We Ranked 10 Popular Green Teas and You Can Buy Our Top Pick at Walmart

Green teas ranked

Breaking news: not everyone is a coffee person. And even if you are a coffee person, sometimes it's nice to mix things up with a hot cup of tea. The world of tea is deep and vast, but one of the most popular styles is green tea, which not only tastes great but also has wellness-boosting properties. And like most teas, you can enjoy it piping hot or served cold with ice, which means it's a great year-round option. 

“Green tea is a great option for people who like sweet, clean tea with excellent fragrance,” says Jesse Appell, founder of Jesse’s Teahouse and the “tea guy” educator to over 800,000 followers on his social media accounts, including his YouTube channel. 

We chatted with Appell to get a little more info about green tea and then applied that knowledge to help us find the 10 best green teas you can buy at the supermarket. 

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What is Green Tea?

Green tea gets its name from the green leaves used to make it. The name can be a bit confusing, because the actual liquid created when you make green tea is not always green in color.

“Green tea is an unoxidized tea with a fresh fragrance and a sweet taste,” says Appell. “There are many types of green tea grown around the world, with the best—in my opinion—coming from China and Japan.”

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea’s popularity is due in large part to its components that offer a variety of health and wellness benefits. “Green tea has antioxidants, which have been shown to have numerous health benefits,” says Appell. “It also has theanine, a chemical similar to caffeine, which lends calming focus in addition to energy and gives less of a ‘crash’ than coffee.”

Another upside: opting for green tea as one of your preferred beverages of choice means you’re less likely to consume large quantities of sugary drinks. Appell says, “Personally, I think one of the biggest health benefits of green tea is that it is a sweet enjoyable drink without any added sugars or corn syrup, so every cup of tea I drink is another cup of something worse I have avoided!”

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Loose Leaf vs. Bagged Green Tea

Green tea is available in a variety of formats. While you can buy it already prepared in ready-to-drink bottles or cans, we’re focusing on green tea you brew at home, which essentially falls into two categories: bagged and loose (often called loose-leaf).

The choice is partly a matter of personal preference and convenience. Bagged tea is quicker and easier to make, but some tea connoisseurs say you trade convenience for taste.

“Teabags constrict the tea leaves, making it harder to get a balanced infusion,” Appell says. “With some exceptions for certain high-level Japanese green teas, you should always be looking for whole-leaf tea. Usually, that means loose leaf, but if you find a bagged green tea, make sure that the leaves are whole within the bag or sachet. Avoid powdered tea dust!”

How to Choose the Best Green Tea

With so many different types and varieties of green teas to choose from, you have plenty of options, some of which may be a better choice than others.

“I recommend looking for whole-leaf Chinese or Japanese green teas where the packaging specifically says which mountain or region they come from,” says Appell. “There are many places that grow high-quality green tea, and in all of them the farmers are proud of their region and style.”

“Tea which does not mark what province, or even country, could be a blend of many different areas,” Appell says. “While this isn’t inherently bad, it does allow for lower-quality leaves to be mixed together. Also, look for “spring green tea” if you can find it! Green tea picked in early spring is the best out there until the next year’s harvest.”

Not surprisingly, the quality and purity of green tea will often impact the taste. “Green tea may have a vegetal taste and some tannic bitterness, but if ‘bitter’ is the main flavor you taste, it is probably lower-quality tea, or you have steeped it too long and hot,” Appell says.

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How to Make and Store Green Tea

Once you find your favorite green tea, you need to make and store it properly to enjoy the best taste quality. “Make sure to buy new green tea every year, since it will slowly lose its taste and fragrance.” Appell says. “Store it in a dark container with as little air as possible and keep it away from other strong smells so it does not absorb them. When making your green tea, keep the temperature lower than boiling—anywhere from 60-85 degrees Celsius (140-185°F) depending on the tea type.”

The Best Green Teas, Ranked

Now that you have some solid green tea knowledge, it's time to jump into our picks. In a quest to find the best green teas, we researched online reviews, gathered user feedback and compared important specs by carefully analyzing the product labels. Based on all of that information, here are our picks for the best green teas.

10. 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Green Tea

This green tea from the Whole Foods brand may not have the cache of some of the upscale brands, but many fans love its refreshing taste and its purity—the ingredients list has just one thing: organic green tea. At under $10 for a 70-bag package, it’s also a great value.

9. Twinings Pure Green Tea

This green tea from Twinings has a smooth, mild flavor that’s not too strong or bitter. It is great hot, but also makes a refreshing treat when served over ice with lemon.

8. Bigelow Classic Green Tea

Bigelow bundles four individual tea bags into each of the foil pouches in this package to preserve the flavor and freshness. The brand touts its sustainable, earth-friendly practices, but they also score points for delivering a great-tasting tea with no bitterness. We found it to be plenty flavorful, but it may be slightly on the mild side for those who like their green tea on the bolder side.

7. Harney & Sons Japanese Sencha Green Tea

Here’s an option for those who find mild teas to be a little too bland. This Japanese sencha tea has an earthy flavor and texture that will appeal to those who like their tea to taste like it was just harvested. Some who prefer lighter teas may find it a bit too “grassy” or strong, though.

6. Taylors of Harrogate Green Tea with Jasmine

If you’re okay with another flavor incorporated into your green tea, this jasmine variety from Taylors of Harrogate adds a little bit of floral essence. It’s smooth and easy to drink, making it a great midday pick-me-up. The brand is based in the U.K., so this is the perfect choice to serve if you decide to host afternoon tea.

5. Kirkland Signature Ito En Matcha Blend Japanese Green Tea

Sencha green tea and matcha are both said to have antioxidant properties, so it makes sense that combining them both would produce a bonanza of health and wellness benefits. This tea is a partnership between Kirkland Signature (which Costco fans will recognize) and Ito En, a well-known Japanese tea distributor. It has a rich, robust flavor—and is a good value.

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4. Republic of Tea - The People’s Green Tea

Made from tea leaves sourced from China, this Republic of Tea green tea has a delicate, mild taste that makes it a great choice for those who think green tea tends to be too strong or bitter. The tea is also available in several flavored varieties, including pineapple ginger and honey ginseng.

3. Numi Gunpowder Green Organic Tea

Gunpowder green tea is known for being a stronger variety of green tea, and this Numi offering certainly delivers on that promise. If some of the other picks here are too mild for your liking, you may want to give this one a try. It has a strong taste that—combined with the caffeine content—will give you a nice boost.

2. Vahdam Himalayan Green Tea Leaves

Many green tea lovers strongly believe loose tea is better than bagged, so this Vahdam tea delivers that unrestricted, full-flavored experience they will appreciate. Sourced from the Himalayan region of India, it strikes the perfect balance of being robust enough to provide a rich flavor without being bitter or overbearing. They also have a range of other green tea varieties, including Himalayan Pearls and Ginger Mint.

1. Rishi Sencha Green Tea

This sencha green tea from Rishi is our top pick. It may not be loose-leaf, but is carefully contained in individual “sachets” that allow the full flavor of the leaves to infuse into your cup. This Japanese tea has a delicious, savory taste and a moderate caffeine level that makes this the perfect drink for any time of the day. Another great thing about this tea? It's widely available—you can pick it up at Walmart!

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Source

Jesse Appell, founder of Jesse’s Teahouse and the “tea guy” educator to over 800,000 followers on his social media accounts, including his YouTube channel