At a glance. Green tea: use 2.5 g of leaf per 200 ml of water at 70–80 °C and steep for 2–3 min. Caffeine: 20–45 mg per 200 ml cup. Flavour: grass, chestnut, seaweed, vegetal.
Right after picking, the leaf is heated to stop oxidation. Chinese greens are pan-fired (toasty notes, as in Long Jing); Japanese greens are steamed (grassy, marine notes, as in Sencha). Boiling water is the most common mistake: it scorches and turns bitter.
How to brew
- Heat the water to 70–80 °C.
- Use 2.5 g of leaf for every 200 ml.
- Steep for 2–3 min, then remove the leaves.
- Boiled it? Wait 3–4 minutes with the lid off before pouring.
What it is commonly used for
- Focus and steady energy: Caffeine paired with L-theanine (an amino acid almost unique to the tea plant) tends to produce calmer alertness than caffeine on its own.
- Antioxidants and heart: Green and white teas are rich in catechins; hibiscus in anthocyanins. Regular tea drinking is associated with better cardiovascular markers.
- Pause and mental wellbeing: Making tea with attention (measuring, waiting, smelling) works as a micro-meditation. The ritual matters as much as the leaf.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make green tea properly?
Use 2 to 3 g of leaf per 200 ml of water between 70 and 80 °C, never boiling, and steep 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the leaves on time. Done right, green tea is sweet and vegetal; bitterness almost always means water that is too hot.
What is the difference between green and black tea?
They come from the same plant. For green tea the leaf is heated right after picking to stop oxidation, keeping a vegetal taste and pale colour. For black tea the leaf oxidises fully, gaining malty, fruity notes, a dark colour and a little more caffeine.