Green Tea: Types, Benefits, and How to Brew It Perfectly

The World's Most Studied Tea

Green tea has been consumed in Asia for thousands of years and studied by scientists for decades. It's the subject of more health research than almost any other beverage, and the findings are consistently compelling. But beyond the health claims, green tea is also one of the most diverse and fascinating flavor categories in the world — ranging from the umami-rich depth of Japanese matcha to the delicate, honeyed sweetness of a fine Chinese Dragonwell.

Here's everything you need to know.

How Green Tea Is Made

Like all true teas, green tea comes from Camellia sinensis. What distinguishes it from black or oolong tea is that the leaves are minimally oxidized — they're heated shortly after harvest to deactivate the enzymes that cause oxidation, preserving their green color, fresh character, and delicate flavor compounds.

The heating method varies by country: Japanese green teas are typically steamed, producing a more vegetal, umami-rich flavor. Chinese green teas are usually pan-fired, resulting in a nuttier, toastier character.

Major Green Tea Varieties

Japanese Green Teas

• Sencha: Japan's most popular green tea. Bright, grassy, and slightly astringent, with a clean finish. The everyday green tea of choice for most Japanese households.
• Matcha: Shade-grown leaves ground into a fine powder. Used in the Japanese tea ceremony and now ubiquitous in lattes, baking, and wellness culture. Rich, creamy, and intensely umami when prepared traditionally (whisked with hot water).
• Gyokuro: The highest grade of Japanese green tea. Shade-grown for several weeks before harvest, which increases L-theanine content and produces an extraordinarily sweet, umami-rich, complex cup. Brew at very low temperature (around 140–150°F) for best results.
• Genmaicha: Green tea blended with roasted brown rice. Nutty, toasty, and approachable — often the gateway green tea for those who find pure green tea too vegetal.

Chinese Green Teas

• Dragon Well (Longjing): China's most famous green tea. Flat, sword-shaped leaves with a smooth, nutty, slightly sweet flavor. One of the most revered teas in Chinese culture.
• Bi Luo Chun: Tightly rolled "Green Snail Spring" tea from Jiangsu province. Delicate, fruity, and floral — one of China's top ten famous teas.

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea is exceptionally rich in catechins — particularly EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), one of the most potent antioxidants known. Research has associated regular green tea consumption with:

• Improved brain function and alertness (caffeine + L-theanine)
• Increased fat burning and metabolic rate
• Reduced risk of certain cancers in population studies
• Improved cardiovascular health and lower LDL cholesterol
• Potential protection against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease

Matcha, which involves consuming the whole leaf in powdered form, delivers these benefits at significantly higher concentrations than steeped green tea.

How to Brew Green Tea Perfectly

The most important rule: never use boiling water. Boiling water scorches the delicate leaves and extracts bitter tannins that mask the tea's natural sweetness and umami. Use water at 160–180°F.

• Temperature: 160–180°F (70–80°C)
• Amount: 1–2 teaspoons per 8oz
• Steep time: 1–3 minutes (start shorter and adjust)
• Multiple infusions: Quality green tea can be steeped 2–3 times

Explore Our Loose-Leaf Tea

Our Coffee Time Tea is a handcrafted luxury loose-leaf tea that pairs beautifully with our coffee collection — and a wonderful companion to the world of green tea exploration. Browse our full collection and find your next favorite cup.