change in the leaves. If you see mold growing on the leaves, this is another sign to indicate that the tea has expired.

Now there are ways you can make your loose tea last longer. If you have the Da-Hong Pao Tea which is the most expensive in the world, then it’s always good to know how to prolong your tea.

The best way to make your loose leaf tea last longer is to freeze it. By freezing the tea you wont lose any vitamins or antioxidants, that’s a hugh benefit to your health, and at the same time keeping your tea fresh.

The next step if you don’t want to freeze your tea, is to store the tea into a air-tight container. Fresh teas like the oolong and pu-erh tea are tightly wrapped up there leaves and stay fresh for longer without losing any flavor and can last up to four or even five years, before the tea starts to expire.

Does Tea Bags Expire?

Tea bags can last up to 3 years, before they start to expire, sometimes longer! but this depends on the type of tea you have, and how you store your tea.

When tea bags start to expire, they usually turn from white, to a slightly yellow colour. They also give off a strange odor, and will also have a bitter taste.

The best way to preserve your tea, is to make sure it’s stored in a cool dry place and in a container that’s air-tight. By doing this you should be able to prolong your teas life span.

Does Matcha Tea Expire?

Matcha is a tea that’s growing in popularity, with it’s vibrant green colour that delivers a mega dose of antioxidants and nutrients. It’s a delightful beverage suitable for all.

Matcha is a powder form tea, that last’s about one year before it starts to expire, but should be consumed within a month after opening.

After a month the tea will start to lose it’s fresh taste, the powder will also start to discolour and in some cases show signs of mold, The powder can also give off a strange odor, this is a clear sign that your tea has expired.

If you buy matcha and it already has these synonyms, then it’s most likely a bad batch, and should return it for a replacement.

Does Iced Tea Expire?

It’s recommended from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that Iced tea can be stored in the fridge for a maximum of eight hours.

However! Iced tea can be good up to 24 hours, before it starts to expire. but only if you use the correct air-tight container. If your using a jug that’s not covered then the maximum time is 8 hours.

You can also freeze iced tea to extend life span of the tea, then simply defrost when your ready to consomme it.

To tell if your iced tea has expired, there are some clear signs to look out for that will indicate the tea is bad. If the iced tea starts to turn thick and syrup like, then this is most likely gone bad.

Your also notice changes in consistency, When looking the jug or container your be able to see a line where the tea has evaporated and will be crystallized on the edge, if you see this then the tea has expired.

Another sign is when the tea starts to go cloudy, this usually happens at the bottom of the jug or container. If you iced tea is showing any of signs, then it’s better just to throw your tea away and make a fresh batch.

Does Tea Expire Once Been Brewed

Yes! Brewed tea does expire, like iced tea that is also brewed, if you store the tea in an air tight container then place in the fridge, the tea can last up to 24 hours before going bad.

It’s always best to consume your tea within 24 hours, after this time, it will gradually start to lose it’s flavour. As before you have the option to freeze your tea to make it last longer, then once defrosted simply reheat.

When your brewed tea has expired your noticed a pungent smell coming from the tea, and like iced tea, your also notice changes in consistency.

Can Expired Tea Make You Sick?

If you consume tea that’s expired then yes you may get sick, or you might get a slight belly ache, depending on what tea you drink, different teas can react in different ways.

If you drink a certain tea, for example: ‘Iced tea’ especially if it’s cloudy once expired, then it is possible you can feel seriously sick after you have consume it.

Other teas you might not feel or get sick, you may just experience an unpleasant bitter taste, that your get from teas that are passed there date.

If you think your tea has expired, its always best to throw it away, just to be on the safe side, then make a fresh batch. as before you can always freeze your tea to preserve it.

If you do freeze your tea, always freeze it on the day it was brewed, never when it expires. This goes for any type of tea.

What To Do With Expired Unused Tea Bags

You can do all kinds of things with expired tea bags, for example: there’s compost tea! Yes you can actually use tea bags as a form of compost for plants, growing tomato’s, potato’s, rhubarb etc.

This method is also good for increasing the soil acidity which is great for certain plants and vegetables, that leads to a better crop.

You can also use these tea bags to remove hand odor, If you have a smell on your hands that is hard to remove try the tea bag. It’s great for removing the smell of onion’s or garlic, or even fish.

Uses Of Expired Green Tea Leaves

What can you do with expired Green Tea leaves? Well like tea bags you can use the leaves for your plants, you simply brew the expired leaves, then let the tea cool down, after this you can water your plants using this expired tea.

This is a great way to give your plants a boast in growth, this will also work on any vegetables your growing or for the tomato’s in the greenhouse.

If you have any expired leaves make sure you brew them all, as eventually the leaves will attract small bugs and also start to grow mold.

The post Does Tea Expire? Everything You Need To Know! appeared first on Simmering Tea.

Green tea vs black tea both are true teas with many varieties that vary in flavor and composition. It’s since believed that traditional differences are a result of different flavors of the same tea genre.

What Is Green Tea?

It is derived from the tea plant known as Camellia sinensis. It’s native to India and China where for centuries has been used for traditional medicine. But presently, it’s been cultivated all over the world from Japan and China to South America and Europe.

Production

All true tea’s are created from the leaves of the same plant. What differentiates them is their production process. One main feature of the green tea is that it doesn’t oxidize during production process.

The leaves of the green tea are harvested from the plant and heated to prevent withering and oxidation. It’s steamed and retain a green hue that is similar to the tea plant itself.

Types And Flavor

There are various factors that influence the flavor, taste and type of green tea. The region where the plant grows, rainfall and the different artisanal production processes contributes to unique flavor and green tea types.

There are two main subsets of the green tea nad that is the one from Japan and the other from China, where some of the best teas are produced.

Chinese Green Tea

China is known to be the largest producers of green tea with tea gardens that spread across the coast and the highlands to the mountains. Tea makers harvest only the youngest leaves and buds to prepare a green tea.

The leaves are dried in varieties of artisanal methods. Most producers dry the leaves just using the sun, while others fry them. The Chinese green tea leaves are almost never steamed.

The dried leaves are styled and packaged. Long Jing, a popular type of Chinese green tea has green teas land at the higher end of the quality and price spectrum.

It’s has a jade color when brewed, and features a nutty and vegetal flavor, and offers a smooth finish.

It was the tea served to Richard Nixon in 1972 during his historic visit to Communist China. The gunpowder green tea is also another popular green tea.

It was first produced by the Tang dynasty and it is one of the few Chinese green teas that are steamed, not pan fired. It produces a slightly minty flavor when it’s leef pellets are placed in boiling water.

