The 10 Best Organic Green Teas

Editor's Notes

December 01, 2020:

In this update, we added several different types of green tea in order to add more variety to the list. Davidson's Genmaicha contains both tea leaves and roasted brown rice, giving it a unique nutty flavor. Haiku Kukicha is made from the twigs and stems of the tea plant, rather than the leaves, which gives it a distinct taste and a lower caffeine content than most green teas. Mighty Leaf Hojicha is made from similar ingredients to standard green tea, but the preparation is different as the leaves are pan-fried and roasted. Tealyra Imperial is rolled into pearls and flavored with jasmine for a nice floral taste and smell.

Zen Spirit was removed due to availability concerns and replaced with Republic of Tea Matcha, a stoneground powder that has a variety of culinary uses. Teas' Tea Pure & Smooth was removed because pre-bottled teas tend to be lower quality and the packaging produces more waste compared to tea bags and loose leaf tea.

For a special experience, Teabloom Flowering expands to reveal colorful flowers while being steeped. When prepared in a glass teapot, this can create a gorgeous centerpiece as well as a delicious beverage.

Green tea is prepared differently from black tea, and the differences are important to take note of if you want to get the most out of your drink. For one thing, many loose leaf green teas can be re-steeped multiple times, becoming less bitter with each steep. While black tea should be prepared with boiling water, this can burn the more delicate leaves of green tea, so you should let the water cool slightly before pouring it (or use an electric kettle that allows you to set a specific temperature). Green tea also doesn't need to steep as long as black tea. Different varieties have their own instructions, but generally black tea is best when steeped for 3-5 minutes, but green tea is better when steeped for 1-2 minutes. Over-steeping can cause the beverage to become bitter. Of course, different people like their tea in different ways, so the best way to figure out what works for you is to experiment with different varieties, strengths, and steep times.

September 06, 2019:

Between putting loose leaf tea in a pot with an infuser, seeping little bags, and having it bottled, there are many different ways people like to enjoy their tea, so we rounded up a good variety of this beverage to suit most of those preferences. Davidson's Gunpowder and Numi Gunpowder are both loose leaf options, boasting leaves that have been rolled into little pearls that will open up in your water to release their potent flavors.

Those who like to keep things simple with tea bags will enjoy Traditional Medicinals Ginger and Choice Organic Teas Premium Japanese. The former has added ginger and could bring all of the benefits that come with that like improved digestion and reduced inflammation, while the latter has a distinct smoky flavor and deep green color that makes you feel you're having an authentic cup, much like the ones sipped on in Japan.

For the busy individuals out there, or those who like the mild buzz of green tea but in a cold drink, there is Teas' Tea Pure & Smooth. It has added Vitamin C and will refresh you both with its taste and caffeine content. If you're such a green tea fiend that you're looking to add it to baked goods and more, there is Zen Spirit, a powder that's easy to mix into your favorite recipes.