Green tea is packed with goodness and has a variety of health benefits. But, tea on its own can get a little boring. What’s better than green tea? A green tea smoothie! These are probably the tastiest way to get your green tea hit for the day. But, green tea comes in a variety of forms, so which is best for your smoothie? We dive into this as well as give you a few tasty recipes below.
Method 1 – Matcha
If you’ve heard of matcha, you know how good it is for you. Match the powdered form of green tea leaves and has a much higher vitamin and mineral content than dried green tea leaves. The best way to describe the consistency is that of a green protein powder, which makes it the first choice for most people when it comes to making a green tea smoothie. If you’re ever struggling with smoothy inspiration, you can get plenty of ideas from Blendtopia.com, which even has a smoothie subscription. But the best part about using matcha is that you can simply add a scoop of green and you’re ready to go.
Match Recipe 1 – Cup of Green
This recipe, like all of the recipes on this list, is delicious and incredibly healthy. We all know the health benefits of spinach, but adding green tea to the mix does absolute wonders.
Ingredients:
- 2 Teaspoons of Matcha
- 1 cup of baby spinach leaves
- 1 frozen banana
- 2 cups of frozen green grapes
- 2 cups of milk of your choice or water
- 1 cup of ice (optional)
Step 1 – Add the Matcha
You want to put the Matcha at the bottom, so it doesn’t fly everywhere and can be well incorporated when it’s time to blend.
Step 2 – Add the fresh ingredients and a cup of ice
Step 3 – Add the milk of your choice or water
Step 4 – Blend until smooth
Match Recipe 2 – Banana and Peanut Butter
This is for those peanut butter lovers out there. Peanut butter doesn’t just taste delicious, it gives the body a yummy boost of protein. Bananas, as we said, are high in potassium, which is an important electrolyte to keep you going all day. Mix these two with green tea and you have the perfect peanut butter lover’s smoothie.
Ingredients:
- 2 Teaspoons of Matcha
- 1 frozen banana
- 2 tbsp of peanut butter
- 1 tbsp of maple syrup
- 1/2 cup of milk
Step 1 – Add the Matcha
Step 2 – Add everything else (the order doesn’t matter)
Step 3 – Blend until smooth
Method 2 – Tea Leaves
Using leaves creates a slightly different texture than Matcha does in your smoothies. Brewing your green tea leaves beforehand and adding them to your smoothie results in a smoother, less powdery consistency. However, the flavor is less prominent and the vitamin content is lower, meaning that the benefits are not quite the same. When using this method, you are required to prepare your tea beforehand. Brew the leave as per the brewing instructions on the package and let it cool completely before adding it to your smoothie. You can brew the leaves the night before so that you can just grab your ready-made tea and add it to your smoothie immediately.
Tea Leaves Recipe 1 – Apple Pie
Who doesn’t enjoy a good apple pie? This smoothie tastes just like this yummy dessert and is full of protein and fiber
Ingredients:
- 1 apple
- 1/2 cup of brewed green tea (cooled)
- 1/2 cup of rolled oats
- 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of ice (optional)
Step 1 – Peel, pit and cut your apple into chunks and add to the blender
Step 2 – Add green tea, oats, and Greek yogurt. You’re using Greek yogurt rather than milk as the brewed green tea will add enough moisture to the mix. Add the vanilla for a dash of sweetness.
Step 3 – Add the ice if you choose.
Step 4 – Blend until smooth
Tea Leaves Recipe 2 – Decadent Chocolate
Who doesn’t enjoy a healthy treat that fills the spot of all of those unhealthy sweet cravings? This decadent chocolate smoothie made with antioxidant-rich cocoa powder will hit the spot.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup of brewed green tea (cooled)
- 1 1/2 frozen bananas
- 1 tbsp of honey
- 2 tbsp of almond butter
- 1/2 cup of milk of your choice
- 1/2 cup of ice (optional)
Step 1 – Add the cocoa powder
Step 2 – Add the rest of the ingredients
Step 3 – Add the ice (optional)
Step 4 – Blend until smooth
Green tea has a variety of health benefits and is packed with vitamins and minerals. It is an excellent addition to any smoothie. Be sure to try our recipes and to experiment with your own.