How to Brew Green Tea for Maximum Benefit

You can brew green tea simply by plopping a tea bag in a cup and pouring hot water over it. Or you can make it into a complex ritual such as a Japanese tea ceremony. When it comes to getting the most phytonutrients from green tea, however, an Australian scientist has ruffled some British feathers.

Getting the Most Phytonutrients into Your Cup:

When Quon Vuong measured polyphenols, caffeine and theanine in tea, he found that traditional brewing techniques only yielded 60 percent. To get all the benefits, tea must be brewed for 20 minutes at 80 degrees C. Most tea lovers would not embrace that approach.

A Better Way to Brew Green Tea:

Vuong, of the University of Newcastle (in New South Wales). found a practical method using the microwave. Add water and teabag to the cup, heat at half power for 30 seconds, and let steep for one minute. The result, he claims, is a good-tasting cup of green tea containing 80 percent of the possible phytonutrients.

Green Tea Polyphenols:

Some scientists are looking at the compounds in green tea as medicinal compounds. Women who drink green tea regularly might reduce their chance of breast cancer (Seminars in Cancer Biology, April 7, 2017). Men are encouraged to consume green tea for prostate cancer prevention ( Antioxidants, April 5, 2017). Certain tea polyphenols may also be active against liver cancer (Nutrition and Cancer, 2013).

One green tea compound, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), reduces insulin resistance in liver cells (Molecular Medicine Reports, April 7, 2017). EGCG might help keep people with pre-diabetic metabolism from developing diabetes (International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Jan. 27, 2017).

With such benefits, aren’t you glad to have an easy way to brew green tea for maximum phytonutrient concentration?

Is Decaf Green Tea a Waste of Time?

Q. If you’re drinking tea for the flavonoids, don’t bother with decaf. Lipton provides the flavonoid content per bag on each package. For green tea there are 100 mg in regular and 50 mg for decaf.

A. Flavonoids are plant compounds found in many vegetables and fruits as well as tea and cocoa. This class of natural chemicals has a number of anti-inflammatory health benefits. They may help reduce blood pressure, control blood glucose and provide some anti-cancer activity.

The most distinctive flavonoid in green tea is epigallocatechin-3-gallate, known as EGCG for short. ConsumerLab.com has tested tea bags for EGCG levels in the brewed tea and found Trader Joe’s Organic Green Tea had the most EGCG at 118 mg per serving. Lipton Green Tea Signature Blend With A Hint of Jasmine offered 47 mg per serving.

In contrast to the big difference you noted on the Lipton tea labels, the ConsumerLab.com analysis found 59 mg EGCG in a serving of Yogi Pure Green Decaf, while Celestial Seasonings Decaf Green had 40 mg.

Part of the discrepancy might be due to considering total flavonoids vs. EGCG alone. Flavonoids are a much larger category of antioxidant compounds. For example, the natural chemicals in cocoa are flavonoids although they are different from EGCG. You may find the ConsumerLab.com report of interest, although it requires a subscription.

Should You Brew Green Tea to Protect Against Cancer?

There are tantalizing data to suggest that green tea might have some protective effects against prostate, lung, colorectal and pancreatic cancer. Individual studies, such as one from Japan bolster that evidence (American Journal of Epidemiology, Sept. 15, 2009). The researchers followed more than 40,000 adults for nine years and looked for signs of lymph system cancer. People who drank 5 or more cups of green tea daily were 40 percent less likely to be diagnosed with any blood cancers and nearly 50 percent less likely to be diagnosed with a lymphatic cancer. The researchers recommend further study to determine whether this association will hold up under closer scientific scrutiny.

Systematic reviews also suggest that green tea drinkers may be less susceptible to certain cancers (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, March. 2, 2020; American Journal of Chinese Medicine, Aug. 14, 2025). Green tea seems especially helpful against prostate cancer, blood malignancies and cancers of the mouth and gallbladder. It appears from the available research that people who want to benefit in this way should brew green tea every day over an extended period of time.