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Sip your way to better health with the best green tea for 2024
Get steepin'! We tried more than 20 green teas from brands like Upton Team Imports, Bigelow and Stash to find the best cuppa tea around.
Green tea has earned its worldwide rep as one of the healthiest beverages, and it's easy to see why. Packed with antioxidants and beneficial compounds like catechins and L-theanine, green tea is linked to a whole host of health benefits. L-theanine, in particular, is associated with mood improvements, mental processing and reduced stress and anxiety. No wonder sipping on the best green tea has such a calming effect!
But the benefits of green tea aren't limited to the brain. The compounds in green tea have been shown to protect your body by fighting inflammation, lowering the risk of heart disease and supporting blood sugar control. Green tea may play a role in preventing chronic conditions like cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and type 2 diabetes. How, exactly? One specific polyphenol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), acts as a strong antioxidant, helping neutralize harmful free radicals in the body. By tackling these unstable molecules, EGCG helps protect your cells from damage.
It's easy to see why green tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, behind only water, with two-thirds of the world population enjoying it. Its origins date back to China centuries ago, and with its light, grassy taste and impressive health profile, it's no wonder green tea continues to be a popular choice.
However, choosing the right green tea can feel overwhelming with so many options available. From loose-leaf varieties to convenient tea bags, people are looking for both quality and simplicity. To help you find the best green tea, we consulted with three registered dietitians, the founder of Dream Tea NYC and an herbalist. We also tested over 20 different green teas to bring you our top picks for the best-tasting green tea. Whether you're seeking a robust flavor, organic ingredients or ease of preparation, our comprehensive review has you covered.
Best overall green tea
Form: Loose leaf | Caffeine: 25-45 mg | Steep time: 3 minutes | Flavor profile: Grassy and slightly nutty
We chose Upton Tea Imports Season's Pick China Sencha Organic Green Tea as the best green tea overall because of its exceptional flavor profile, affordability and ease of preparation. Its grassy and slightly nutty flavor is balanced and smooth, and we didn't notice any bitterness while sipping on this tea.
The brewing process for this tea is straightforward. Simply steep one teaspoon in 6 ounces of 180°F water for three minutes. With a caffeine content of 25 to 45 milligrams, depending on the length of steeping, it provides a gentle lift without the jitters that often accompany higher-caffeine beverages.
One thing we really love about this tea is its affordability. At just 10 cents per cup, it offers excellent value for its quality. We also feel it suits a broad demographic, appealing to green tea enthusiasts of all ages. Though we noticed a slight dryness in the mouth after drinking — a common effect with many green teas we sampled — the overall experience was positive, making this a standout choice for our best green tea for 2024.
- Pleasant grassy and nutty flavor
- Buttery aftertaste with no bitterness
- Organic
- Single-ingredient
- Great value
- Mouth dryness after drinking
- Loose leaf isn't as convenient as bagged tea
More green teas we like for 2024
Thistle & Sprig
Form: Loose leaf | Caffeine: 30 mg | Steep time: 4 minutes | Flavor profile: Sweet and floral
We chose Thistle & Sprig's Traveler Rose + Green Tea as the best organic tea because of its sweet and floral flavor and simple ingredient list. Containing just two ingredients — organic green tea and organic rose petals — this tea is soothing to sip and would be the perfect mid-afternoon pick-me-up.
There's a hint of the grassy taste typical of green tea, but it's nicely balanced by floral notes from the rose petals, keeping it from being overpowering. Unlike some of the other green teas we sampled, it also didn't have any bitter aftertaste.
Green tea purists looking to switch things up might find it particularly pleasing. It tastes mostly like a single-ingredient green tea, with just a hint of floral sweetness from the rose petals. At $14 for a 1.5-oz. recyclable canister, this tea seems reasonably priced for its quality, and we'd likely buy it again.
- Organic
- Only two ingredients
- Pleasant floral notes
- No bitter aftertaste
- Different steeping instructions online and on canister
- Could be too sweet for some tastes
Herbs & Kettles
Form: Loose leaf | Caffeine: Low | Steep time: 1-2 minutes | Flavor profile: Grassy and umami
When selecting the best loose-leaf green tea, we had a few to choose from. However, Herbs & Kettles Nilgiri Green Twirl stood out as the winner for several reasons. It has a delicious combination of grassy and umami flavors, making it a refreshing choice for seasoned green tea lovers and newcomers alike. We love that this tea has such a depth of flavor without being bitter. While it did dry our mouths out a bit, this was a common theme among the green teas we tried, and it didn't take away from the drinking experience.
