Green Tea brewing Q for Dr. G

Adrian "Hank" Garfield · 08-31-2006, 05:21 PM

I am using your recommendation and trying to brew green tea through a coffee maker. Perhaps I am not thinking analytically, but is there a problem with opening up the tea bags and putting the leaves directly in the filter, as opposed to leaving them in their bags?

I will be experimenting, but wondered if you knew of/or had experience with, a downside to putting leaves directly in the filter.

Obviously if anyone has a comment, please pipe up, I just put his name in the title because he spoke of this.

Thanks.

Joe Beman · 08-31-2006, 05:38 PM

Try buying loose leaf green tea and get something called a 'tea ball'.

You fill this tea ball (also called a defuser) with loose leaf tea and drop it in boiling water until it's ready.

I reccomend the loose leaf Chinese Jasmine tea. Tastes good and makes good sun tea as well.

Adrian "Hank" Garfield · 08-31-2006, 07:03 PM

"drop it in boiling water until it's ready."

this might be obvious once i do it, but how do i know when it is ready?

Jamila Bey · 09-01-2006, 01:47 AM

Approximate brewing time
green teas 3 minutes in h20 about 180 degrees
black teas 5 minutes in h20 about 212 degrees
herbals and oolongs about 7 minutes 212

My favorite teas come from www.adagio.com and I've been drinking tea since I was a baby. Best flavor and quality around. Quite affordable too.

Jeffrey Crawford · 09-02-2006, 01:19 PM

Where has Dr.G been anyway?

Garrett Smith · 09-02-2006, 02:48 PM

Jeffrey,
I've been building a practice. In this age of health (mis-)information, I want to pay off my loans somehow, and giving it all away for free on this board sure isn't going to do it!

Adrian, to answer your questions:

It's fine either way, you can open the bags or not. There should not be a problem either way.

As for when tea (black, green, oolong, white, the ones from the specific "tea" plant) is ready, that's up to your taste in tannins. The longer the brew, the more tannins. Tannins are bitter, drying, and can leach nutrients if taken in chronically high doses. That's why the time is suggested (or not suggested, based on your taste).

Scott Kustes · 09-04-2006, 11:18 AM

Tannins can also cause some, ummm.....stoppage issues. Try not to take in too many tannins or you may need some help pushing things through when it all comes to a head. Not that I have first-hand experience with this...I just read the manual. :wink:

Garrett Smith · 09-05-2006, 07:05 AM

Tannins are named such because they used to be used in the "tanning" of leather. They can do the same thing to your GI and urinary tract over time. As with most things, this can be a negative (as Scott mentioned) or a positive (if used properly in an antifungal/leaky gut syndrome situation).

I utilize two plant-tannin-based supplements (Tanalbit and Viracin, from Intensive Nutrition) with my patients who have fungus/yeast issues. http://www.intensivenutrition.com/Tanalbit.htm

Jeffrey Crawford · 09-05-2006, 12:38 PM

Dr.G,
Good to have you back around I always look forward to your posts.

Adrian "Hank" Garfield · 09-07-2006, 06:30 PM

Joe - thanks for the recommendation. is this a type of tea "Chinese jasmine", that i would find anywhere, or should i look to a specific store? tea balls are surprisingly inexpensive and i will def get one soon. do you know the diff bet a tea ball and a spring diffuser offhand?

Jamila - I looked up adagio, and liked what I saw. Thanks for the heads up. I will prob try the green and white tea samplers. although tastes vary, is there a particular style or flavor you might recommend in any of the categories (flavored, herbal, etc.)?

Dr. G- before I heard from you, I went ahead and tore open a few bags and went to town. Happily I didn't keel over. thanks also for fleshing out tannins.

Also as a general knowledge thing before I buy, are these leaves, albeit small ones, or will the stuff look like what is in tea bags?

I ask because I was in NYC, and ended up in an Indian herb store. They had a bag of loose green tea, 1 lb for 9.95. it seems my searches yield pound prices in the thirty dollar range, if not more, elsewhere. But what was in the pound bag looked like what I took out of the tea bags. no idea what this means either way.

