One common observation about drinking green tea is that it can leave a slightly bitter aftertaste. So what types of healthy ingredients can you add to your green tea to give it some additional flavour? After all, you don’t want to diminish any of the healthy, beneficial effects of drinking green tea by adding refined sugars. So here are 7 completely healthy ingredients that can be used either alone or as part of a fruit green tea recipe.
#1: Citrus fruits (lemon or orange)
Citrus fruits such as lemon or orange are very good at masking the bitterness of green tea. After steeping your tea, simply squeeze a lemon or orange wedge over your green tea.
2: Fruits such as strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries
There’s a good reason why so many people enjoy infusing their green tea with natural fruits – it can create a sensation of sweetness without using sugar. It’s relatively easy to find a fruit green recipe online – the only question, really, is whether you want to make a hot green tea or an iced green tea. For example, in hot teas, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries are great additions. In cold iced teas, both watermelon and cantaloupe (or just about any tropical fruit) works quite well as part of a fruit green tea recipe.
#3: Milk
There are some people who absolutely love to add milk to their green tea for flavour. Just be aware in advance, however, that milk contains a protein called casein that binds with the healthy antioxidants found in green tea, making it harder for your body to absorb them. So if the real reason you are drinking green tea is to load up on these antioxidants, you might want to consider another option.
#4: Mint or basil
Fresh mint can be extremely refreshing, especially when added to iced green tea. Just make sure you are using a fresh spring of mint for the best flavour possible. An alternative to mint is a fresh basil leaf, which adds anti-inflammatory properties to your green tea.
#5: Ginger
If you enjoy baking, you already know how good ginger smells and tastes. When added to green tea, it can really kick up the flavour a notch. And, best of all, ginger comes with some health benefits of its own, such as the ability to calm an upset stomach.
#6: Cinnamon
Similar to ginger, cinnamon is a great way to add sweetness to your green tea without adding any extra glucose or fructose. Here, you can either use cinnamon sticks (the best option) or sprinkle in a small amount of cinnamon from your spice rack.
#7: Honey
We’ve saved the best for last. Honey is a wonderful addition to your tea, and is just about as close to adding sugar as possible. And honey is known to help in the treatment of a wide range of maladies, including an upset stomach. There’s nothing better to calm your nerves or your stomach than green tea with honey.
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These 7 ingredients are proof that you don’t have to rely on sugar to sweeten your green tea and give it additional flavour. Mother Nature, it turns out, is wonderfully adept at finding ways to help you enjoy your green tea on a daily basis. Fruits, especially, are wonderful at sweetening green tea as part of a fruit green tea recipe.