Japanese Green Tea

Most producers prefer to steam dry the tea leaves rather than pan fry them in Japan. They are grown in shades in Japan to help preserve chlorophyll that gives these teas a vibrant green hue.

They contain high concentrations of amino acids that lend an umami flavor to the tea. Japanese green tea offers a rich body and satiny feel with savory and sweet flavors.

What Is Black Tea?

This tea is made using the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. It comes from three tea-producing countries: China, India and Sri Lanka. They are mostly cultivated in the Anhui and Yunnan provinces.

The main difference between black tea and green tea can be seen in their production process. The green tea is not oxidized but the black tea undergoes the most complete oxidation process of the true teas.

Their leaves are harvested and then withered to reduce moisture content. Depending on the producer and type of tea, black tea leaves are rolled either by hand or using a machine.

They are then spread out on large trays where oxygen turns the leaves black and the final step in the production process. Their leaves are fired in ovens to stop the oxidation process and are packaged for sale.

Types Of Black Tea

There are several types of black tea and they include:

Indian Black Teas

This type of black tea offers wide flavor profile that ranges from malty to floral.

Ceylon Black Tea

They vary depending on which region it grows in and offers a strong, rich flavor profile that boasts hints of chocolate and spice.

Chinese Black Tea

Benefits Of Green Tea vs Black Tea

Although both green tea and black tea are processed from the same plant, they do have some slight differences between them. This also includes the health benefits you get from both teas.

Both teas are a healthful addition to your diet, but, they do offer slightly different health benefits for example…

1.)  protecting your heart

They are both rich for protective antioxidants called polyphenols and contains a much higher amount of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), whereas black tea is a rich source of theaflavins.

Recent records shows that people who drink 1–3 cups per day had a 19% and 36% reduced risk of heart attack and stroke.

That’s why health practitioners advise that you drink at least 3 cups of black tea to reduce your risk of having heart diseases by 11%.

2.) May boost brain function

It is known that green tea has less caffeine than black tea. And Caffeine stimulates your nervous system by blocking the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine.

They boost alertness, mood, vigilance, reaction time, and short-term recall. It also promotes the release of the mood-enhancing hormones dopamine and serotonin.

It’s known that the green and black tea are great alternatives to coffee for those who want a mood lift without coffee’s telltale restlessness.

3.) Green tea is rich in the powerful antioxidant EGCG

Green tea are good source of antioxidant epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) that is considered to be the most powerful and likely responsible for many of green tea’s health benefits.

EGCG in green tea can inhibit the multiplication of cancer cells and cause cancer cell death. EGCG may reduce the harmful effects of amyloid plaques.

Recent studies also show that EGCG-containing drink had prolonged swimming times before exhaustion, compared with those drinking water.

4.) Black tea contains beneficial theaflavins

Theaflavins seem to offer many health benefits and that theaflavins can lower the risk of plaque formation in blood vessels by reducing inflammation and increasing the availability of nitric oxide, which helps your blood vessels dilate.

They also reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Green Tea vs Black Tea Weight Loss

When it come’s to losing weight, Green tea is usually the best choice. The green tea contains almost no calories, this can help by boosting your metabolism and improve your body’s ability to burn fat.

However black tea does contain strong antioxidants that can also help regulate cholesterol levels, improve your heart health, boost immunity and can also help with weight loss.

But with the compounds in green tea that increase levels of hormones, that can break down fat in fat cells, and as a result you lose weight, this makes green tea the best choice.

Conclusion

Green and black tea are slightly different, but, they both provide excellent health benefits, including weight loss, heart health and digestion.

Green tea does contain more powerful antioxidants, and is great for weight loss. While black tea has it’s own benefits, and can reduce your risk of having heart diseases.

Green tea does has less caffeine than black tea, but they both contain L-theanine, that’s known to have a calming effect.

Overall both teas are an excellent choice for your diet, it really comes down to personal preference and which one you prefer, green tea or black!

The post Green Tea vs Black Tea: Whats The Difference? appeared first on Simmering Tea.

This is where tea comes in, tea can offer the same effects but without the late nights and you can drink tea without worrying about the caffeine levels, or any long sleepless nights. Although tea still does have small amounts of caffeine in its ingredients the percentage is very low compared to coffee.

If you’re looking for a tea to keep you sharp and alert when studying you want to pick a tea that has caffeine present, but not too much where it can do more harm than good because let’s face it when you’re studying the hours can mound up and so will the cups of tea.

Now there was a study that concluded drinking certain types of tea like black or green can actually help improve memory and improve your concentration. This is because both teas contain an important neurotransmitter associated with forming memories.

The ingredient called L-theanine that’s commonly found in tea leaves is an amino acid that can help increase your focus and attention. The L-theanine has many other potential health benefits such as stress and anxiety. It can also increase relaxation without causing any drowsiness.

The study showed that moderate levels of L-theanine and caffeine helped a group of young adults to focus better during demanding tasks. So as you can see drinking certain types of tea can actually help you study more effectively and is a much better alternative to coffee.

Best Teas For Studying

So what are the best teas for studying? Now you would think at this point black or green tea is your best option, and you would be right! But there are so many different types of tea, for example, did you know there are 7 varieties of green tea and around 11 varieties of black tea, all with different strengths and flavors.

Then you have the most common white tea which can also help boost brain function and is made from the same plant as black, green and Oolong tea called the Camellia Sinensis plant that’s processed using the same tea leaves. But, unlike green and black tea, white tea has less caffeine present which would be your healthier option.

Take a look at this article called Does White Tea Have Caffeine? there your find a comparison of different types of teas and what the caffeine content is in each cup giving you an idea of how much caffeine you’re ingesting in a single cup of tea.

When picking a tea to drink especially when studying you want to make sure its as healthy as possible, so let’s go through some different types of teas below and see which is best tea for studying, that can not only improve your memory and concentration but at the same time be good for your health.

White Tea

Did you know that white tea is the most consumed tea in the world that’s commonly used in every household, and even tho its made from the same Camellia Sinensis plant as black and green tea its a completely different tea. You see! white tea like the Silver Needle tea is made from the silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds of the tea plant that gives the tea that whitish appearance.

Now that’s not to say all white teas are made from just unopened buds, in fact, the most common white tea is made from the leaves of the plant. However, The tea leaves are not rolled or oxidized, and by processing the tea in this way results in a sweeter lighter flavor that white is known for.

Because white tea is processed differently this does result in the tea having less caffeine for sure! However, there’s just enough present to still keep you alert and energized, without any side effects including things like insomnia, dizziness, or headaches.

