5 Simple Ways to Elevate the Flavours of Your Lemon Green Tea

Freshness. Fitness. Flavour.

What gives you all of these things with just one sip? Green tea! Now some of you might not agree with us when we say that green tea is flavourful. But relax, because if you don’t like the bitter grassy taste of the tea, this blog is for you!

From soothing our senses to refreshing our bodies, everyone is aware of the numerous health benefits of green tea. In “Kissa Yojoki” (The Book of Tea), Japanese Zen priest Eisai interestingly highlights how green tea can have a positive effect on your heart, liver and lungs. And because of its several benefits, it does seem like a good choice to incorporate green tea into your daily routine. But it is also true that not everyone enjoys drinking this concoction.

Our last blog shed a light on ways to brew and steep your green tea in the right way. Now, read on to discover some effective ways to make that cup of green tea even more flavourful with the help of our expert tea sommeliers at Tulsi Tea.

1. Select the right tea leaves

Green tea leaves come from the Camellia sinensis plant which is used for numerous types of teas such as black tea, oolong tea, white tea etc. These are called ‘true teas’ as they are made out of actual tea leaves, unlike herbal teas which are made out of flowers and plants.

Now, two factors set green tea apart from other true teas:

1. The age and structure of the leaves used to make it.
2. The processing of its leaves.

Leaves that are made to use for green tea are picked in the spring season and are among the youngest offered by the Camellia plant. When picked, these leaves must be tender, bright green and ideally should be alongside a bud. The flavours of these leaves vary according to the season which is why older leaves used for oolong tea and black tea tend to have more caffeine in them. Now you can easily choose the right tea leaves and buy delicious Indian teas online from the comfort of your home as the tea sommeliers at Tulsi tea are committed to delivering you the best green tea made out of the finest and least processed leaves.

2. Use the right water & brew at the right temperature

Once you have got the right leaves to brew the perfect cup of green tea, it is very important to choose the right water to brew it in. If you use tap water to prepare your tea, the minerals and chemicals may affect the compounds in the tea and as a result the taste. Meanwhile, distilled water is too weak to imbibe the flavours and hence can turn the green tea pale. Ideally, pure and filtered water should be used to extract the best out of your green tea.

Moreover, controlling the water’s temperature can also make a lot of difference in brewing your green tea right. Green teas that are steeped too long or are put in water that is too hot, can turn sour. Similarly, too much cold water will make the tea flavourless and weak. The ideal temperature to steep green tea is anywhere between 79°C to 85°C or 175°F to 185°F. To do this, boil water in a pot and as the water starts to boil, take it off the heat and let it sit for about a minute or two. You can also read our latest blog to know more details about brewing tea just right.

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Brew It Right! Your Guide to Making the Perfect Cup of Green Tea

Green tea is considered to be this elixir of good health; thanks to the numerous benefits it brings with it, like improving metabolism, reducing bad breath, guards against heart ailments and even aiding in anti-aging. But the poll has always been split half with one half swearing by the beverage, and others who may have been put off by the unsweetened flavour of it.

Our expert tea sommeliers, who curate the best tea in Gujarat, have studied this trend and have come to the conclusion that the tea leaves were never to be blamed in the first place. They naysayers may have just tried a cup that was brewed the wrong way.

With proper brewing techniques, you’re able to extract the right amount of flavours from the leaves and ensure maximum health benefits in every cup. And it all starts by choosing the best tea in Gujarat, so go ahead and shop for green tea online and buy Tulsi Tulvita green tea. Now, follow the steps as below.

Boiling it right

It is very important to choose the right kind of water and bring it to boil at the right temperature to brew your green tea right. We suggest using filtered or purified water, because the water from our taps is usually treated with chemicals or has high salinity. The latter will alter the taste of the brew, given that green tea has a delicate flavour profile.

Now, we all know water boils at 100°C, and the flavour compounds of green tea are sensitive to very high temperatures of water. Our tea sommeliers advice that the right temperature for the water should be anywhere between 79°C to 85°C or 175°F to 185°F.

To achieve this temperature, boil water in a clean pot on a stove top, and as the water begins to boil, take it off the heat and let it sit for about a minute.

Steeping it right

To steep means to soak any kind of organic solids in any form of liquid to either extract flavours or to soften it. And this applies to brewing teas too. Usually, for black teas, the more time the leaves are steeped in the hot water, the more flavours come out in the brew.

But when it comes to green tea, if the leaves are steeped in water that is either too hot or for a longer duration it releases an astringent flavour, which may taste unpleasant and sometimes bitter.

The amount of time the tea steeps directly impacts the flavour. When brewed properly, green tea should have a light colour and minor astringent flavouring. So we suggest steeping your Tulsi Tulvita green tea bag in hot water for a minimum 3 minutes and maximum 5 minutes. To best develop flavours, cover your tea kettle or tea cup if you are brewing in a single cup when steeping. Our sommeliers suggest that you use glass, ceramic, clay or stainless steel teapots for brewing.

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Black Tea vs Milky Tea vs Green Tea – What’s the T on tea?

Indians love their chai or tea. A survey by the Tea Board of India had shown that India is the world’s second largest producer of tea, and consumes about 80% of its domestic production. These figures are testament to the fact that for us in India any time is chai time.

While traditionally, people buy their favourite type of tea from their local kirana stores, many now buy tea online in India, as per their flavour profile and taste. But, there is always a conundrum over which type of tea is better. Let’s look at some facts to see if there is a winner in this contest between black tea versus milk tea versus green tea.

