Are you overwhelmed by all the types of green tea and blends out there? Our round-up of the 16 best green tea brands will narrow the choices down for you.
Green tea has been a popular drink for a long time because of its numerous health benefits, particularly in Asia, where people have been consuming this beverage for centuries. Its consumption has been increasing worldwide as more people are introduced to its potential health benefits, so it should come as no surprise that the number of green tea brands has also risen.
Whether you are a long-time green tea drinker or new to this beverage, we’ve scoured the market for the best green tea brands. Understanding that people have different tastes, ranging from mild to bold flavors, this list has a little bit of something for everyone.
How Do I Choose the Best Green Tea?
There are a few factors to consider when searching for the best green tea brand.
Quality
Quality really is the biggest deal breaker when it comes to selecting the best green tea brand. Always check the reviews before purchasing. While one bad review might have been from an overly picky customer, dozens of bad reviews is a red flag.
Caffeine Content
Since green tea is a true tea, unless you find a tea blend that has had the caffeine removed, all green teas will contain caffeine in varying amounts. Some people prefer green tea high in caffeine as a replacement for a cup of coffee, but others are switching to tea to cut back on caffeine.
Matcha and green tea powder have the most caffeine since you consume the whole leaf when you drink these teas. Whereas a green tea blend with herbal tea will be on the lower end of the spectrum as most herbal teas are naturally decaf.
The Type Of Green Tea
Green tea is quite a broad term; there are several varieties of green tea, like sencha green tea, matcha green tea, jasmine green tea, and more. So, you might need to do some experimenting before settling on a tea you love.
If you like savory flavors, you’ll enjoy the grassy notes of Sencha. Sencha is often compared to leafy greens like kale and spinach. Matcha is for those who prefer drinks with smooth, buttery qualities.
Budget & Value For Money
Green tea, especially matcha, can be quite pricey. So, you will have to consider how much you’re willing to fork out. When it comes to tea, you get what you pay for.
So, an extremely cheap green tea will likely taste bitter or burnt. With that said, you don’t always need to go for the top-shelf teas if green tea isn’t something you’re overly passionate about. Rather, your best option is to look for brands that are the best value for money but still offer quality tea.
So, choose brands that give you a decent amount of tea for what you paid.
Functionality
You need to consider your limitations too. If you don’t own a tea strainer, there’s no point getting loose-leaf. Likewise, you should have a matcha whisk for brewing matcha green tea for the best results.
If all you have is a kettle and a mug, then green tea bags are for you.
Where Can I Find The Best Green Tea?
One of the easiest places to purchase green tea is online, such as Amazon. However, many tea lovers prefer to shop locally.
In that case, your local health store will likely have a big selection of green tea and other types of tea. You can also find a good selection of teas in Whole Foods. If one of your local cafés is quite big on their tea, they may also have unique blends for their customers to try at home.
Your local grocery store will also sell green tea, but they are unlikely to have a wide range of products. They typically only stock green tea bags and perhaps a few flavored blends if it’s a bigger chain. So, the best green tea is usually found in health stores or coffee shops.
1. Stash
Stash is a well-established tea brand that offers premium loose-leaf green tea. It’s certified Kosher and is grown and harvested in the traditional Japanese style. The leaves are grown in Stash’s very own green tea garden, so you know this tea is made with care and quality in mind.
The tea brews a beautiful cup of bright golden-green tea that offers a comforting yet refreshing warm beverage. Stash teas are flavorful and vibrant, and this green tea is no departure. For more, read our guide to the best Japanese green tea.
2. Tazo
Tazo’s vibrant green tea has bold flavors of spearmint, lemongrass, and lemon verbena that shine through. This tea tastes beautiful when served hot or iced, and adding a dash of sugar, or honey elevates it even further.
Tazo boasts that you can have the authentic flavor of green tea grown in a monastery without hiking up a mountain. And they mean it because their teas are available nationally, and the brand was boosted by their former parent company Starbucks. You might also be interested in our round-up of the best green tea alternatives.
3. Bigelow
Bigelow is a massive tea brand, and its green tea made our list because of its mild flavor, which makes it easy to sip for those just dipping their toes into the green tea experience. Bigelow tea is easy to find in almost any grocery store, making it one of the most accessible brands.
Its classic green tea is simple and uncomplicated. So, if you don’t want that bold green tea flavor but prefer something breezy and light, Bigelow is a great choice. If you love green tea, you might also be interested in our guide on what is EGCG in green tea.
4. Twinings
Our list of best green tea brands would not be complete without mentioning the dazzling Jasmine Green Tea made by Twinings Tea Company. Twinings is a London-based tea brand that opened its doors in 1706 and exemplifies quality yet affordable teas.
The brand’s tea perfectly combines the delicate flavor of jasmine flavors and the pure and distinct flavor of green tea leaves. You can opt for classic green tea, decaffeinated, jasmine, and flavored brews like ginger green tea as well as pomegranate, raspberry, and strawberry green tea.
5. Yogi
Yogi offers a range of delicious and unique green teas. Its tea is non-GMO, and the company uses USDA organic green tea leaves. Yogi tea is made with high-quality fruits and flowers like rose, hibiscus blossom, and passionflower.
The Yogi brand is the best green tea brand because it focuses on dietary needs and mindfulness, so they have decaffeinated and slimming options for those trying to be health-conscious. The Super Antioxidant tea is a blend of green tea, licorice root, lemongrass, dandelion root, and more goodness.