Like green and black tea, there are many varieties of white teas to choose from, and when choosing your tea it’s always recommended to used fresh tea leaves for the best possible results, but that’s not to say you can’t use tea bags as an alternative when studying. If your a white tea drinker here’s a list of the best teas for studying…

Best White Teas For Studying:

• Silver Needle

• Tealyra White Peony Tea

• Vahdam White Tea

• Clipper Organic White ( Tea Bags )

So there are four white teas that would be your best option for studying that doesn’t have too much caffeine so you can drink large quantities without the side effects of coffee. These teas also contain antioxidants, that’s great for your body and at the same time can help defend your cells from damage caused by potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals.

If you would like to view or purchase one of these teas, here at Simmering Tea we have partnered with a company called Art of Tea that specializes in all types of fresh and organic teas. Alternatively, you can also visit Amazon HERE there you can find similar teas fresh and in teabag form.

Green Tea

Now Green tea contains slightly more caffeine than white tea and as you know there are seven varieties of green tea to choose from that have different strengths and flavors. Green tea is made from the leaves and buds of the Camellia Sinensis. But what’s different about green tea is the leaves and buds do not undergo the same withering and oxidation process used to make oolong tea and black teas.

If you find that white tea isn’t effective when studying, then green tea would be your next option. That being said green tea does have a slight earthy grassy bitter taste and it’s not everyone’s preferred tea. However, you can add sweeteners or flavored milk like almond or vanilla to give your tea a more pleasant taste.

Green tea is definitely a good choice for studying and the fact that it contains the ingredient called L-theanine that can help increase your focus and attention but can also increase relaxation not to mention Green tea is well known for health benefits and is loaded with powerful antioxidants.

This tea can also be served hot or cold and you can make things like a nice refreshing iced tea, which are great in the summer, you can even make cakes and desserts, your best option would be to use the popular Matcha green tea for this, which is basically green tea leaves grided down into a powder form. So with that being said here’s a list of the best green teas for studying.

Best Green Teas For Studying:

• Matcha Tea

• Jasmine Green Tea

• Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea

• Sencha Japanese Tea 

So there are four more great teas that can help increase your focus and attention with any of the side effects that you get with coffee. Remember that if you want your green tea to be stronger just add more leaves when brewing your tea or if your using teabags simply add some extra teabags when making the tea.

Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is a traditional semi-oxidized Chinese tea and like both white, green, and black tea, originates from the camellia Sinensis plant. Oolong is neither a black tea nor a green tea and falls into its own category of tea. Now Oolong tea would be your next option if you find that green tea didn’t have the desire effects when studying.

Oolong is fermented and allowed to partially oxidize, while green tea is not. Black tea, however, is fully fermented and oxidized, which gives it that characteristic black color and making it more similar in taste to Oolong tea.

Oolong tea is then withered under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting the leaves. Now there are different types of Oolong tea, that can vary widely in flavor. Some can be sweet and fruity with honey-like aromas, and others, can be woody and have roasted aromas.

There have been multiple studies to look at the benefits of oolong tea on blood sugar levels and diabetics. The results were mixed with some studies showing a remarkable improvement, while there were others that showed no improvement at all. Diabetics who were not overweight seemed to benefit the most from drinking oolong tea.

So by drinking Oolong tea, this can improve your overall health, However, if you’re drinking large amounts of oolong tea this can be counterproductive since the tea does contain caffeine, but this can also increase your focus and keep you sharp, making it an ideal tea for studying

Best Oolong Teas For Studying:

• Phoenix Tea (Dan Chong or Dan Cong)

• Wuyi Oolong Tea (Da Hong Pao)

• High Mountain Tea (Gaoshan)

• Tealyra Tea (Tie Guan Yin)

So there are four Oolong teas that would be a good choice for studying, which has slightly more caffeine than green or white tea without any nasty side effects. But remember if this is your first time drinking Oolong tea it’s always recommended to drink the tea from fresh tea leaves for the best results

Black Tea

So if you’ve got this far into the article you should know by now that there are at least 11 varieties of black tea to choose from, each with different strengths and flavors. Black tea has the highest count of caffeine and if you find that Oolong tea didn’t help you when studying then black tea is your next option.

Black tea is more oxidized than oolong, green, and white tea and generally has a stronger flavor. Now black tea is processed in two ways, the first, is the (CTC) Crush, tear, curl which involves passing the leaves through a series of cylindrical rollers that crush, tear, and curl the tea into small, hard pellets and dust grades that are commonly used in teabags.

The second way is when the tea leaves are withered and then heavily rolled, this is done either by hand or mechanically through the use of a cylindrical rolling table or a rotovate.

The leaves are then pressed down onto the table-top that produces a mixture of whole and broken leaves and particles which are then sorted, oxidized then dried.

Now black tea contains around 50 mg of caffeine per cup and longer the tea (or tea bag) is steeped in water, the more caffeine will be present. So if you want a stronger tea just let it steep for longer.

The fact that black tea has high levels of caffeine and the ingredient called L-theanine this would be your best tea for studying. However, because of the high levels of caffeine black tea, it might be wise to stop drinking the tea a couple of hours before you go to bed

Best Black Teas For Studying:

• Assam Black Tea

• Darjeeling Black Tea

• Nilgiri Black Tea

• Keemun Black Tea

• Black Chai

So there’s five black teas that can help you study, now it was mentioned that there are 11 varieties of black tea, However, these 5 would be your best option simply because of the flavor and strength of caffeine present in the tea.

Conclusion

Drinking tea is a much more healthier alternative to coffee, and the fact that tea does have caffeine present it can give you all the desire effects you seek from coffee to help you study and now you know about 17 different types of tea mentioned in this article to try that can help increase your focus and attention.

Remember if your not sure where to purchase any of the teas mentioned in this article, feel free to visit Art of Tea there you can find all types of fresh organic teas to suit your preference. Alternatively, you can visit amazon there you can find similar fresh tea leaves or teabags whichever you prefer.

When picking your tea from the list above its best to start from white tea and work your way down in different strengths, you might find out that white or green tea works just fine, and the less caffeine you ingest the better and more healthier your tea is.

The post What Are The Best Teas For Studying? appeared first on Simmering Tea.

YES! like most teas, green tea is acidic, and this is measured by the ph scale. But.. how much acidic is in your tea, really depends on what type of tea your drinking. For example, Black and Green teas are considered to be quiet mild, compared to lemon or any fruit teas that contain citrus.

What Are The Acidic Levels In Tea?

So as before the acidic levels in tea are measured by the pH scale, and basically the lower the pH level the more acidic the tea is. Here’s an example take lemon tea, now lemon tea has a pH level of 3 which is considered to be very acidic. Yet green tea has a pH level of 7 and black tea comes in at around 5 which is classed as average.

