This mixture may sound a bit odd to anyone who prefers either coffee or tea alone. Combining the two sounds like a strange late-night revelation during a family game of Truth or Dare. However, the combination has been an Asian tradition for centuries and is now becoming more popular in western countries. It’s worth considering for the health benefits alone. Here’s what you need to know.
Combining green tea and coffee in one beverage, or drinking each separately one after the other, offers synergistic health benefits. The combination can result in benefits such as increased cognitive ability, lower blood sugar, and less inflammation. In addition, the mix results in a unique flavor.
There are multiple benefits to combining green tea with coffee, and the taste is like nothing mono-drinkers have tried before.
Mixing the two together is a common practice in China due to the health benefits. The Western world is now following in its footsteps and has incorporated green tea and coffee into a healthy lifestyle.
Let’s cover details on the health benefits and how to make this combination a new part of your life.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Mixing Green Tea and Coffee? 4 Known Benefits
There are several health benefits to drinking coffee and green tea either alone or mixed together. If you end up not being a fan of how the two taste together, you can always drink them individually during the day.
Whether you mix them together or simply drink each of them throughout the day, you will still benefit.
Here are 4 benefits a combination of coffee and green tea can offer:
Benefit #1: Green Tea and Coffee Can Give You an Energy Boost
Both green tea and coffee contain caffeine, which can give you the boost you are looking for in the morning or during an afternoon slump.
Combining them together doubles the caffeine and amplifies the effect.
If you are extra sensitive to caffeine, this may not be good for you at all. However, if you tolerate caffeine well, this could be a much healthier alternative to your favorite energy drink.
Benefit #2: Both Can Sharpen Focus and Cognitive Ability
In addition to providing you with an energy boost, the caffeine combination from green tea and coffee can give you a cognitive edge.
Again, if you tolerate caffeine well, you may notice that you are more focused and mentally sharp.
Benefit #3: Both Help Your Body Fight Free Radicals
Green tea and coffee both contain antioxidants that can help the body fight free radicals. Free radicals are particles that attack the body, causing illness, disease, and aging.
Drinking green tea and coffee strengthen your body’s immune system to promote your health.
Benefit #4: Green Tea And Coffee Can Help Lower Blood Sugar
Coffee has more of these benefits than green tea. However, both combined can help lower blood sugar. This is a great fact for Type 2 Diabetics who struggle with keeping their blood sugar under control.
Drinking the combination can also help prevent you from developing Type 2 Diabetes, so those who are at risk could consider including this drink in their routine.
“The combination of green tea and coffee has been an Asian tradition for centuries.”
TEA CROSSING
What Does Green Tea and Coffee Together Taste Like?
The taste you should be looking for is a mix of bitter flavors, but not overly bitter.
The drink shouldn’t be undrinkable, but there will be a level of bitterness to the combination. You can also increase the drinkability by including milk or creamer, and some type of sugar to the mixture.
However, if you are truly looking to keep the combination healthy, you could consider almond milk and a more natural sweetener like Monkfruit.
Here are a few tips:
It Can Taste Like Instant Coffee
Many who have blended the two have compared the flavor to drinking instant coffee.
If you are not a fan of instant coffee, then you may not like this combo. Some reviewers didn’t like the flavor of the combination or even the smell of the resulting drink.
It May be an Acquired Taste
For the same reasons that coffee and tea drinkers prefer either, well, coffee or tea, combining them can be great for some and off-putting for others.
The best way to test it out is to try different combinations or different brews. If you didn’t like the first blend, try a different type of green tea or coffee.
Order The Drink From A Cafe
If you don’t want to experiment in your own home, or you just can’t get the flavor right, consider ordering these two together at a coffee or cafe.
The barista there may have experience mixing the two and know the right way to make it for you based on your taste.
They can sweeten it into a latte or cool it rather than heat it up if you are a fan of colder drinks.
How Do You Mix Green Tea With Coffee?
When you’ve decided that you want to try the combination, you’ll also want to experiment with various methods.
I mix this combination now and then, primarily for the reported health benefits, and I have had to experiment a bit to find something I truly enjoy.
Here are some tips and steps for experimenting with your own combination:
Step #1: Select Your Favorite Green Tea
You’ll have the best experience drinking the green tea and coffee combination if you like the green tea you are using. Trial different brands and types of green tea to find the one you like the best. You can try:
- Green tea bags
- Green tea powders
- Green tea leaves
Once you’ve found your favorite type of green tea, then move to the next step.
Step #2: Choose Your Favorite Coffee Blend
Similar to the green tea, using your favorite coffee will help make the experience better. Trial the types of coffee you have in your home and pick the best one from those to use with your green tea. Bitter is often better if you like the taste, whereas sweeter coffees may be better for those with a sweet tooth.
Step #3: Blend the Two Together
Now that you’ve chosen the best green tea and coffee options, it’s time to blend them together. If they are both liquids, then you can simply mix them into a cup 50/50. If the green tea is a powder, then be sure to thoroughly mix it into the coffee. Lastly, if you want a cold drink, store the mixture in the fridge for about an hour before drinking it.
Step #4: Add Sweeteners, Flavorings, and Milk
Everyone has a different taste when it comes to drinking green tea and coffee. If you like your drinks sweeter, then you may add milk and sugar, or healthier options such as almond or soy milk and Monkfruit for sweetness. You might also want to try adding organic cacao powder (along with some natural sweetener) for additional antioxidant power.
“Adding the combination of green tea and coffee your tea repertoire might be one of the healthiest, most creative things you could consider.”
TEA CROSSING
How Often Should I Drink Green Tea With Coffee?
This can be a tricky question, especially if you are not used to drinking tea and coffee together. In addition, there isn’t a standard recommendation to go by.
You would only benefit from drinking the two together, or at least one right after the other, so if you can work it into your daily routine, that may be optimal. However, you can still benefit from drinking both two to three times a week.
If you have any health concerns, or are worried about the combination, please check with your physician.
Also, if you choose to add milk and sugar to your combination, you should probably not drink it daily. The idea is to benefit from the compounds and antioxidants. Including a lot of additives like milk and sugar ultimately defeats the purpose.
In addition, if you are affected by caffeine, you may also need to limit your consumption.
Are There Reasons You Shouldn’t Drink Green Tea with Coffee?
The primary reasons you might not want to drink green tea and coffee together revolve around caffeine. Light to moderate use of caffeine can offer truly beneficial effects, but there are also some cautions.
For example, if you have an irregular heart rate, high blood pressure, are very sensitive to caffeine, or struggle with insomnia, you will either want to drink this combination early in the day….or avoid it altogether.
In addition, you will want to be alert to the 9 side effects of too much caffeine:
- Addiction
- Anxiety
- Digestive Issues
- Fatigue
- Frequent and Urgent Urination
- High Blood Pressure
- Insomnia
- Muscle Breakdown
- Rapid Heart Rate
Outside of these health cautions, adding the combination of green tea and coffee your tea repertoire might be one of the healthiest, creative things you could consider.
At the very least, experiment with the options and see if it works for you.