When to drink green tea? If you're a fan of this beverage, you probably drink it whenever you simply feel like. However, timing the consumption of this healthy beverage can bring additional health benefits. In this article, we'll discuss the best times of the day to drink green tea.
Before or After Meals?
What's particularly important is whether you drink green tea before or after meals. Green tea is a super healthy beverage. It's great for the skin, the antioxidants in it fights aging and it shreds fat. But wait, there's a downside, which is that it can be harsh on your stomach! So green tea in the morning on an empty stomach is definitely not a good idea.
To avoid such side effects, it's therefore important to drink it after your meals! Preferably wait for the food to digest slightly for 30 minutes. Then go for it and enjoy a green tea session.
Before or After Exercise?
A frequently asked question related to the weight loss benefits of green tea. Given that you properly ate 2 hours before your exercise it's completely fine to drink small sips of green tea before your exercise. Green tea contains caffeine and may increase your fat burning results during your exercise.
Don't go overboard, it's not good to drink too much of any beverage during intense exercises. Just go for small sips to stay hydrated. Another tip is to steep your green tea somewhat lighter to avoid too much caffeine, which can sometimes stimulate dehydration.
In the Morning or Night?
Mornings and afternoons are great moments for green tea. As said above, the ideal drinking schedule would be 30 minutes after your breakfast and lunch. This is definitely also the best time to drink green tea for weight loss and skin improvement purposes. Moreover, it helps you boost your metabolism when you need it the most!
Because green tea contains caffeine, though less than coffee, we don't recommend it for the evening. In such case, go for a cup of caffeine-free herbal tea!
Best Season To Drink Green Tea
Green tea is a cooling beverage according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), even when consumed hot. Thus, according to herbalist, the best seasons to drink green tea are Spring and Summer. Those are at the same time the best times to purchase fresh tea. On an annual basis we visit well known Chinese tea regions to source the freshest and highest quality tea during early Spring.
When you consider purchasing green tea, it's important to know that Spring tea leaves are juicier and more tasteful. This is because the lower temperatures allow the leaves to grow slower and acquire more flavor and build up more anti-oxidants. Thus, the best moment to stock up for the whole year is when the Spring harvest becomes available. Of course, you'll have to store it properly to maintain the fresh all year round. Here's an expert guide on tea storage, if you're interested.
If you're interested in this topic, feel free to read our full guide on when to drink tea (not just green tea).