To help you put this in some kind of context, below is a table with different types of tea and what the average pH levels are giving you an idea of how much acidic is in other teas.

Now there are ways to affect the pH level to reduce the acidic in your tea, The first is brewing time, how long you steep your tea, the second is adding things like milk, herbs or adding more water, by doing this you can reduce the acidic in your tea.

Can Too Much Acidic Be Harmful?

So can drinking too much tea that’s acidic be harmful to your stomach? Now, this depends on how much tea you drink in the day, If you drink lots of lemon tea say that’s very acidic, then it is possible you could suffer some side effects.

The side effects can be anything from heartburn, acid reflux or even hiccups. If you suffer these effects when drinking your tea then it means it’s very acidic. there are other symptoms you can suffer from for example…

• Sour Taste In Your Mouth
• Recurrent Cough
• Bad Breath
• Hoarse Voice
• Bloating
• Nausea

Is Decaf Green Tea Acidic?

Now we’ve talked about the acidic in green tea, but what about decaf green tea? well, the answer is, even in decaf teas the ph level still stays the same. If you think about lemon tea, that has zero caffeine, yet it’s one of the highest acidic teas out there.

There are also some fruit teas that again, have no caffeine, yet can still be very acidic. If you like drinking fruit teas but you find the taste to be very sour then there a good chance it a high acidic tea.

Types of fruit tea that can be very acidic…

• Lemon Tea
• Orange Tea
• Apple Tea
• Red Berry Tea

Is Green Tea Acidic For Teeth?

Now there was a study back in 2016 that indicated green tea can reduce oral bacteria, which can actually promote healthy teeth and gums. However if you are adding any sweetener to your green tea then this can have the opposite effect.

So by regularly drinking green tea at its purest form, without adding sweetener can protect your teeth against cavities, gum disease and even bad breath.

pH Levels Of Green Tea VS Black Tea

So as we know both green and black tea are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and the only difference between the two is that black tea is oxidized and green tea is not.

Yet! Black tea seems to be more acidic than green tea but why? this is because of the way black tea is processed to green tea. The oxidation method, which turns the leaves from green to a dark brown or black color and just by processing black tea in this way, makes it so different from green tea and as a result, can also make it more acidic.

Conclusion

So yes green tea is acidic but not by much compared to other teas, as mentioned above. Green tea is one of the healthiest teas and is high in antioxidants, however! this can be said for black tea, yes it may be more acidic than green tea but still comes with all the health benefits just like green tea.

Because green tea has a pH level of 7 which is considered a very low-level drinking high amounts of green tea in the day, it’s not going to cause any side effects, unless you’re drinking a very acidic tea like lemon.

The post Is Green Tea Acidic? appeared first on Simmering Tea.

If your someone who has suffered from this, then you need to turn towards an all-natural toner.

This is where Green tea and apple cider vinegar toner comes in, and what’s good about this toner is both these ingredients are completely all-natural and chemical-free.

But the best part about this is you can make your own Green tea and apple cider vinegar toner at home with very little cost and effort.

If your someone that spends a lot of time looking at facial toners then you know that these cleansers that are bought in-store can be high in price and as mentioned above not all of them gives you that desired effect.

This is because of the ingredients these toners contain, for example, did you know that some of these toners contain ingredients like Propylene, glycol, Alcohol, Harsh exfoliants, Irritating dyes, Artificial fragrance, mineral oil, and Glycerin.

So as you can see there are some facial toners that are packed with all sorts of chemicals that can have a negative effect on your skin and by using one that’s natural and chemical-free it can be a much safer way to treat your skin.

Now, this is not to say all toners are bad! Of course, there are some good quality cleansers instore that don’t contain any unwanted chemicals, but if you are lucky enough to find one they do come with a price.

Green Tea And Apple Cider Vinegar Toner: Health Benefits

Now we all know that both green tea and apple cider can make a great tasting beverage, but as a facial toner what makes it better than other toners that are out there?

Well, to find this out let’s dive deeper into the ingredients and see what the benefits Of Green Tea And Apple Cider Vinegar Toner are exactly.

Green Tea

If your a tea fanatic then you should know that green tea is packed with all kinds of health benefits one of which is antioxidants.

Antioxidants can help protect against cancer, and lower the risk of heart disease, it’s also known to help with weight loss and improve brain function.

But how does green tea help as a facial toner? Well, Green tea is rich in polyphenols, Which are natural compounds that have health benefits, such as reducing inflammation on the skin and for controlling bacterial growth that can cause acne.

Green tea’s anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce things like skin redness, skin irritation, and swelling around the eyes.

This tea is also packed with high levels of vitamins. Take Vitamins E, for example, this can help to nourish and at the same time hydrate the skin.

Then you have Vitamin B that has the ability to maintain collagen levels, which can improve the firmness of your skin making green tea a perfect all-natural toner.

Benefits Of Green Tea As A Toner

• Hydrating the skin

• Helps with acne

• Skin irritation

• Skin redness

• Improving the firmness of the skin

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is an ingredient that can be used in anything from cooking, drinking, and of course skin products. But why is apple cider vinegar good for the skin?

Well, vinegar-like green tea also contains polyphenolic antioxidants, which you should know now can help reduce inflammation on the skin and help with things like pimples or acne.

The apples used in this vinegar are high in pectin, a polysaccharide that occurs naturally as they grow which can improve the skin’s barrier.

Apple cider vinegar also has two types of acid the first is Citric acid which has Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that is used to increase skin cell turnover and to help decrease wrinkles.

The second is Acetic acid this acid is antifungal and antimicrobial that clears bacteria that may be related to skin conditions like acne, rosacea, scalp eczema, and eczema.

Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar As A Toner

• Decrease wrinkles

• Inflammation on the skin

• Skin Infections

• Acne, scalp eczema, rosacea

How To Make Green Tea And Apple Cider Vinegar Toner?

The best thing about making your own toner is it costs little to nothing, unlike some of the good quality toners in-store that end up costing a bomb, and most of them have are packed with chemicals and in most cases can have the opposite effect when used.

So when making your own toner not only will it be low in cost, but you know exactly what’s in it.

Now before we get started there are some things your need first to make this toner. To help you with this below is a checklist of everything you need in order to make your green tea and apple cider vinegar toner.

Ingredients

• Apple cider vinegar

• Green tea leaves/bags you can use either

• Tea tree oil (This helps target acne) (optional)

• Empty bottle that holds 4-oz

So once you have all the above ingredients then you’re ready to make your own homemade toner. The tree oil is (optional) and you don’t have to use it, But! by adding 3 to 4 drops to your toner this can help target spots and acne.

Directions

So the first thing you want to do is get your green tea ready. If you’re using loose leaf tea make sure you measure out the tea and add it directly to the teacup.