One of the standout features of this green tea is its ability to be steeped multiple times. For the first infusion, steep 3 grams of leaves in 5 oz. of 175°F to 185°F water for 1 to 2 minutes to begin extracting its flavors. Subsequent infusions reveal even more depth of flavor, with a quick 25 to 30 seconds for the second infusion and 45 to 60 seconds for the third. While brewing this tea is a little more labor intensive than some of the other teas we sampled, it proved to be worth it.
Priced at $14 for 30 grams, it may seem more expensive than other options, but when you consider the quality and the fact that you can steep it multiple times, it suddenly seems like a much better deal. This tea's organic, single-origin aspect adds to its appeal, ensuring you're choosing a thoughtfully sourced product.
Overall, Herbs & Kettles Nilgiri Green Twirl is a great choice for anyone looking to add to their loose-leaf tea collection. Its depth of flavor, steeping versatility and quality made it stand out from other teas we tested.
- Impressive depth of flavor
- Can be infused multiple times
- Organic
- Single-origin
- Good value for money
- Mouth dryness
- Labor-intensive brewing process
Form: Bag | Caffeine: 41 mg | Steep time: 1-3 minutes | Flavor profile: Grassy and nutty
We chose Stash Premium Green Tea as the best bagged tea because it stood out for its exceptional flavor and overall quality. While it may not reach the flavor heights of some premium loose-leaf teas we tried, its convenience and affordability more than compensate for any differences.
Stash Premium Green Tea comes in convenient tea bags, making it a practical choice for busy schedules. With just a single ingredient — a blend of high-quality green teas — this tea delivers a grassy and slightly nutty flavor that's refreshing and enjoyable.
The ease of preparation is a significant point in this tea's favor. Instructions recommend steeping one tea bag for just 1 to 3 minutes in water heated to 170°F to 190°F, making it a tea you can brew and fit seamlessly into your daily routine. Plus, with about 40 mg of caffeine per cup, it provides a gentle energy boost without the jitters.
Finally, at a retail price of less than $4 for a box of 20 tea bags (about 20 cents a cup), this tea is great value for money. The balance of quality, flavor and ease of use makes it a great choice for anyone wanting to enjoy a classic green tea experience without the hassle of emptying and washing a tea strainer.
- Single-ingredient
- Easy to brew
- Pleasant grassy and nutty flavor
- Affordable
- Can be purchased online or in-store
- Not as flavorful as loose-leaf
- Dries mouth out slightly
Magic Hour
Form: Loose leaf | Caffeine: 20-40 mg | Steep time: 2-3 minutes | Flavor profile: Sweet and floral
We chose Magic Hour's Emerald Gemstone Wellness Tea — Cherry Blossom Pineapple Cream Green Tea as our favorite flavored green tea because of all the flavored green teas we tried, it had the most soothing and distinctive flavor profile. This tea, which features a blend of Sencha, Mao Jian and matcha green tea, has a caffeine content of between 20 and 40 mg., depending on steep time, making it a suitable choice for those seeking a moderate boost of energy.
The flavor of this green tea is wonderfully sweet and floral, which we primarily attribute to the refreshing notes of moringa and pineapple. The slight sweetness from monk fruit and the floral finish create an incredibly soothing experience, making it one of the most pleasant teas we sampled. The preparation is straightforward — steep 1 teaspoon of leaves in 8 ounces of water heated to 180°F for 2 to 3 minutes. This yields a cup that remains enjoyable even as it cools.
While the retail price is a little on the higher side — approximately $33 for 60–75 cups — we feel that the exceptional quality and flavor justify the price. This tea may be particularly appealing to a younger demographic (or those new to tea drinking), as its sweet floral notes may be a bit unconventional for more traditional tea drinkers.
- Organic ingredients
- Unique flavor profile
- Easy to brew
- Enjoy hot or cold
- Pricey
- Flavor may be overpowering to some
Form: Powdered leaves | Caffeine: 40 mg | Steep time: N/A | Flavor profile: Grassy, buttery and umami
Yes, we know we've included two Magic Hour products in this roundup, but it's because we feel these products stood out as the best in their categories. We recommend Magic Hour's Organic Ceremonial Matcha 700 for its exceptional flavor and versatility, making it a standout choice for both casual tea drinkers and matcha enthusiasts alike.
