Boost your immunity with cold-brewed green tea in winter! How to make it and recommended tea leaves for good health [Effects and benefits]

Introduction

Cold-brewed green tea is a cool, refreshing drink that will blow away the summer heat.

In recent years, its popularity has increased, and you can now see it more and more in cafes and restaurants.

As the name suggests, cold-brewed green tea is green tea that is extracted slowly and carefully using cold water instead of hot water.

Unlike traditional green tea brewed with boiling water, this tea has a mellow, sweet taste with less bitterness and astringency.

Another thing that has been gaining attention in recent years is the immune-boosting effect of cold-brewed green tea. Although cold tea is often thought of as a summer drink, it is also recommended in the winter when infectious diseases and influenza are prevalent.

There are many benefits to cold-brewed green tea.

This time, we will introduce the benefits of cold-brewed green tea in detail, as well as an easy way for anyone to make it and recommended tea leaves.

Effects and benefits of cold brewed green tea

Cold-brewed sencha has a different appeal compared to tea brewed with hot water. This is because the ingredients extracted from the tea change depending on the temperature of the water.

While the umami component of tea theanine dissolves easily even at low temperatures, the astringent component epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the bitter component caffeine, and the astringent component tannins tend to dissolve less in lower water temperatures.

This reduces the bitterness and astringency that inevitably comes with hot tea, allowing you to enjoy a mellow flavor that highlights the sweetness and umami that only cold-brewed green tea can offer.

In addition, cold-brewed green tea is rich in epigallocatechin (EGC), a type of catechin.

Epigallocatechin (EGC) has been shown to activate the mucosal immune system of the respiratory and digestive systems and prevent the invasion of pathogens, so it can be expected to boost immunity.

The reason why it is cold, "cold-brewed green tea" rather than "hot tea" is because epigallocatechin (EGC) is sensitive to heat.

It is believed that extracting it with hot water causes it to break down or combine with other substances, reducing its amount.

Therefore, when making "cold-brewed green tea," which is extracted with low-temperature water, EGCG is less susceptible to decomposition or changes caused by heat, allowing you to consume more EGCG.

Cold-brewed sencha is also rich in theanine, which has the effect of reducing stress.

Theanine is also expected to improve sleep quality, making it ideal for relaxing before bedtime.

Another attractive feature of cold-brewed sencha is its low caffeine content.

Preparing cold brewed green tea

Tools and materials needed

• Water (1 liter): Soft water is recommended. If you use tap water, boil it once to remove the chlorine before using.
• Bottles (pitchers or barley tea pots): Please prepare your favorite ones, such as heat-resistant glass or plastic.
• Tea bags: These can be purchased at 100 yen shops, etc.
• Measuring spoon: Used to measure the amount of tea leaves.
• Tea leaves (10g): Choose tea leaves suitable for cold brewing green tea.

How to make cold brew green tea

Step 1: Steep the tea leaves in the tea bag
Put the measured amount of tea leaves into the tea bag. The amount of tea leaves is roughly 10g per 1 liter of water. You can increase or decrease the amount to your liking.

Step 2: Pour in the water
Brew a tea leaf pack into a pitcher, mugicha pot, or other cold brew bottle, and slowly pour in water.

Step 3: Leave it for a while
Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours until desired strength is reached, then remove the tea bag.

Step 4: Finish
Pour into a glass and you're done. It's also delicious with ice.

Recommended tea leaves for cold brewed green tea

For cold-brewed green tea, we recommend tea leaves with a high umami content, such as high-quality sencha or deep-steamed sencha.

1. High-grade Sencha: This Sencha is made from the new leaves of the carefully cultivated first harvest. It has a rich aroma and mellow flavor, making it suitable for cold brewing.

2. Deep-steamed Sencha: This has a strong, full-bodied flavor. Brewing it in water makes it even more mellow.

3. Kabusecha: Made using a method similar to that of gyokuro, kabusecha has a rich flavor and aroma and is also suitable for cold brewing.

4. Bud tea : This tea contains a lot of the buds of the tea leaves and is rich in theanine, a flavor component. By brewing in cold water, this theanine is extracted slowly, resulting in a mellow, sweet tea.

5. Kukicha : Compared to the leaves, it is rich in amino acids, which are sweet ingredients. Even when brewed in water, the umami flavor is well extracted, and you can enjoy a sweet and mellow taste.

Tips for making cold-brewed green tea even more delicious

To make delicious cold-brewed green tea, it's important to remember a few simple points.

First of all, the choice of tea leaves is important. If you choose tea leaves with a lot of umami components, such as deep-steamed sencha, kabusecha, or high-quality sencha, you can enjoy cold-brewed green tea with a deeper flavor.

Next, the balance between the amount of water and the amount of tea leaves is also important.

Generally, the recommended amount is 10g of tea leaves per liter of water, but you can adjust the amount to suit your preferred strength.

Too much tea leaves will make the tea bitter, so it is recommended to start with a small amount and gradually increase the amount.

The extraction time is also an important factor that affects the taste of cold-brewed green tea.

It is generally recommended to leave it in the refrigerator for about 4-6 hours, but the optimal time varies depending on the type and amount of tea leaves and the temperature of the water.

Be careful not to leave it for too long, as it may become bitter.

Furthermore, stronger tea tastes better in hot weather, so try extending the extraction time.

This concentrates the flavor of the tea, giving it a rich, deep taste. Even if you add ice, the flavor doesn't get diluted, so you can enjoy it until the very last drop.

You should also pay attention to the water you use. Using soft water will extract more flavor and create a mellower taste.

On the other hand, water with high hardness is not suitable for green tea.

When brewed with hard water, the tea will have a strong bitter and astringent taste, little flavor, and the water will be nearly colorless.

Q&A about cold brewed green tea

Q. Can I make it using tap water?

A. Yes, you can use tap water. However, it will taste better if you boil it for 3-5 minutes to remove the chlorine before using it. If you are concerned about chlorine, you can leave it overnight and then boil it before using it.

However, be careful not to boil it for too long, as the color of the tea water will turn red.

Q. How much caffeine does it contain?

A. Cold brewed green tea extracts less caffeine than green tea brewed with boiling water.

For example, the amount of caffeine in regular sencha brewed with hot water over 80℃ is 20mg/100ml. On the other hand, there is data that shows that when brewed with lukewarm water at 40℃, the amount is about half, at 10mg/100ml.

Taking this into consideration, if you extract with cold water, the amount will be around 5mg-10mg/100ml, which is about half to a quarter of what you would get if you brewed with boiling water.

However, please note that unlike brewing in a teapot, the tea takes a long time to infuse, so it is not completely caffeine-free.

Q. How long can cold brewed green tea be stored?

A. Cold-brewed green tea should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within a day if possible. The next day at the latest.

The flavor deteriorates over time, so we recommend enjoying it as soon as possible.

summary

What did you think? Cold-brewed green tea is easy to make, delicious, and good for your health - it truly kills two birds with one stone.

Using the steps and tips we've introduced, please try making cold-brewed green tea at home.

No special tools or skills are required, so anyone can make it easily. Just put it in a water bottle and carry it with you, and you can enjoy it anytime, anywhere.

Incorporate cold-brewed green tea into your life not only in the summer but all year round to help you live a healthy life!