Then add 1 green tea bag or 1 teaspoon of loose green tea to the cup then add boiling water to the mug and let it Steep undisturbed usually for 3 to 5 minutes.

After this, you then want to strainer the tea using a sieve to catch any bits and leave on the side until your tea has gone cold.

Once your tea is cold you then want to get the apple cider vinegar and fill the empty bottle quarter of the way then add your green tea and fill the bottle just over 3 quarters of the way leaving a little gap at the top.

At this point, you can then add 3 to 4 drops of tee oil again this is optional and is entirely up to you if you want to add it or not. then screw on the lid and give it a good shake mixing the ingredients together.

Your toner is then ready to use it really is that easy to make. Also, it’s very important to keep your toner refrigerated, to find out why in more detail read this article below.

Related Article

• Does Green Tea Toner Need To Be Refrigerated?

Conclusion

So there you have it! as you have just read Green Tea And Apple Cider Vinegar Toner is definitely worth trying out and as mentioned above what is really good about this is its an all-natural and chemical-free toner and can really help fight against acne and spots.

So if you have tried all the other toners out there and have had no luck with things like acne and spots give this a try and see if it works for you.

Now this toner might not work with everyone as we are all unique, however, it does show promise and the fact that both these ingredients combined can make a powerful facial cleanser.

That’s packed with polyphenolic antioxidants to improve your skin it’s definitely one toner you should consider using.

If your not sure whether or not to put your toner in the refrigerator then check out this article below you should find this very useful.

Related Article

Does Green Tea Toner Need To Be Refrigerated?

The post Green Tea And Apple Cider Vinegar Toner: Recipes & Benefits appeared first on Simmering Tea.

More and more people are now turning towards skin toners that contain all-natural ingredients like green tea. However, does green tea toner need to be refrigerated?

Yes, green tea toner needs to be refrigerated which can last up to 7 days before the toner starts losing its freshness after this time you will need to throw it away and make a new batch. However, you can reduce wastage by making small batches of green tea toner that’s just enough to last you one week.

Now, you may notice that your toner looks cloudy after it’s refrigerated, but don’t be alarmed as this is completely normal, and as mentioned if your toner is a week old then its best just to make a fresh batch. This may sound like extra work but making green tea toner is easier than you might think.

How Long Does Green Tea Toner Last Refrigerated?

You can store your toner in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. However, the toner can last longer if you keep it cold, and in a suitable container.

By keeping the toner chilled not only does it last longer but will make it feel more refreshing when you use it.

If your toner has expired, always make a fresh batch, after all, it is a facial toner and the fresher the toner is the better the results will be.

If you don’t want to keep your toner in the refrigerator, you can store it at room temperature, but by doing this your toner will only last up to 3 days after this time be sure to make a fresh batch and throw the old toner away.

You see! when green tea expires not only does it bring down the tea quality but it also loses the essential health benefits that green tea is known for.

Related Article:

• Green Tea And Apple Cider Vinegar Toner

The best way to store your green tea toner in the refrigerator is too use a container that is airtight. Preferably you want to use a glass jar with a screw-off top that can hold enough toner to last you 7 days.

But you can also use a squirt type bottle just as long as the bottle is airtight. You want a bottle that can hold around 4-oz of toner that should be plenty for one week and will take up very little room in the refrigerator.

How Do You Use Green Tea Toner?

Green tea toner is a liquid designed to gently clean the skin and help prevent acne, by reducing the appearance of pores.

It’s great for hydrating your skin and leaving it feeling so much smoother than before. When applying a facial toner the first thing you should always do is wash your hands and face with warm water then pat dry with a towel.

Now, there are a number of ways you can apply the green tea toner to your face, the most common way is to use a cotton ball or pad with around 3 or 4 drops of green tea if you’re using a squirt bottle, which will be much easier to store in the refrigerator.

If you are storing your toner in a glass jar then you should add about a teaspoon of toner to the cotton ball or pad then gently rub it across your face, you can apply more toner if required.

When applying the green tea toner to your face avoid contact with your eyes, if you are using a spray bottle, then just close your eyes before applying it to your face then simply work the toner into your fingertips.

If you are short of cotton balls or pads you can apply the toner to your face using your fingertips and again gentle work the cleanser around your face until your skin has absorbed the cleanser.

Can We Apply Green Tea On Face Daily?

When you’re using the green tea toner on your face you typically want to apply it twice a day, morning, and night. Green tea can be very beneficial in the morning, by splashing some cool tea-infused toner that’s come straight out of the fridge can help wake up your skin and have you looking all fresh ready for the day.

Applying green tea toner to your face at night before you go bed also has its benefits, and can and help with acne breakouts that may occur overnight. Green tea can also boost collagen production in your skin which helps reduce wrinkles and fine lines while you sleep.,

There are all kinds of skincare products with green tea. There’s Green Tea Facial Scrub that gently exfoliates to reduce oil & pores and works as a face wash that you can use daily. Then there’s the Green Tea Detox Mask which is another holy grail skincare product.

How To Make Homemade Green Tea Toner?

To make homemade green tea toner is fairly straight forward, and you can either use fresh green tea which would be your best option or you can use teabags. So the first thing you want to do is get a teacup then add 1 green tea bag or 1 teaspoon of loose green tea.

If you’re using loose leaf tea make sure you measure out the tea and add it directly to the teacup then add boiling water to the mug and let it Steep the tea for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the tea bag or leaves around when you first add the water and then allow the tea to sit undisturbed for the rest of the steeping time.

Once your tea has finished steeping let it cool down first and then transfer the tea to an air-tight container or bottle. 

If you are using fresh green tea leaves, then make sure you pour the tea through a strainer to remove any loose tea leaves. Then pop the green tea toner into the fridge.

So that’s how you make a basic green tea toner, now you can add additional ingredients to your toner, for example, you can add honey, lemon juice or even tea tree oil to help target acne.

This is something you can do at the end once your tea had cooled down. It really is that easy!

Additional Ingredients Measurements To One Cup Of Green Tea:

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp of tea tree oil

• 1 to 2 tbsp of honey

• 1 tbsp of witch hazel

Conclusion

So there you have it you now know that green tea toner needs to be Refrigerated, but you also know how to make you’re own green tea toner and how to apply it. Remember if your making green tea toner to target acne then add some tea tree oil drops to give your toner a little boost.

Just make sure you let your tea cool down before you start adding any other ingredients. Your tea will be very hot right after you brew it so allow it to sit at room temperature until cool.

Just remember your green tea toner will be good for at least 7 days when refrigerated after this time if you still have any left then its better to throw it away and make yourself a fresh batch.

