Green Tea: How to Choose it?

After water, green tea is one of the most consumed drinks in the world. Refreshing, healthy, ideal for keeping the line, it is also excellent for health. The ways to taste it are varied: natural, flavored, hot or iced.

Black tea and green tea: what are the differences?

There are five types of specific tea. There is white, blue, red, black and green tea, the latter two being the best known. All teas come from the same plant: Camellia sinensis. Only their ritual of preparation makes it possible to differentiate them.

Green tea leaves are rolled immediately after harvest to remove all juices. They are then heated to a high temperature to prevent their oxidation. Once these operations are completed, the leaves are dried to promote good conservation. The absence of oxidation of the leaves allows the drink to retain all its nutritional qualities. Indeed, this specific mode of preparation has the advantage of preserving the polyphenols and their flavonoids. Thanks to their antioxidant properties, these molecules help fight the aging of our cells.

Black tea, on the other hand, contains only very few polyphenols. This is explained by its method of preparation which differs from green tea. Before they can be eaten, the black tea leaves will ferment in a humid and warm environment for 1 to 3 hours. Then they will be heated or smoked in some cases. They will, by this process, be completely oxidized. For this reason, black tea is known to be less beneficial to health than green tea. However, it has the advantage of being stored much longer. It retains indeed its taste qualities and its particularly strong flavor during several years.   

Whatever the food products concerned, all crops are subject to different types of pollutants harmful to health: herbicides, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides in particular. Tea is no exception. For the consumer, the risk is therefore far from negligible. Indeed, green tea is never washed, regardless of the stage of the preparation process to which it is subjected. That is why it is better to prefer green tea certified organic farming.

Green tea, natural or flavored?

Everything is a matter of personal taste! Nature green tea offers a very characteristic flavor. Its delicate and subtly herbaceous nuances are not suitable for everyone. For more greed and originality, it is possible to opt for a flavored green tea. The choices are varied: green tea flavored with dried fruit (mango, citrus, raspberry ...), spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom ...) or flowers (cherry blossoms, jasmine, rose petals or cornflower) ...). Be careful though: some teas contain synthetic flavors. Also, for a healthier and more balanced product, it is advisable to favor natural flavors.

Green tea hot or iced?

Once again, the important thing is to have fun by drinking a cup of tea with Xiaomi Tea Cup! The iced tea is especially valuable during the summer season: he brings a fresh note while hydrating the body. To combine pleasure and benefits, it is recommended to avoid using tap water. Bottled mineral water will be perfect. For homemade iced tea, just let the tea brew for ten hours in the refrigerator and filter the preparation. For those in a hurry, it is also possible to cool the tea at room temperature after brewing in the Xiaomi belly cup, then add the desired amount of ice. To add a little greedy note to your drink, you can easily add a touch of maple syrup or brown sugar.