6. Market Spice
Market Spice’s Dragonwell is a beautiful gift to green tea lovers who want something bold and a little different. The brand uses green leaves that have been rolled out and pan-fried. The taste brings the classic flavors of green tea but is soothing and mellow, perfect for a cold evening at home.
There are dozens of variations of loose green tea to choose from. This includes jasmine, high mountain green tea, and matcha. There are also fun flavors such as the acai berry medley green tea, caramel swirl green tea, mango green tea, and cranberry nut green tea.
7. Ito En
Ito En boasts that they are the number one tea brand in Japan, so you know you’ll get an authentic Japanese green tea experience, making it the best green tea brand.
The tea is prepared meticulously and results in a strong brew with vitamin C, antioxidants, catechins, EGCGs, and amino acids. This pure green tea features all the fantastic flavors and health benefits of traditionally harvested green tea.
8. Organic India
Organic India offers one of the most flavorful and authentic organic green teas on the market. The Tulsi green tea is a burst of fresh air.
The brand uses green tea leaves and Tulsi, which is the foundation of Organic India’s tea brand. The tea is also Fair Trade Certified, so you can feel good about buying it.
9. Teavana
Starbucks currently owns this tea brand, so many people are familiar with Teavana. Teavana offers a brilliant green tea that you may not even recognize as green tea.
It’s called their Jade Citrus Mint tea, but it uses the same leaves as green tea and features lemongrass and spearmint flavors. The tea is refreshing but rich, offering tea lovers a lovely but familiar flavor.
Teavana also offers a Radiant Green Tea blend for those who prefer something more traditional. For more, read our guide to the best Starbucks drinks.
10. Celestial
Not only does Celestial produce a delicious and light antioxidant-rich green tea, but the brand also has a honey lemon ginseng green tea that brings a new and sweet flavor profile to a classic cup of green tea.
Celestial loves to play around with different flavors and combinations that often result in outstanding flavors in their tea. Celestial’s best green teas have a light citrus sweetness that pairs with the earthy flavor of the tea leaves.
11. Rishi
Rishi is your best bet if you’re keen to try Sencha green tea. This is a bright tea with sweet and savory notes. It’s quite low in caffeine, so it’s suitable for those sensitive to its effects.
Rishi’s organic tea comes in tea bags, which makes the brewing process much easier, as all you need is hot water and a mug. This tea is also great for those who are environmentally conscious, as the tea bags are biodegradable.
12. Davidson’s Tea
Davidson’s Tea is perfect for those who prefer loose-leaf tea. Loose-leaf teas might take more effort to brew, but they produce a more robust, deep flavor than tea bags. Plus, loose-leaf teas allow you to customize your brew by adding more or less tea or blending with other ingredients like black tea or spices.
Davidson’s gunpowder green tea is organic and Kosher-friendly. It also lacks the bitterness that other green tea blends have, which is why it’s a fan favorite.
13. Honest Tea
Honest Tea is great for those who like cold drinks such as iced tea. The brand’s organic green tea can be purchased in convenient bottles. While many pre-made teas have nasty side effects due to the presence of artificial flavors or sweeteners, this tea is free from high fructose corn syrup, allowing you to enjoy the natural flavors green tea has to offer.
14. Sugimoto Tea
Sugimoto Tea offers a smooth ceremonial-grade matcha tea with light seaweed-like notes. The best matcha tea is ceremonial grade, which is made from young tea leaves.
Although green tea originated in China, matcha is a Japanese drink. In Japan, this high-quality tea has been used in traditional tea ceremonies for centuries, but these days, you can enjoy a cup at home.
Matcha is regarded as one of the healthiest drinks in the world, as consuming the tea powder means you’re exposed to more antioxidants, theanine, and polyphenols. Tea drinking has been associated with weight loss and reduced risk of heart disease and other ailments, which is why health-conscious tea drinkers love matcha.
Sugimoto Tea offers organic green tea. It comes in powdered forms, so you can make hot tea, a matcha latte, or add it to baked goods. You can also find loose-leaf tea and single-serve sachets.
15. Vahdam
Vahdam offers a wide range of tea, including green tea. With one of the best reputations in the business, you can be sure Vahdam won’t let you down.
The organic Himalayan green tea has the vegetal flavor green tea is known and loved for. This is a high-grown tea, which means the conditions it was grown in allowed the leaves to develop a light flavor with a touch of sweetness. It was hand-picked with care, so only the best leaves were chosen.
Vahdam also has fun blends like green tea and mint or chamomile mint citrus green tea for those who fancy a change. This brand is a great choice for those trying to lead more eco-friendly lives as it is carbon-neutral and plastic-neutral.
16. Pukka
Pukka enlisted the help of herbal experts and nutritionists to create their tea, resulting in expert blends promoting sleep, tranquillity, or digestion. Pukka’s Supreme Matcha Green tea is made from a blend of green tea, grown without the use of pesticides. This blend includes sencha, Vietnamese, and Indian-grown green tea, as well as high-quality matcha powder.
Unlike other green teas, the Pukka green tea does not have an astringent taste. Best of all, while powdered matcha can be pricey and more time-consuming to brew, these tea bags will provide the benefits without the hassle, making it one of the best green tea options. If you want a more refreshing brew, Pukka also offers a mint green tea blend to put a pep in your step in the morning.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to study up on the pine needle tea benefits too!
Pukka Supreme Matcha Green, Organic Herbal Green Tea with Oothu, Sencha & Suio Gang, 20 Count (Pack of 3). ith Oothu, Sencha & Suio Gang
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