Green tea… it’s too bitter!

Lori asks… Jenny, PLEASE help me to enjoy the taste of GREEN TEA !!! I have tried it straight, with honey, lemon. I can’t stand the taste….too bitter, what am I doing wrong???

My response… I can’t even remember the first time I drank green tea but I probably didn’t like it either. Now I sip green tea all day long. Here’s what I’ve learned…

1) Don’t use boiling water – that makes it bitter. Use water around 180 degrees. It doesn’t have to be exact – you can boil water and let it stand for a minute before using.
2) For me, honey is too heavy and won’t help the taste but you could try adding a little sugar. Eventually, you could use less and less as you adjust to the taste.
3) Try flavored teas. Green and white teas flavored with things like passionfruit, white peach, & jasmine are fantastic. A little sugar would make these so easy to drink – about 1/4 teaspoon per cup.
4) Don’t use tea bags but brew whole leaf tea. It costs more but I’ve never had a green tea bag that wasn’t bitter.
5) Not all green teas taste the same – not even close. Keep sampling different ones from different sources (I prefer Chinese over Japanese teas).
6) Try buying from a tea store or online. You do get what you pay for and a smooth tasting green tea may cost more but it’s an investment in your health.