The post Does Green Tea Toner Need To Be Refrigerated? appeared first on Simmering Tea.

Green tea has a refreshing grassy, cucumber taste with a slightly nutty undertone that gives off a grass-like aroma and can be quite bland when trying it for the first time. However, you can add sweeteners to green tea to make it more enjoyable.

There was a recent study that showed green tea can have positive effects on your health, including weight loss, type 2 diabetes Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancer.

There’s also an amino acid found in green tea leaves, called (Theanine) which can reduce anxiety and have a calming effect on your mind.

What Is Green Tea

Green tea originated in China and is now produced all over the world, there are several varieties of green tea that exist on the market today.

The Green tea is an unoxidized tea, that’s made from the same tree shrub as Black Tea (Camellia Sinensis) plant. Black teas are made from slightly older leaves, unlike green tea which is produced from younger leaves.

Different leaf ages produce differing tea qualities, with the caffeine content in black tea is around 30-40 milligrams, while the green tea contains roughly 20-30 milligrams of caffeine.

When you brew the green tea, it’s light green with a slight yellow and brown color that gives off a grass-like aroma with a sweetgrass, cucumber taste.

Green tea is considered one of the world’s healthiest teas and contains the highest amount of antioxidants that are known to help prevent cell damage.

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• Is Green Tea Acidic?

What Does Green Tea Taste like Good Or Bad?

The flavor can depend on what type of green tea you choose, but with most green teas the taste is grassy with a sweet-bitter and slight nutty background taste.

Green tea is well known for developing a very bitter taste and this is mostly because the tea hasn’t been brewed correctly.

How long you let your tea brew for and the temperature of the water all play an important role in getting that perfect tasting cup of tea.

Steeping green tea for too long and brewing at high temperatures can result in bitter flavors. Using low-quality green tea can also contribute to this.

If you’re trying green tea for the first time it’s always best to buy high-quality green tea, the best place to search for good quality tea is by ordering online from any India or Chinese health and remedies shops.

How To Make Green Tea Taste Good

Now if your someone who is struggling with the taste of green tea, there are some ways you can improve the taste and add some flavor to your tea.

One way to improve the flavor of your green tea is to add a sweetener, using some sugar or a teaspoon of honey, this can definitely make your green tea more enjoyable.

Brewing your tea at the correct temperature especially with green tea is another way. Green tea should be brewed at lower temperatures of (160°F to 170°F) any higher and this can result in a bitter tea.

Not only can you serve green tea hot, but you can also have it cold, and making a refreshing ice green tea is another way to improve the flavor.

When making ice tea you can add things like fresh mint or basil you can add slices of pineapple, peach, or fresh lemon, the options are endless. It’s always fun to experiment and see what good flavors you come up with.

How Green Tea Is Processed

There are two ways that green tea gets processed, the first is in China, where the green tea is often pan-fried in a large wok over a flame, this can also be done using an electric wok.

The leaves are then dried in an oven, or in direct sunlight, at the same time the tea is stirred constantly so the leaves can dry evenly.

The second method is in Japan, this is where the leaves are steamed to a bright green color, the leaves are then dried and rolled out.

The most popular green tea Matcha is also produced by steaming and drying out the leaves. Once dry the leaves are then grounded into a fine powder that becomes Matcha.

The powder can then be mixed directly with hot water to make the bright green tea. Matcha is one of the most nutritionally rich types of tea on the market today.

What Does Matcha Taste Like?

It’s hard to explain the taste but Matcha tends to taste like a creamy, grassy, nutty green tea that has strong, powerful flavors.

Matcha is a green powder that’s packed with antioxidants including the powerful EGCg and is rich in fiber, chlorophyll, and vitamins.

If you find the matcha powder is dull and looks slightly yellow or brown then it’s either old or poor quality. There are different types of Matcha on the market that are all powder forms and made from 100% green tea leaves.

If you find that your matcha tastes bitter then try changing the brand or get a high-quality Matcha for the best results.

Matcha is also great for weight loss as it boosts metabolism. A Scientific study concluded that matcha increases thermogenesis in the body which means you burns calories faster than normal and as a result, you lose weight.

Making Iced Green Tea

The great thing about green tea, or most teas for the matter, is you can serve them hot or cold and they still have the same health benefits.

The taste of the green ice tea is like a refreshing sweet drink, the flavor really depends on you and what you fancy. You can add things like fresh fruit, fresh mint, honey, cucumber, lemon or lime, the flavors really are endless.

Ice green tea is perfect on a hot summer day, not only will you find this drink very refreshing but at the same time, it will keep you hydrated.

There so many different flavors you can use to create green iced tea and it’s very simple to make, that takes no time at all, you can even make iced tea using Matcha!

If it’s your first time making ice tea then it’s always better to experiment first, find a way to balance the flavors you like and make sure your ice tea is not too sweet.

Tasty Green Teas

Now there are other types of green teas on the market, that are flavourful maybe not as high quality as Matcha, but still, pack a punch and are excellent for beginners.

• Moroccan Mint Green Tea is a strong cool mint-like flavor, that’s perfect after meals that can help with your digestion.

• Jasmine Green Tea is the most popular flavored tea globally. This aromatic tea is sweet, fragrant and very simple to make, perfect for beginners.

• Dragon Well Green Tea has all the goodness of green tea but with a sweeter fruity like flavor. To get the best results from this tea and to avoid any bitter taste, infuse no longer than 3 minutes.

• Sencha Green Tea that’s smooth gentle and fragrant but only if brewed for 3 minutes. If you want a stronger deeper flavor brew for longer.

Should I Switch To Green Tea?

Green tea has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine and is definitely one of the healthiest teas on the market.

People who switched to green tea all saw an improvement in the health with some saying they even sleep better since drinking green tea.

Other benefits of green tea are the antioxidants that can help fight off inflammation and chronic illnesses and speed up your metabolism to help with weight loss.

But if you’re looking for a tea that has the same health benefits as green tea but focuses more on weight loss then you should choose to drink Red Tea.

The post What Does Green Tea Taste Like? Good Or Bad? appeared first on Simmering Tea.

The best time to drink detox tea is in the morning, and considering that detox tea contains high levels of caffeine, that are designed to give you energy, this can be very beneficial in the morning and can help with brain fog and really give your day a good kick start.

Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t drink detox tea later on in the day, in fact, there are people that drink detox tea throughout the day. However, there are some teas that contain additional ingredients that can be harmful if not taken correctly. 

Best Time To Drink Detox Tea

Now as you know the best time to drink detox tea is in the morning, but why? Apart from the obvious caffeine and energy levels what are the other reasons?

