Green tea lovers may tell you that the best-tasting green tea is brewed for under one minute with hot water that hasn’t reached the boiling point yet. It is also steeped for a short period of time.
Key points
Boiling water and longer steeping times impart a bitter flavor to green tea.
Researchers, however, have found that using boiling water and longer steeping times increases the amount of polyphenols in green tea.
Polyphenols are the antioxidants in green tea that are responsible for the health benefits that green tea is believed to have.
The results of the studies suggest that the following preparation guidelines can boost the polyphenol level in green tea:
Size of tea leaves: Small loose-leaf green tea is the best choice because it infuses quickly. Tightly curled or large leaf tea requires a longer infusion time.
Loose leaves vs. teabags: Loose leaves are preferable to teabags. In order to increase the extraction of polyphenols, teabags should be continuously dunked in the teapot rather than left to float on the water.
Temperature: Boiling water promotes the extraction of polyphenols.
Steeping Time: Tea should be steeped for two to five minutes.
The polyphenol content of tea increases with steeping time, while a short steeping time results in a high caffeine content but low polyphenol content.
Hidden Benefits of Green Tea
Considered by many to be one of nature’s healthiest beverages, green tea is rich in antioxidants that could help fight off heart disease and cancer. Made from unfermented leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, green tea is also low in caffeine (offering about 8 to 30 mg per cup, compared to 100 to 350 mg per cup of coffee) and contains the amino acid L-theanine (shown to induce relaxation and relieve stress in preliminary research).
Now, a number of studies are exploring the benefits beyond green tea’s heart-healthy, anti-cancer, and stress-reducing effects. Here’s a look at some of the most promising findings so far.
1. Strong teeth and gums
In a 2009 study, scientists sized up the periodontal health of 940 men and found that those who drank green tea on a regular basis had healthier gums than participants who skimped on the drink. In fact, for every cup of green tea sipped daily, there was a significant decrease in several indicators of periodontal disease (such as bleeding upon probing of the gum tissue).
Past research also indicates that drinking green tea may help you avoid tooth erosion.
2. Stroke Avoidance
Another 2009 study suggests that drinking green tea each day can significantly slash your risk of stroke (the third leading cause of death in the United States). In reviewing nine studies on a total of nearly 195,000 people, researchers found that three daily cups of tea reduced stroke risk by 21%. What’s more, consuming three more cups a day seemed to decrease stroke risk by an additional 21%.
3. Increased Brain Power
Gulping green tea could preserve your brain power as you age, according to a 2006 study. The study’s authors looked at tea consumption among 1,003 Japanese people (ages 70 and up), finding that those who drank the most green tea were the least likely to show signs of weakened brain function.
For instance, study members who had a cup of green tea four to six times weekly were 38% less likely to display signs of cognitive impairment than those who drank green tea less than three times per week.
