Milk does decrease the health benefits of green tea, but there are still good elements of tea you get even when adding milk to your green tea. Choose soy milk over cow's milk and matcha over loose leaf sencha to get maximum benefit. But over all, it is not "BAD" for you if you drink
This is a legitimate question, since green tea is well-known for its potential positive effects and many people choose green tea for it's health benefits. The answer is clear: contrary to some popular myths, adding milk to green tea won't harm you.
The one thing you need to be conscious of if you do brew your tea in milk is the flavor. Milk has a much stronger taste than water and its viscosity is also thicker making it harder for you to taste the actual tea. Therefore, you need to use a strong tasting tea.
Milk generally goes well with all pure teas or blends that have chocolaty, creamy, smoky, nutty, toasty, malty, vanilla and spicy notes. Some teas with fruity or citrusy notes may pair well with milk too, for example Earl Grey. Try to match flavor notes in your tea with milk flavor.
Adding milk does decrease the antioxidants in tea, but in varying amounts. Proteins in milk can bind to the tea polyphenols thus decreasing their antioxidant capacity. One analysis of the studies that looked at the phenomenon found an antioxidant reduction of up to 18% depending on the type and amount of milk used.
No tea is too complex or delicate to enjoy with milk. You can put milk in green tea. White tea can be great with milk, and oolong tea with milk can be beautiful. The worst kind of tea to drink with milk is a tea that does not taste good on its own.
Green tea is chock-a-block with catechins that help the body remain healthy by protecting against free radicals responsible for illness and aging. Unfortunately, your body will not get too many antioxidants by consuming black milky tea. It is the milk that prevents the absorption of antioxidants by body cells.
-The water you use for green tea should be between 160 and 180 degrees celsius. -Steep green tea in the water only for 2-3 minutes. Underdoing it may prevent the tea leaves from releasing their flavour while overdoing it may make your tea bitter. -Add 2 grams of tea leaves to 177 ml of water.
Honey. Honey is a great choice to add to your green tea, as it is a healthy alternative to sugar. It makes your green tea less bitter. The antioxidants in green tea combine with the abundant vitamins and minerals in honey, making it a super healthy drink.
Adding honey or maple syrup or coconut sugar or rock sugar or even stevia leaves can help balance out the flavor of green tea. Even if you have used the right water and tea and have steeped the leaves for the optimal time, and still feel the need for that something extra – try a small amount of one of these sweeteners.
You can add a dash of fresh lemon juice or lemon slices to counteract any bitter flavors if you've steeped the tea for too long. Alternatively, adding a bit of honey, raw sugar, or a stevia leaf can help add a little sweetness to this earthy tea. You can spice up the flavor of green tea with herbs and spices as well.
In general, adding milk to teas that are high in tannins such as black tea will significantly smooth out the brew. The tannins lead to bitterness and also astringency, which is a drying sensation on the palate. Milk binds to the tannins and also adds a little bit of natural sweetness, evening out the flavor.
You always have the choice to reheat the tea. However, doing so might steal many of its flavours, nutritional properties and aroma. If you have left your tea abandoned for more than four hours, it is downright not recommended to reheat the tea as it may harbour mould and bacterial growth.
Since green tea acts as a mild stimulant, you shouldn't use it with other stimulants. It may change the effects of other medicines.
Green tea is often touted as the healthiest tea. It is chock full of polyphenols and antioxidants that help to boost brain and heart health. Green tea is considered one of the least processed true teas as it does not undergo oxidation. Leaves are harvested and immediately dried and rolled.
Drinking green tea in moderate amounts (about 8 cups daily) is likely safe for most people. Green tea extract is possibly safe when taken for up to 2 years or when used as a mouthwash, short-term. Drinking more than 8 cups of green tea daily is possibly unsafe.
So is plain green tea a “superdrink” that you should drink every day? In moderation, yes. Adding a cup or 3 of green tea or matcha to your every day beverages can benefit your health – and that's besides it being tasty, as well!
Protein found in milk called caseins makes a chemical reaction with catechin and reduces its health benefits. Drinking tea with milk reduces the benefit of catechin, which relaxes blood vessels, compared to drinking with water.
People from around the world often wonder why the English drink milk with their tea. The answer is that in the 17th and 18th centuries the china cups tea was served in were so delicate they would crack from the heat of the tea. Milk was added to cool the liquid and stop the cups from cracking.
Milk with Matcha: The Verdict
Despite claims that milk protein casein may hinder the activity of polyphenols, no definitive evidence supports the notion that mixing dairy products with matcha reduces its health benefits.
According to Macrobiotic Health Coach Shilpa Arora, "Milk makes tea acidic. Tea has potent antioxidants catechins and epicatechins, but adding milk cuts down the amount of these antioxidants making this otherwise healthy drink a source of inflammation and acidity.