As a loose powdered form of green tea, it offers rich grassy and buttery flavors with umami notes. While some people may find the flavor a bit strong, the rich taste can be balanced by adjusting the amount of water added. Some people even prefer to mix it with oat milk to make an oat milk matcha latte, which is delicious hot or cold.
The recommended preparation method is quite involved but stick with us. It involves whisking the matcha with warm water using a bamboo whisk to create a froth that enhances the matcha's velvety mouthfeel. Then, you slowly add water until you reach your desired strength. Magic Hour recommends about 4 ounces of water per single bamboo matcha scoop.
Why drink matcha? Well, being made from powdered green tea leaves, you reap the benefits of consuming the whole leaf — not just an infusion made by soaking whole leaves. This means that matcha contains more of the healthful ingredients we seek in green tea, such as L-theanine, which may improve your mood, help you think more clearly and make you feel less stressed and anxious.
Finally, while Magic Hour's Organic Ceremonial Matcha 700 is a bit pricey, at $37 for 60 grams, a little goes a long way, and the price is comparable to other premium matchas on the market.
- Rich flavor profile
- Organic
- Energy boosting
- Vesatile preparation techniques
- Contains more L-theanine
- Not as easy to prepare as other loose leaf teas
- Pricey
- Slightly bitter aftertaste
Just Ice Tea
Form: Canned | Caffeine: 41 mg | Steep time: N/A | Flavor profile: Sweet and grassy
Just Ice Tea's Dragon Green Tea was our favorite ready-to-drink option because it had just the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the flavor of the green tea. It's also organic and Fair Trade, so it's a choice you can feel good about.
While it does contain 11 grams of added sugar, this is significantly less than most canned iced teas. For example, Lipton iced tea contains a whopping 29 grams of sugar per bottle. Yes, the bottle is bigger, but even if you reduce the serving size to 12 ounces (a can-size serving), it still contains more sugar than the Dragon Green Tea.
When testing the Dragon Green Tea, we found that it had that slightly grassy flavor that you come to expect with green tea. However, it wasn't overpowering and was balanced out by the addition of organic agave syrup and organic passion fruit juice concentrate. Its slightly bitter aftertaste went away quickly, and overall, we found this to be a refreshing drink that would be perfect for a hot summer afternoon.
- Organic
- Fair trade
- Lightly sweet
- Convenient
- Slightly bitter aftertaste
- May dry the mouth
Types of green teas
There are many different types of green tea, and each has its own unique characteristics. Some of the most common types include Sencha, matcha, jasmine, Genmaicha, Dragonwell (Longjing), Gunpowder and flavored blends.
We spoke with Adriana Ayales, an herbalist, medicine maker, educator and founder of Anima Mundi, to learn about the differences between varieties of green tea. Here's what she had to say:
Sencha: This is a steamed green tea with a fresh, grassy profile. It's commonly enjoyed throughout Japan.
Gyokuro: Known as the "dew of jewels," it is shaded before harvest, creating a tea rich in umami flavors and higher caffeine levels.
Matcha: A ceremonial-grade powder that offers the most complete green tea experience, as the whole leaf is consumed. It provides antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that support energy and focus without the crash.
Hojicha: Roasted green tea with a nutty flavor and lower caffeine — perfect for evening enjoyment.
Bancha: A coarser green tea harvested later in the season, bringing mild flavors and minimal caffeine.
Ayales notes that caffeine content can vary significantly between types of green tea. "Shade-grown teas like Gyokuro and matcha tend to have the highest caffeine levels, offering clean energy for the mind and body," she explains. In contrast, she notes that teas like Hojicha and Bancha have lower caffeine levels, making them gentler on the nervous system.
Factors to consider when purchasing green tea
According to Anney Norton, founder of Dream Tea NYC, there are several factors to think about when choosing a green tea. "First, consider the country of origin," she says, "as different countries have unique processing techniques that greatly impact the flavor profile of your green tea." For example, green tea from Japan (like Sencha and Matcha) tends to be steamed, giving the tea more of a fresh or grassy flavor paired with a subtle sweetness. In contrast, green tea from China tends to be pan-fired, which gives it a nutty/smoky flavor with notes of caramel.
