Green tea just might be one of the healthiest drinks you can sip with its high concentration of polyphenols which may have the ability to ward off a variety of chronic diseases. While plain green tea tastes delicious particularly when it's fresh brewed, it's nice to add some additional flavoring to your homemade green tea on occasion. There are a variety of ways to flavor green tea at home without paying extra for commercially flavored green teas. Here are some ideas for adding flavor to homemade green tea right in your own kitchen:
Fruit juice
While lemon juice, orange juice and lime juice are obvious choices, don't stop there. Be creative and try adding a little cranberry, blueberry, cherry, or blackberry juice to your next cup of green tea. If you want to be even more creative, try lychee, pineapple, acai berry, or pomegranate juice in your green tea. Not only will you enhance the taste, you'll be adding to the health value of your green tea with these super fruits that are filled with healthy antioxidants. To make your homemade green tea look more appealing, garnish it with fresh fruit slices.
Herbs
Herbs are another great way to flavor homemade green tea. The most popular herb used to flavor tea of all kinds is mint. If you want to try something a bit different, add small amounts of ginger, lavender, or pineapple sage to your cup of green tea. Some people even enjoy the taste of rosemary or basil mixed with tea. You can make a Chai green tea by adding cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, pepper, and allspice. Milk is characteristically added to Chai tea, but cow's milk can inactivate the polyphenols. Substitute soy, almond, or rice milk instead.
Fresh fruit
When you serve your homemade green tea iced, add slices of fresh apple, orange, lemon, pineapple, cantaloupe, mango, papaya, or honey dew to the glass. Pour green tea over the cold fruit in a freshly chilled glass with ice. Add the sweetener of your choice and you'll have a healthy, but delicious summertime drink to sip. Another alternative is to use frozen fruit instead of ice cubes. The frozen fruit makes the tea look even more appealing.
Flavored syrups
There are a multitude of syrups available to flavor coffees, both sweetened and sugar-free. Small amounts of these syrups can also be used to flavor homemade green tea. Visit your local coffee store and explore the many flavors made by companies such as DaVinci and Monin. These coffee syrups give you a quick and easy way to add a splash of flavor to your green tea.
With the many options available to flavor homemade green tea, it's unlikely you'll become tired of this versatile drink. So drink it for good taste and for good health!