Fluoride content

Fluoride is considered to be good for the teeth and bones, as it helps in re-mineralisation and breaks down and maintains the balance between the mineral gain and loss, especially in the tooth enamel. It also inhibits growth of harmful oral bacteria.

Green tea and black have strong fluoride content. In black tea, it ranges between 0.2 to 0.5 mg, which can sometimes be higher than the fluoride content in green tea, which ranges between 0.3 to 0.4 mg. The fluoride content in milk tea decreases with the addition of milk to the black tea concoction.

Antioxidant content

When it comes to antioxidant content in these different teas, again both green tea and black tea have comparatively higher content than milk tea. One of the reasons why milk tea loses out here is because the addition of milk reduces the absorption of antioxidants in the body.

Green tea consists of a particular type of catechin or flavonoid called EGCG, which regulates gene activity in cancer cells, and may even prevent cancer growth. And if that makes you want to buy green tea online from wherever you are in India, just visit our Shop page or click on Tulvita Green Tea.

Caffeine content

Caffeine is the morning pick-me-up for a majority of the human population. While America might run on coffee, for most Indians, the morning shot of energy comes in a cup of tea. The level of caffeine in black tea and green tea differs slightly. Green tea contains less caffeine than black tea, with 9-50 mg/cup versus 42-17 mg/cup. So, if you want an energetic morning, go for black tea; if you want to relax your blood vessels and enjoy a soothing drink, go for green tea, such as our Tulvita Green Tea. Unfortunately, milk tea has neither a calming nor energising effect, but it can help slow down the absorption of caffeine.

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Sip of Good Health! Here’s The Ideal Way to Drink Green Tea Daily

Yes, green tea is indeed a healthy beverage compared to sugary, caffeine-loaded drinks that claim to provide you with a booster shot of energy. And yes, we know that green tea has powerful antioxidants that promote a faster metabolism, or what gimmicky ads call “fat burning.” A study published on Healthline suggests that It can even reduce bad breath, guard against heart disease, and is known to show anti-ageing benefits. But how much green tea should be consumed and in what way, to avail all these glorious benefits daily?

Obviously, anything in excess is not good, and this includes green tea. So as you plan to order your monthly stock of green tea from an online tea shop in Gujarat, our tea sommeliers and in-house experts have a few words of advice and wisdom to share, about the ideal way to drink green tea every day.

Drink around 2 to 3 cups a day

Switching all your liquids with green tea is not advisable. Drinking numerous cups of green tea every 1-2 hours thinking it will fasten weight loss and the other benefits is not correct. Green tea comes packed with antioxidants, but also various natural plant-based compounds such as tannins and flavonoids. Excess consumption of these compounds can hinder iron absorption in your body, and if it gets worse it could also cause damage to the liver.

Think of green tea as a replacement to your daily chai. Once every morning and once in the evening, that is, ideally 2 or maximum 3 cups of green tea every day should be sufficient. Yes, that’s all it takes for the health benefits to kick in.

Never drink green tea on an empty stomach

One of the most commonly practised habits, which could be detrimental to one’s body, is beginning the day with a dose of caffeine, in the form of a strong cup of tea, coffee or even green tea before breakfast. We advise against this practice. Yes, even green tea should not be had on an empty stomach.

While it may give you the much needed impetus to kick-start the day, it can also cause an imbalance in the stomach acids, which could lead to stomach aches and nausea. Yes, the caffeine levels in the beverage will definitely make you alert and awake, it will also increase your anxiety levels.

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Gujarat & Its Love for Chaa (Tea)

A study by the Tea Board of India and Deloitte in 2018 showed that Gujarat was the biggest consumer of tea among Indian states. This study, and the numerous kitlis (roadside tea stalls) and tea cafes dotting the streets and highways of Gujarat are a testament to the fact that the state and its residents love their tea, or Chaa as it is colloquially called.

For Gujaratis, Chaa is not just a beverage, but an emotion. While there has been a rise in the number of people who buy tea online in India, Gujaratis continue to be very particular about the kind of tea leaves they purchase, and where they get it from. Let’s take a look at this beautiful love affair of Gujaratis and their Chaa.

Cultural Significance

For most Gujaratis, the very first beverage they sip on is a piping hot cup of tea at home with family members as they plan their chores for the day. When someone invites you over to their house, they say “Chaa-paani karva aavjo” which means come over to have some tea with us. Chaa plays a great role in forming strong bonds between friends, colleagues, entrepreneurs and even prospective marital partners.

Sheetal Bhatt of Route 2 Roots talks about it beautifully in her blog post Chai Spice or Cha No Masalo, where she says that Gujaratis offer tea to strangers, welcome guests with tea, make friends over tea, bond over tea, have tête-à-tête with loved ones over tea, while time drinking tea, even say goodbyes over tea and most of all take pride in their tea or the Chaa they brew.

The tea commonly consumed here in Gujarat is the milky concoction of full fat milk, strong CTC tea leaves, some sugar and water. The flavour that one gets to experience with this tea is called Kadak Mitthi (Strong & Sweet). Though, the new health conscious generation of youngsters have begun opting for a healthier cuppa and now buy green tea online in India.

Chai Pe Charcha

In 2018, when Barack Obama, the then president of the United States of America, visited India, he was treated to a hot cup of tea by the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on the lawns of Hyderabad House in New Delhi. To which, the POTUS said, “Prime Minister Modi, thank you for hosting me, including our ‘Chai pe Charcha’. We need more of those in the White House”

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