Norton also recommends checking to see whether the tea is USDA organic and Fairtrade-certified. Why? "Unlike produce, which gets washed before consumption, we drink the liquid we soak our tea leaves in, and I would prefer to avoid any chemicals or pesticides in my morning cup!" she explains. She adds that Fairtrade is very important, as Fairtrade farms are more equitably compensated for their products. "This allows them to invest more money into their growing practices to produce a higher quality product and better care for their staff, as well as ensure sustainability throughout the supply chain," she explains. She adds that while Fairtrade comes at a higher price point, it's worth it for the difference in product quality and the community-building, ethical benefits.
Finally, Norton recommends looking at other flavorings that may have been added to the green tea blend. "I tend to like green teas that are fruity or floral," she explains, "so I will check for add-ins like orange, peach, rose or lavender." This allows you to find a green tea that is perfectly customized to your taste preferences.
How we chose
To choose the best green teas, we completed extensive hands-on testing. We sampled over 20 different green teas, rating them based on a range of criteria, including taste, aroma, ease of preparation and affordability. Each tea was sampled several times and brewed exactly to the individual teas' steeping instructions. This rigorous process enabled us to choose the best-tasting green teas that delivered both flavor and value for the money.
Our research involved not only extensive testing but also garnering input from three registered dietitians, a tea entrepreneur from Dream Tea NYC and a herbalist in natural health. Plus, our tester (and writer) is also a registered dietitian and regular green tea drinker. Together, this combined expertise helped clarify what makes a green tea exceptional, from its nutritional value to its flavor profile.
FAQs
What are the health benefits of green tea?
According to Alexia Zolis, founder of the Healthy Living RD, green tea is packed with antioxidants, particularly catechins, which help protect our cells from damage like oxidative stress — an imbalance between harmful free radicals and antioxidants — and inflammation. "These powerful compounds may also reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and chronic diseases like heart disease," she explains.
Seema Shah, owner of Seema Shah Integrative and Functional Nutrition, adds that thanks to its L-theanine content, green tea supports and protects brain health, mood and memory. Plus, its rich content of anti-inflammatory phytochemicals like EGCG also supports heart and metabolic health.
While many people tout green tea's weight loss benefits, Leah Reitmayer Murnane, owner of Lettuce Eat Dessert, explains the benefit may be overstated. "There is limited research about the popular claim that drinking green tea can support weight management." However, drinking green tea adds fluid to your diet without adding sugar from other liquids like soda, so it could aid with weight loss by simply reducing the total amount of sugar intake (and empty calories) you may be drinking from other beverages.
How many cups of green tea should I drink a day?
"If you're a tea lover," says Zolis, "it can be easy to drink multiple cups of green tea every day." However, it's important to remember that green tea does still contain caffeine. Similar to other caffeinated drinks, if you drink too much, it may lead to symptoms like dehydration, restlessness or dizziness, says Zolis.
"The recommended daily maximum amount of caffeine for adults to enjoy each day is 400 mg, according to the Food and Drug Administration. This translates to roughly eight to 10 cups of green tea per day. Everyone has different caffeine tolerance, so enjoying three to five cups is a safe and beneficial amount of green tea to have daily," says Zolis. However, keep in mind that this amount can still contain up to 225 milligrams of caffeine, says Reitmayer Murnane.
How do you properly brew green tea?
"Brewing green tea is both an art and a ritual," says Ayales. "For loose leaf teas like Sencha, 170°F to 185°F is perfect," she explains, "as hotter water can scald the leaves, resulting in bitterness." For best results, steep the tea for one to three minutes to extract just the right amount of flavor and nutrients.
When it comes to brewing matcha, the preparation is even more mindful, says Ayales. "Use warm water — around 158°F to 165°F — and whisk it into a vibrant froth with a bamboo whisk or hand frother," she explains. She adds that this method allows you to fully immerse yourself in the experience and connect with the vitality of the tea. "Drinking tea can become a daily practice of presence and gratitude," says Ayales, "deepening your connection to self and spirit."
How much caffeine is in green tea compared to coffee?
"Green tea contains less caffeine than coffee," says Zolis. "While a typical cup of coffee contains about 100 milligrams of caffeine, an 8-ounce cup of green tea typically contains between 30 and 50 milligrams of caffeine." However, the caffeine content of green tea can vary significantly depending on how long you brew it, with longer brewing times leading to a higher-caffeine cup of tea. Plus, matcha, where you consume the entire leaf, is higher in caffeine than loose-leaf green tea.