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08-31-2006, 05:21 PM	#1
Adrian "Hank" Garfield Member Profile: Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: ny ny Posts: 70	I am using your recommendation and trying to brew green tea through a coffee maker. Perhaps I am not thinking analytically, but is there a problem with opening up the tea bags and putting the leaves directly in the filter, as opposed to leaving them in their bags? I will be experimenting, but wondered if you knew of/or had experience with, a downside to putting leaves directly in the filter. Obviously if anyone has a comment, please pipe up, I just put his name in the title because he spoke of this. Thanks.

08-31-2006, 05:38 PM	#2
Joe Beman Member Profile: Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Albuquerque NM Posts: 42	Try buying loose leaf green tea and get something called a 'tea ball'. You fill this tea ball (also called a defuser) with loose leaf tea and drop it in boiling water until it's ready. I reccomend the loose leaf Chinese Jasmine tea. Tastes good and makes good sun tea as well.

08-31-2006, 07:03 PM	#3
Adrian "Hank" Garfield Member Profile: Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: ny ny Posts: 70	"drop it in boiling water until it's ready." this might be obvious once i do it, but how do i know when it is ready?

09-01-2006, 01:47 AM	#4
Jamila Bey Member Profile: Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Washington DC Posts: 319	Approximate brewing time green teas 3 minutes in h20 about 180 degrees black teas 5 minutes in h20 about 212 degrees herbals and oolongs about 7 minutes 212 My favorite teas come from www.adagio.com and I've been drinking tea since I was a baby. Best flavor and quality around. Quite affordable too.

09-02-2006, 01:19 PM	#5
Jeffrey Crawford Member Profile: Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: St.Cloud FL Posts: 556	Where has Dr.G been anyway?

09-02-2006, 02:48 PM	#6
Garrett Smith Member Profile: Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,264	Jeffrey, I've been building a practice. In this age of health (mis-)information, I want to pay off my loans somehow, and giving it all away for free on this board sure isn't going to do it! Adrian, to answer your questions: It's fine either way, you can open the bags or not. There should not be a problem either way. As for when tea (black, green, oolong, white, the ones from the specific "tea" plant) is ready, that's up to your taste in tannins. The longer the brew, the more tannins. Tannins are bitter, drying, and can leach nutrients if taken in chronically high doses. That's why the time is suggested (or not suggested, based on your taste).

09-04-2006, 11:18 AM	#7
Scott Kustes Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 1,252	Tannins can also cause some, ummm.....stoppage issues. Try not to take in too many tannins or you may need some help pushing things through when it all comes to a head. Not that I have first-hand experience with this...I just read the manual. :wink:

09-05-2006, 07:05 AM	#8
Garrett Smith Member Profile: Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,264	Tannins are named such because they used to be used in the "tanning" of leather. They can do the same thing to your GI and urinary tract over time. As with most things, this can be a negative (as Scott mentioned) or a positive (if used properly in an antifungal/leaky gut syndrome situation). I utilize two plant-tannin-based supplements (Tanalbit and Viracin, from Intensive Nutrition) with my patients who have fungus/yeast issues. http://www.intensivenutrition.com/Tanalbit.htm

09-05-2006, 12:38 PM	#9
Jeffrey Crawford Member Profile: Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: St.Cloud FL Posts: 556	Dr.G, Good to have you back around I always look forward to your posts.

09-07-2006, 06:30 PM	#10
Adrian "Hank" Garfield Member Profile: Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: ny ny Posts: 70	Joe - thanks for the recommendation. is this a type of tea "Chinese jasmine", that i would find anywhere, or should i look to a specific store? tea balls are surprisingly inexpensive and i will def get one soon. do you know the diff bet a tea ball and a spring diffuser offhand? Jamila - I looked up adagio, and liked what I saw. Thanks for the heads up. I will prob try the green and white tea samplers. although tastes vary, is there a particular style or flavor you might recommend in any of the categories (flavored, herbal, etc.)? Dr. G- before I heard from you, I went ahead and tore open a few bags and went to town. Happily I didn't keel over. thanks also for fleshing out tannins. Also as a general knowledge thing before I buy, are these leaves, albeit small ones, or will the stuff look like what is in tea bags? I ask because I was in NYC, and ended up in an Indian herb store. They had a bag of loose green tea, 1 lb for 9.95. it seems my searches yield pound prices in the thirty dollar range, if not more, elsewhere. But what was in the pound bag looked like what I took out of the tea bags. no idea what this means either way.