Well, let’s take a closer look at the ingredients of detox tea and see why this is true. So by drinking Detox tea in the morning, this is an excellent time to give your digestive system a jump start.

Detox tea is designed to flush the body of any unwanted toxins and as a result, helps your digestion.

This can be extremely beneficial if you suffer from things like constipation or irregular bowel movements and drinking detox tea in the morning is very important because this gives you a daily boost for performing your everyday activities without any tiredness and fatigue.

One of the most common ingredients in detox tea is the herbal laxative-senna. Senna plays an important roll in detoxing and cleansing the body.

However taking too much senna can cause vomiting, diarrhea, electrolyte imbalance, and dehydration, although the chances of this happening, is extremely rare.

By drinking detox tea in the morning this also encourages a positive momentum and helps you naturally become more enthusiastic throughout your day.

And if your someone who likes to go for a run in the morning when you wake, then this can be very beneficial, because as you sweat your body naturally releases toxins.

Just remember if you do like to go for a run in the morning make sure you drink plenty of water while detoxing and eat fruits that are high in water content as one of the side effects is dehydration, this will help towards your digestion.

What Does Drinking Detox Tea Do?

It’s very important to understand what drinking detox tea does for your body. Detox teas have become a very popular practice over the years for people who wish to clear their bodies of toxins. Even celebrities drink them when they go on rapid diets.

These teas are a widely sold product marketed to help your body expel toxins and many of them promise weight loss as an additional bonus.

Detox teas have specific ingredients known to have diuretic or laxative properties which eliminate waste from your GI tract, as well as appetite-suppressant qualities like nettle leaf, dandelion leaf, and senna leaf.

All these ingredients combined with caffeine can trigger the loss of water in the body resulting in weight loss. However, there are some side effects when drinking detox tea that you need to be aware of for example…

Because the tea is designed to flush your body of toxin’s you may find yourself rushing to the toilet a lot and your experience dehydration, both of these side effects are completely normal just make sure you drink plenty of water when your detoxing.

You may also experience other things like bloating, gas, cramps, or Diarrhea and with the high levels of caffeine sleep disruption, but and again this is completely normal.

To get the very best out of your detox tea and to really detoxify your body, you need to be on a good diet and cut any fried foods and start eating more fruits, vegetables, by doing this the detoxifying teas can be much more effective especially if you’re trying to lose weight.

Types Of Detox Tea

Now there are many varieties of detox tea, and whether you’re looking to shift a few extra pounds or simply looking for a tea to give your insides some TLC, each tea works differently.

Detox tea has huge health benefits and is loaded with antioxidants that help with free radicals.

Free radicals are known as unstable molecules in the body, and if too many free radicals build up in the body then this can damage or change your cells.

Changes in your cells can result in the development of certain diseases and conditions, like atherosclerosis and cancers. This is where the antioxidants in the tea help, by reducing the build-up of free radicals.

Now let’s take a closer look at some detox teas that can be very beneficial for your health when drinking it in the morning…

Green Detox Tea

Green tea is a fantastic tea that’s rich in antioxidants and will not only help your body increase the production of detoxification properties.

But can also keep you alert, and can help boost brain function. But there’s also a key active ingredient in green tea.

This key ingredient is (caffeine), and the good news is, it doesn’t contain as much as coffee, there’s just enough to produce a response without causing any side effects associated with taking in too much caffeine, which makes this tea an excellent choice for drinking in the morning.

Yogi Detox Tea

Yogi detox tea is known for helping the body cleanse itself by boosting the performance of the liver and kidneys, and it is recommended that you drink two to three cups per day, up to 30 days.

The ingredients in Yogi DeTox tea are all-natural organic plant-based, such as cinnamon bark, ginger, licorice, Indian sarsaparilla root, burdock, dandelion, cardamom, clove, black pepper, juniper berry, long pepper berry, Philodendron bark, melon, rhubarb, skullcap root, gardenia, Japanese honeysuckle, and Coptis.

These ingredients are also found in other detox brands and are best to consume your tea preferably after you eat, but because some more aggressive teas have high levels of caffeine it’s always best to stop drinking tea 1 to 2 hours before bed-time.

Red Detox Tea

One of the most effective teas for things like weight loss, and helping with digestion, and flushing the body of toxins is The Red Tea Detox.

This red tea is a west African tea that’s designed for ridding your body of toxins at a rapid pace while encouraging weight loss at the same time. It’s a powerful new fat-burning rooibos tea, that’s now becoming more and more popular.

When drinking any rapid detox teas, as mentioned above, you may experience things like Diarrhea, bloating at times, and with high levels of caffeine ‘Sleep disruption’ and with the laxative supplement that results in speeding food through your digestive tract, you may experience rapid weight loss.

Ginger Detox Tea

Ginger detox tea is useful for things like morning sickness, arthritis, migraines, and can improve stomach performance.

Ginger works as a detoxifier, by helping remove unwanted chemicals from your body, and like most detox teas can improve your digestion.

Ginger is also known for its powerful healing properties throughout its history.

It can also help with things like blood sugar levels and weight loss. There are some people that use ginger water, mixed with lemon juice as a detox. Ginger tea is very simple to make and very cheap which makes this another good tea to drink in the morning.

Should You Drink Detox Tea?

So should you drink detox tea? well as you know now drinking certain types of detox tea can be extremely good for your health especially if your tea is all-natural organic.

The ones you should really watch out for are the stronger types of teas, used for things like diets and rapid weight loss.

That’s not to say theses teas are bad, not at all, even celebrities are known for drinking these teas to lose weight faster.

But if your someone who doesn’t need to lose weight then its properly better to drink detox teas that are much lighter like ginger or green tea.

Now as mentioned before every type of tea is different, that’s designed to work in different ways, and to help you understand this better below is a list of teas and what health benefits they mainly focus on.

• Ginger Tea: Useful for morning sickness, arthritis, and migraines

• Red Tea: Used for rapid weight loss, designed to rid the body of toxins

• Yogi Tea: Helps Boost the performance of the liver and kidneys

• Green Tea: keep you alert, and can help boost brain function

• Herbal: Helps with digestion and irritable bowel syndrome

Now as you can see each tea work differently with some focusing more on improving your digestion and others for things like diets and weight loss.

Detox teas that focus more on diets and rapid weight loss usually come with step by step guide to advise of the amount of tea you should be drinking and what the best time to drink detox tea is.

Conclusion

So the best time to drink detox tea is in the morning because as mentioned above detox tea can help give you an enthusiastic start to your day and really give your digestive system a kick start.

But just remember to drink plenty of water while your detoxing.

There are also detox tea programs you can join that can advise you when to drink your tea, whether this is best before or after you eat. This is mainly for rapid diet teas and not your average all-natural organic teas.

