Quoted from daniela

I love tea, but the green tea puts my stomach up side down...
I cannot drink coffee at all since many years, it makes me hill too, and for an italian is very strange.
So black tea is the only think I am not able  to avoid in my diet...help !!!

Daniela

Daniela,
Everyone I know who has been unable to drink green tea, including myself, have discovered that they could handle it and really enjoy it once a couple of details were taken care of:

1.  Finding the "right" tea.  As Don said, there are a LOT of kinds of green tea.  Keep trying.  Cheap grocery store teas are usually low grade.  Chinese teas are stronger and harsher in my opinion, so try Japanese.  Sencha is usually mild.  Genmaicha is usually mild and richer tasting.

2.  Making it correctly.  Water that is too hot is the quickest way to make green tea bitter.  It brings out the harsh tannic acid and "cooks" the tea.  Steeping it too long can also make tea taste too sharp.

Try to always remove the water from the heat before it reaches boiling.  And try steeping the tea for a shorter time, even as short as 45 seconds to a minute.  The cooler the water, the longer you can steep it without getting a harsh taste.  I usually steep mine for 3 minutes, but my water is way short of boiling.  Don't leave the tea in the water while you drink it.

One of my favorite teas is powdered Sencha.  It is mild, never bitter, and very rich in antioxidants.

Another tea to try is White tea.  It is the very first flush of young, spring tips.  It is similiar to green tea in health benefits, but tastes much milder.

I tried some green teas from a good french brand "le Palais du Thé" with marvellous smell, but  I think I put, as you say, a too hot water,  making my green tea in the same way I use to to for black tea,  and the second cup was bitter.

Tomorrow morning I'll try again in the right way... I'll tell you the result. (hope will not be sick...)

See you Victoria !!

Daniela

Perhaps try an organic brand of tea bags with its decrease exposure to toxins and  pesticides used on the leaves; or purchase whole tea leaves to steep, instead of individual bags.

Alia

I know that many people brew the same spoonful of tea more than once, but I don't like the taste after the first brewing.  If you re-brew the leaves, that may also contribute to a less than desirable taste.

So, I tried, and the taste was nice, but I was bleah, up side down after the second cup...

Tomorow I'll have my black tea...

Daniela

not your best option though.....

for me, greatly preferred is the loose tea....pour the water over a strainer which sits down in the cup or pot.....then remove strainer after a minute....

Ok, it's true...

I have to stop with black tea, and replace it with roiboos or white tea (VERY expensive...)

I have to give away all my pots of marvellous teas from Fortman & Mason, Palais du Thé ...
I have almost 20 different sort of teas...

Very hard to do.

Sniff...

Daniela

Quoted from daniela

but I was bleah, up side down after the second cup...

If you want to drink green tea purely because it is beneficial and not because you like it or want the pick me up effect you could just cook some, let it cool and add it to other drinks like watered down juice, a smoothie or whatever takes your fancy.  Thus you would only consume a small amount at any given time which your system might find easier to deal with...

As for drinking it neat and by the mug full in my experience you build up a tolerance for green tea. If I don't drink it for a while it makes me feel nauseous when I start to drink it again.  The nausea only lasts for a few minutes and then I'm fine so I just drink it anyway...after a few days it no longer affects me adversely!  

If you can tolerate one cup of correctly brewed green tea stick with that for a few days.  Drink other teas in addition to the one cup of green tea and only add the second cup of green tea after a few days etc.

It may be the astringent quality of green tea that gives new green tea drinkers a funny stomach.  And that quality is part of why it's good for us.  It is toning to the digestive system, and cleansing also.  

I agree that starting out with dilute green tea may be a solution.

Nice idea to start step by step!

It's my way to begin the day : beakfast with a LARGE teapot!

I really feel so happy with this blood type diet,  I really feel good and have no cravings, I want to go on and this stupid little problem of tea will not stop me.

I thank you for your help and good advices, it's so relaxing to be sorrounded by you all!!!

Daniela


I