Green tea

clarkeje1
clarkeje1 Posts: 1,641 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I drank green tea today but added a few teaspoons of sugar to improve the taste. Did I undo any potential health benefits I could gain from drinking green tea?
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Replies

  • LauraW1219
    LauraW1219 Posts: 71 Member
    I was always told to just put lemon in it. Trust me when I first started it was gross. You do get used to drinking it without the sugar. Trust me I did.
  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
    Maybe try honey :smile:
  • skinnybitchbarbie27
    skinnybitchbarbie27 Posts: 306 Member
    Well I wouldn't say so but you turned something that is concidered "free" into something you had to log. Tea in my plan, when kept at it's natural state (maybe add a squeeze of lemon or lime) counts as water intake and I do not have to log the calories. Have you tried to add something like stevia or sweet n' Low instead to help you transition!?
  • glubben
    glubben Posts: 45 Member
    I replaced coffee with green tea a couple months ago. it took a bit to get used to the flavor. but now i drink it straight and love it. Its definetly help me cut back on calories cause i could never drink coffee black and i guess its suposed to help with fat loss.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    I sometimes sweeten it with honey, but if you give yourself a few weeks I think you will find you enjoy it plain. Honey is still essentially sugar but has tons of great micronutrients.

    We as Americans have forgotten that bitter is one of the five food flavors we should enjoy, and we sweeten EVERYTHING.
  • goncalvesca1
    goncalvesca1 Posts: 13
    I like green tea plain, but only when it's hot. Cold tea is gross to me unless it is sweetened and with lemon. I would say you don't lose the benefits by adding sugar, but you then have to deal with the sugar, the same as if you had eaten the sugar plain. If you can leave off the sugar you will probably be better off. If you must sweeten, go for something natural rather than refined (honey or stevia versus sugar or Splenda).
  • demorelli
    demorelli Posts: 508 Member
    First check that you're steeping it right. If you steep it more than 3 minutes it goes bitter really fast. Also, if you're using boiling water, let it sit for about a minute before adding the tea.
  • Amazon_Who
    Amazon_Who Posts: 1,092 Member
    First check that you're steeping it right. If you steep it more than 3 minutes it goes bitter really fast. Also, if you're using boiling water, let it sit for about a minute before adding the tea.
    ^^This^^
    When I make 4 cups I often use three tea bags (or equivalent loose) and one bag of Lemon Zinger by Celestial Seasonings.
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,641 Member
    Thanks for the tips everyone! I will take the info into consideration :)
  • KYKLT
    KYKLT Posts: 1 Member
    Steep green tea only 2 minutes and then remove the bag. Longer than two minutes makes it bitter and nasty.
  • Mandas13
    Mandas13 Posts: 66 Member
    I make mine with a flavored tea. I take 1 tea bag of each and drink my green tea that way. The flavored tea make it less boring!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I drank green tea today but added a few teaspoons of sugar to improve the taste. Did I undo any potential health benefits I could gain from drinking green tea?
    You gon die!
  • jeanmoreno
    jeanmoreno Posts: 139 Member
    I started green tea few month ago,did taste vile at first but you get use to it,totally addicted now,thats all I drink! Google it and you will see the benefits of it,its simply magic! you can buy green tea with lemon ,or berries,didnt like the one with berries but at home got my 2 boxes side by side,pure and lemon !
  • notreallytrillian
    notreallytrillian Posts: 77 Member
    You could also try adding agave instead of sugar - super yummy!
  • kaylacyr123
    kaylacyr123 Posts: 74 Member
    I personally love green tea and the taste! You might get used to it, instead of sugar i'd suggest trying green tea with other flavours in it, like pomegranate green tea, honey lemon green tea etc the are lots with different flavours and the ones with fruit make it taste more sweet rather than bitter :)
  • Andreinne
    Andreinne Posts: 32
    There's nothing wrong with anything. =P
    Seriously, you can add a bit of sugar to anything you want, it doesn't undo the health benefits of Green Tea. I usually just add a zero calorie sugar substitute.
    Don't think about it too much, everyone has different tips, and traditions, when it comes to preparing tea, or coffee, or whatever. Tea is still healthy, even if you're adding 3 teaspoons of sugar, or honey, or whatever.
  • raisingemilyjune
    raisingemilyjune Posts: 181
    I love my green tea without sugar, at home I drink the Lipton Green Tea with Lemon, but I'll take just about any green tea except for the really bitter stuff.

    It's really an acquired taste and may take a while to get used it.
  • aseymour13
    aseymour13 Posts: 767 Member
    I love green tea. actually i really like tea period. I buy a mix of Green tea leaves and a flavored tea or even a chai and do a mix. or even do the same with tea bags but dont leave them as long as it will get strong and can get bitter.
  • TammyLynne71
    TammyLynne71 Posts: 184 Member
    you could always look for flavored green teas
  • Bobby__Clerici
    Bobby__Clerici Posts: 741 Member
    I drank green tea today but added a few teaspoons of sugar to improve the taste. Did I undo any potential health benefits I could gain from drinking green tea?
    No, but I just drink it unsweetened - not because it affects the benefits but merely increases calories in a way I don't want.
  • Nancy_hc
    Nancy_hc Posts: 123 Member
    I like the lipton "Iced green tea" flavored with honey. so yummy!!
  • EmCee91
    EmCee91 Posts: 7 Member
    I drank green tea today but added a few teaspoons of sugar to improve the taste. Did I undo any potential health benefits I could gain from drinking green tea?

    There's a tea store up here in Canada called DAVIDsTEA, you should see if there's something similar near you, the amount of flavours they have in their tea is amazing, over 150 different flavours (Banana Cream Pie...yea!)
    You can also order online, which I do frequently as the drive for me is close to an hour.
    Also, I think most of the tea flavours are on MFP, so easy to log and at zero calories? Can't even try to complain.:D
  • ash8184
    ash8184 Posts: 701 Member
    I echo the other comments - try adding stevia to it while you transition. Now I drink it straight and actually kind of enjoy it - definitely an acquired taste though!
  • kaperlinger
    kaperlinger Posts: 66 Member
    I drink Liptons Diet Green Tea. No calories so you don't have to worry about logging. Tastes much better than your typical green tea as long as you drink it cold.
  • kingkoopaluv
    kingkoopaluv Posts: 147 Member
    i drink green tea with matcha, its much better and more traditional!
  • ceannesjourney
    ceannesjourney Posts: 250
    Some green teas taste better than others. You might try a brand name one--the Chinese ones or ones with matcha are pretty "geen" tea tasting (although those are just about the only kinds I have now). You could also try a combined flavor, Tetley used to have a Green Tea and Lechy (spelling?) Pear tea that was really nicely flavored. Stay without sweetener of any kind, if you can.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    I drank green tea today but added a few teaspoons of sugar to improve the taste. Did I undo any potential health benefits I could gain from drinking green tea?

    The health benefits that have been studied are largely for standardised green tea extract which is MASSIVELY richer in the beneficial antioxidants there is just no comparison. If you need to add sugar or honey both of which are pro-inflammatory I would not bother.
  • Jaulen
    Jaulen Posts: 468 Member
    Republic of tea has some good fruit and green tea flavors.
  • darrenremer
    darrenremer Posts: 17
    As long as your count the calories, put whatver you want in there.
  • PeppermintJoy
    PeppermintJoy Posts: 10 Member
    I drink Stash Ice Mint Green Tea w/ sweet n' low. Is that bad? Trying to get more into the tea's but giving up coffee is harder than I thought. I really like the smell of coffee and it does wake me up. So is Mint Green Tea Ok or not as healthy?

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