The post What Is The Best Time To Drink Detox Tea? appeared first on Simmering Tea.

YES! You can add milk to green tea, just like the popular lattes and Matcha smoothies. However, adding milk to your tea does reduce the benefits of catechin components that are known to stimulate antioxidant activity in the body by scavenging free radicals.

By adding milk to your tea this definitely enhances the flavor but does reduce the health benefits. Although your tea will still be healthy, with milk being a good source of protein and is also rich in magnesium, you won’t get the full benefits, as you would if you were drinking the tea on its own.

What Happens When You Add Milk To Green Tea?

Drinking green tea it’s all about the acerbic taste and health benefits this beverage has to offer. But as you know now by adding milk this does alter the taste and reduce the health benefits.

But that’s not to say adding milk to your tea is a bad thing, there are some good points to this. Not only is milk a good source of protein and rich in magnesium, but it has calcium, zinc and other minerals that can also help boost your health. 

Now so many people do not like the grassy, earthy, bitter taste you get from green tea, and by adding milk this can mask that taste. The great thing about this type of tea is there are so many different recipes to try.

If you want milk in your tea, but still want it has healthy as possible then there are alternatives to this. For example

Try using other types of milk like, Soy milk, Cashew milk, Rice milk, and even Almond milk that will add a nice pleasant taste to your tea, and will be much healthier than using standard cows milk.

How To Add Milk To Green Tea?

There are so many different types of recipes you can create with green tea using milk, as before the most popular are lattes and Matcha smoothies.

But you can also make things like green bubble tea, Frappe, iced tea, or even ice cream the possibilities are endless.

When making milk tea its better to start off with Matcha, this powered form green tea is made from young tea leaves and then grounded into a bright green powder.

Because Matcha is made from fresh tea leaves your tea will have all the same benefits you get when using fresh leaves.

The good thing about adding milk to your tea is it can give it a thicker texture almost like a milkshake, and this is where things get really creative. You can make thick smoothies or bubble tea, again this is where you should use Matcha.

If you just want to add milk to a regular cup of green tea then you can do this with fresh leaves or tea bags, but if you want a latte or something thicker you best option would be Matcha.

You can make milkshakes, milk iced tea anything you fancy. You can even make Matcha deserts again using milk as part of the ingredients, it really is endless what you can do with this tea.

Matcha Latte With Milk

Here’s an example of how easy it is to make a Matcha latte, it’s very straight forward, you can serve this hot or cold, but hot would be the best option especially if it’s your first time.

So the first thing you want to do is get a teacup and add 1 tsp matcha green tea powder, you can add more, but this depends on how strong you want your tea.

Then if you want your tea sweet add 2 tsp of sugar, again this is really down to your preference and how sweet you like your latte. The next is you want to do is gently heat up add 300ml of milk in a saucepan.

Once the milk is hot use a whisk to make your milk froth then just pour into your cup and stir until it’s smooth and light green in color. If you want to make an iced latte just repeat using cold milk.

Recipe Checklist

• 1 tsp Matcha green tea

• 2 tsp of sugar

• 300ml of milk

Matcha Smoothies With Milk

Not only do Matcha Smoothies taste delicious, but it’s a great way to impress your family or friends. You can add ingredients like bananas, pineapple, peanuts, spinach anything you want.

Now it does involve a bit more work than making a Matcha latte, but the end result is worth the wait.

So to get started add one banana to the blender with one cup of almond milk or you can use cashew milk, whichever you prefer, then blend until you have a smooth mixture.

After this, you can then add 1 tbs of Matcha powder, again like the latte, if you want a stronger taste you can add more Matcha.

Then blend for about 30 seconds until all the ingredients have mixed together and you’re left with a nice green delicious smoothie.

You can also add ice cream at the end of blending for extra flavor, but again this is optional. When making your first smoothie, it’s really trial and error to start with until you find the right balance to get that perfect great tasting smoothie.

Recipe Checklist

• 1 banana

• 1 cup of almond milk or cashew milk

• 1 tbs of Matcha powder

Matcha Frappe With Milk

Now, this is a real treat Matcha frappe with its signature cream on top, again to make the frappe it’s going to require a bit effort and work but the rewards are definitely worth it.

So to make Frappe you want to use a thicker type milk and the best option for this would be coconut milk to get that creamier consistency, or you can use almond milk if you want a lighter vision.

You will need some extra ingredients, for this one like vanilla extract and some honey or natural sweetener, low fat whipped cream, a cup of ice and of course Matcha.

To start add 1/2 a cup of milk to the blender with 1/2 a tsp of vanilla extract and the honey or any sweetener you prefer, this is optional, then blend until all the mixture come’s together.

Then add the cup of ice and 1 tbs of Matcha, and blend for 20 to 30 seconds until everything is mixed together, then pour into a glass and add whipped cream on top, you can also sprinkle some chocolate powder on top to finish but again this is optional.

That’s an example of just three recipes using green tea with milk, there are plenty more recipes you can make using Matcha like ice cream, desserts, or even cakes. But the key is when you first make your own tea is to start small like lattes and pick a good quality Matcha tea.

Recipe Checklist

• 1/2 a cup of milk

• 1 tbs of Matcha

• 1/2 a tsp of vanilla extract or honey

• Chocolate powder (optional)

Green Tea Without Milk

If you want to enjoy the full health benefits you get from drinking green tea then your option would be not to add any milk. This tea is packed with antioxidants and nutrients, that help towards improving blood flow and lower cholesterol.

There was a study in 2013 that found green tea helped prevent a wide range of heart-related issues, like high blood pressure and congestive heart failure.

But as we all know milk is high in cholesterol, take cow’s milk, for example, cows milk is loaded with calcium and vitamins A and D, which is good for the heart and overall health. But too much of the saturated fat and cholesterol in whole milk can actually counteract those health benefits.

That being said, Green tea will have that grassy earthy bitter taste, that not everyone enjoys, and by adding milk this will make your tea more pleasant and flavorful.

Sure! You lose some of the health benefits in your tea, but! You’re also gain some you wouldn’t normally get by adding milk and remember you can also add low-fat milk to your tea, which can taste just as good.

Conclusion

So can you add milk to green tea? Absolutely! But when making tea recipes like the smoothie or lattes as before, you want to make sure you’re using the Matcha powder green tea.

As mentioned Matcha is the same as if you were using fresh tea leaves, except the hard word has already been done, and is in a powder form with all the same health benefits you get from using fresh leaves.

Just remember to experiment when you first start making lattes or smoothies, try new things with different ingredients and with different types of milk, get creative and before you know it your be making great tasting teas every day.

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