It's hard not to feel a little smug when drinking green tea. Arguably the healthiest drink around, it's lauded across the world for its endless health benefits including (but not limited to) improving brain function, encouraging fat loss, lowering the risk of heart disease and reducing inflammation.
The problem? It doesn't always taste quite as good as, say, a nice cup of breakfast tea or an iced latte.
Is green tea healthy?
Unlike most types of tea, green tea is made from unoxidized leaves and is therefore one of the least processed types of tea. It's rich in polyphenols, which are natural compounds that target inflammation and are thought to help fight cancer.
It's also made up of various minerals that can benefit your health, especially when you buy a higher-quality green tea. Its lower caffeine content makes it a great choice later in the day with enough buzz to stop you falling asleep at your desk.
What is the difference between green tea and Matcha?
The latter is a more potent version of the former, containing around triple the amount of antioxidants. Matcha contains a stronger concentration of all the good things green tea is famed for and has a different flavour profile to green tea. Generally, green tea is lighter and fresher while Matcha is more intense and earthier. Both are brilliant from a health perspective especially when enjoyed regularly.
Buy a good quality green tea and you'll start to reap the benefits of its magic properties in a few mugs.
We've rounded up all of the best green teas (including a few flavoured options) below.
Best pans for induction hobs: From full sets to frying and saucepans
Best cakes to order online that deliver to your door
Best herbal teas to calm and refresh
Best matcha powders for making delicious teas and lattes at home
Best boiling water taps to buy for hot water in an instant
Best kettle and toaster sets to suit your kitchen’s style
Best smart kettles with added features to suit your lifestyle
Pukka Supreme Matcha Green Tea Bags
Pukka utilises a few different types of green tea in its Supreme Matcha bags. Bringing together the powers of Organic Oothu, Sencha and Suio Gang all in one, it's one of the best green teas out there for ticking all the boxes and feeling confident you've suitably absorbed all of the nutrients that each specific type offers.
Combining traditional green tea with an extra boost of Matcha, it makes a powerful mug that combines the latest scientific research with traditional herbal wisdom to naturally support your mind and body. Better yet, each compostable tea bag is full of essential oils and tastes good at the same time.
Buy now £15.00, Amazon
Teapigs Mao Feng Green Tea Bags
Teapigs' Mao Feng Green Tea bags are a little lighter than your usual green tea: perfect for giving you that much-needed antioxidant boost and subtle caffeine kick without any bitterness or overly heavy flavours. This popular green tea is perfect for buying in bulk and storing away in the cupboard whenever you need a little boost without instantly grabbing another coffee.
With a delicate natural taste of peaches and apricots, it utilises green tea sourced from the Anhui province in China and is a great all-rounder addition to your daily hot beverage.
Buy now £11.44, Amazon
The Tea Makers of London Jasmine Green Tea
The Tea Makers of London take brewing tea pretty seriously. This particular green tea is made with natural Jasmine flowers, which add a subtle floral kick to the standard green tea offering. That jasmine is something that you'll appreciate each time you brew this tea, thanks to the gorgeous aroma that floats from your mug sip by sip.
Uplifting and aromatic, it's a little sweeter than plain green tea and doesn't need any extra sugar or sweetener. Jasmine green tea is thought to be one of the healthiest teas you can drink and is thought to contain the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants.
Buy now £9.50, Amazon
Double Dragon Organic Green Tea
Double Dragon's green tea may be available at a supermarket-friendly price but it's a whole lot tastier than your standard offering. Loaded with flavour with no bitterness in sight, this organic green tea is made from the leaves of the tea bushes in China's Fujian Province (one of the nation's principal tea-producing areas) without any chemicals or pesticides. Its subtle flavours mean you'll enjoy this green tea most when brewed in a smaller cup.
Buy now £15.99, Amazon
Vahdam Himalayan Green Tea
Vahdam sources its green tea leaves from the Himalayas, which is something you'll no doubt want to mention next time a friend compliments you on the delicious cup you've just made. Designed to be brewed both hot and cold, this loose-leaf tea is rich in natural antioxidants and flavonoids and provides a small caffeine boost at the same time.
Vahdam's a great company to support not just because of the tea it sells but also because it ticks a lot of the boxes for ethical and sustainable measures, too: it's a carbon and plastic-neutral brand and works directly with many of its suppliers.
Buy now £12.99, Amazon
Twinings Gingerbread Green Tea
Twinings' Gingerbread Green Tea is a great green tea for those who'd prefer to enjoy the benefits of green tea without actually having to taste it. Sure, you could just bulk out your standard green tea bags with a big helping of sugar or syrup but Twinings' range of flavoured green teas makes getting your antioxidant fix a little more exciting.
The Gingerbread Green Tea does what it says on the tin: offers all of the great parts of drinking green tea but with a soft, sweet, ginger-hued flavour instead.
Buy now £10.76, Amazon
English Tea Shop - Pure Green Tea
English Tea Shop’s Your Everyday Tea Range is perfect for those who sip on green tea like it’s water. Great for anyone who’s known for brewing a cup and forgetting about it, only to find it stone cold and over-brewed later, it’s budget-friendly enough to stock up on and brew cup after cup as the day goes by. But don’t think it’s a lesser quality tea just because of its price tag: these Pure Green Tea bags still offer those same smooth and mellow tones as well as a lovely freshness.
Buy now £1.90, Amazon
Heapwell Superfoods Japanese Matcha Green Tea Powder
Heapwell Superfoods offers everything green tea is most lauded for with some stylish packaging and impressive flavours at the same time. Sourcing its tea from Shizuoka, Japan, this Japanese Matcha Green Tea Powder is easy to mix with just about anything and promises a large boost of goodness in each mug.
Unlike most teas, with matcha, you're not drinking a tea-infused water-based concoction, you're actually consuming tea leaves in a powdered form. So if you're looking to get the most benefits from each spoonful, this is the best option.
Buy now £8.99, Amazon
Clearspring Organic Japanese Sencha Green Teabags
The organic Japanese Sencha used in Clearspring’s delightfully light tea is grown in the countryside surrounding Kyoto and Kyushu - areas in Japan known for producing some of the finest teas thanks to their ideal climate.
Buy now £6.99, Amazon
Verdict
Pukka's Supreme Matcha Green Tea brings together traditional green tea leaves with a healthy boost of Matcha, making it one of the most potent green teas around. Bonus: it's also available at a great price.
