Why You Should Drink Green Tea (and 3 ways to enjoy it!) |
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Why You Should Drink Green Tea (and 3 ways to enjoy it!)

Daja January 21, 2016

I’m a mama of nine. Count ’em, NINE! And so I live on coffee and sticky kisses.  But, let’s face it. I’m not Lorelei Gilmore. I can’t actually drink 12 cups of coffee in a day. But some healthier alternatives are less than inspiring. Am I right? I mean, I don’t care what anyone tells you, dandelions do not replace arabica beans. Yet, everyone knows that green tea is super good for ya. So, what’s a mama to do? Find ways to get a little extra flavor into the cuppa. Challenge accepted!

Why Drink Green Tea?

Green tea has a number of well-known health benefits.  Drinking it has been shown to lower risk of heart disease, help with weight loss and even improve brain function!

Not enough of a reason? How about lowering “bad” cholesterol and high blood pressure.  When my mother-in-law was fighting cancer her naturopath recommended 5 cups of green tea daily to fight cancer!  Not only does green tea fight cancer, it reduces the risk of developing cancer, too!

What about the caffeine?

Many people tolerate the caffeine levels in green tea quite well. However, if you suffer from insomnia or high levels of anxiety, you might want to skip the caffeine and drink decaf.

However, all decaf is not decaffeinated equally.

There are primarily two ways to decaffeinate tea.

#1- Solvent ethyl acetate. In addition to the unnerving thought that I just used the word “solvent” when talking about food, this method also removes many of the beneficial properties of the tea.  So, let’s just not go there.

#2- Carbon dioxide.  This method removes the caffeine but preserves most (not all) of the beneficial properties.

The FDA, however, allows both methods to be labeled “naturally decaffeinated.”  This means if you plan on utilizing a decaf green tea you will need to check with the manufacturer via their website or phone number to find out how they go about removing the caffeine. Organic teas sellers hold to a slightly higher standard. All certified organic decaf teas are made using the carbon dioxide method.

Try these three ways to enjoy green tea!

Coconut Green Tea

Ingredients:

1 cup strongly brewed green tea

1/4 cup coconut milk

Directions:

Place both the hot tea and the coconut milk in the blender. Whip for several seconds. Enjoy!

Green Tea Jello

(This recipe also boasts raw local honey and grass-fed gelatin. It’s a superfood!)

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon raw local honey

1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup cool water

1/4 cup hot water

1 Tablespoon gelatin

Directions:

Stir together honey, matcha powder, and boiling water until honey and matcha are dissolved. Set aside.

In another bowl mix together cool water and gelatin. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. This will immediately start to thicken.  When dissolved, add 1/4 cup hot water. Stir until combined. Add the matcha mixture to the gelatin mixture. Stir briskly until well combined and everything is dissolved. Transfer to another individual serving dishes or cups. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

Blueberry Green Tea Spritzer

Ingredients:

1 handful frozen organic blueberries

1/2 teaspoon matcha green tea powder

1 teaspoon sugar (or to taste)

1/4 cup plain water

1/2 cup tonic water

(A note about tonic water: many brands contain high fructose corn syrup. Avoid, avoid, avoid! But, organic tonic waters sweetened with organic cane juice or organic agave nectar are available some specialty stores, health food stores, or online.)

Directions:

Place the blueberries, matcha, sugar, and plain water in a blender. Pulse until whipped nicely. Place in a glass. Add tonic water. Stir gently. ENJOY!

What is Your Favorite Way to Enjoy Green Tea?

This is the writings of:

Daja is the happy wife of Gana and the mother of nine amazing children. She's bookish and easily distracted and has too many ideas and not enough time. She writes about family life, preparedness, natural health, liturgical living over at The Provision Room, your source of abundant home-centered living!
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8 Comments

  1. Great information! I am not a lover of tea. I only drink it when I am sick. You have inspired me to try harder to include it regularly!

    Reply

  2. Great information! I especially like the recipe ideas. 🙂

    Reply

  3. I love the jello and spritzer recipes! Such a great idea!

    Reply

  4. Ohh I want to try that spritzer! That sounds great! Thank you for the ideas!

    Reply

  5. LOOOVE Green Tea – Drinking it now as we ‘speak’ 😀

    Reply

  6. Mmmm, love those recipes!

    Reply

  7. I love green tea. Now I have more reasons to continue drinking it 🙂

    Reply

  8. I’ve been trying to drink less coffee and more green tea… I love the blueberry spritzer idea! Looking forward to trying it… Sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Kate.  I love medical freedom, sharing natural remedies, developing real food recipes, and gentle parenting. My goal is to teach you how to live your life free from Big Pharma, Big Food, and Big Government by learning about herbs, cooking, and sustainable practices.

I’m the author of Natural Remedies for Kids and the owner and lead herbalist at EarthleyI hope you’ll join me on the journey to a free and healthy life!

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