What is the difference between matcha and regular green tea?
"Green tea and matcha originate from the same plant," says Reitmayer Murnane, "but are processed and consumed differently." Green tea comes from leaves steeped in water and then discarded, while matcha is ground into a fine powder, allowing you to consume the whole leaf, she explains. "This results in matcha having high caffeine and antioxidant levels, along with a richer flavor and texture compared to a regular green tea," she adds.
Other products we tested
Magic Hour — Almond Matcha Green Tea for Joy: While we loved the sweet, nutty flavor of this tea, we docked it points for its too-sweet aftertaste. It also contains almonds, so it's unsuitable for people with a nut allergy.
Magic Hour — Goddess Green Tea: This tea had lovely sweet and floral notes. It did make our mouth feel slightly dry, but the main reason it didn't make our list is that we preferred Magic Hour's Emerald Green Tea as our favorite flavored green tea.
Magic Hour — Moonlight in Marrakesh: This tea had a pleasant minty and spicy flavor from peppermint, ginger and cinnamon. While it tasted nice, we felt that you could probably get a similar-tasting tea at a lower price point.
Just Ice Tea — Moroccan Mint: This lightly sweetened iced tea was refreshing, but it had a definite minty aftertaste that almost made you feel like you'd just brushed your teeth.
Just Ice Tea — Original Green Tea: This is the brand's unsweetened iced tea; to us, it tasted like a cup of tea we had forgotten about and let go cold. We don't need our teas to be super sweet, but a little hint of sweetness would help balance out the bitterness of the green tea here.
Just Ice Tea — Honey Green Tea: We really enjoyed the slightly sweet honey flavor of this iced tea. However, it had a slightly bitter aftertaste and tasted more like honey than green tea.
NOW — Organic Green Tranquility Decaf Green Tea with Lemon Myrtle: We really wanted to like this tea; a decaf green tea to sip on in the evening seemed right up our alley. However, the tea was so mild in flavor (even after steeping for longer than the suggested six minutes) that we couldn't really tell it was green tea. Plus, each bag was individually wrapped in plastic, which isn't great for the environment.
Upton Tea Imports — Korean Green Tea Jung-Jak Organic: This tea was pleasant to drink, with its grassy and fresh notes. It also wasn't bitter. However, other teas by this brand scored higher, so that's why this one didn't make the list.
Upton Tea Imports — Gyokuro Organic: This tea has a whopping 120 milligrams of caffeine, so it's definitely one you should try to drink earlier in the day. However, while it had nice umami and nutty flavors, it was one of the most expensive teas we sampled at about $0.60 per cup, and we felt there were other green teas that were better value for money.
Upton Tea Imports — Colombian Pan Fired: The Colombian Pan Fired green tea had a mild grassy flavor, but at $0.70 per cup, we felt there were more affordable options with better overall quality.
Upton Tea Imports — Lung Ching (Long Jing) Green (Superfine): This tea had a distinct grassy, slightly sweet flavor that made it a delightful sip. However, it was $0.51 per cup. We felt that the China Sencha green tea (at only $0.10 a cup) gives the same quality at a more affordable price point.
Upton Tea Imports — Special Grade Temple of Heaven Gunpowder Green: This green tea had a pleasant grassiness without being bitter. It was affordable, at $0.13 per cup. However, we felt there could have been a bit more "oomph" in flavor, and there were other similarly priced teas that we enjoyed more.
Upton Tea Imports — Young Hyson Imperial Organic: We steeped this tea for the recommended amount of time and could barely taste it. While it was one of the more affordable teas we reviewed, at $0.16 a cup, we wanted more flavor from our tea.
Bigelow — Green Tea with Ginger Plus Probiotics: To us, this tasted more like ginger tea than green tea. We tried it over the span of a few days and didn't notice any changes in digestion. We would have preferred it if this tea tasted like green tea instead of ginger tea.
Meet our experts
Adriana Ayales, herbalist, medicine maker and founder of Anima Mundi
Anney Norton, founder of Dream Tea NYC
Alexia Zolis, RD and founder of the Healthy Living RD
Leah Reitmayer Murnane, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, owner of Lettuce Eat Dessert
Seema Shah, RD, owner of Seema Shah Integrative and Functional Nutrition
