Eating Green Tea Leaves...

[trent]

Has anyone ever tried eating japanese green tea leaves?

Give it a try next time you brew a japanese green... I do it all the time. If you've tried it, did you like it?

-Trent

[olivierco]

If matcha counts yes.
I use tea for cooking, so I sometimes eat tealeaves, but I won't eat the leaves that remains in the teapot after multiple steeps.

[Sam.]

I once put already steeped green tea leaves (not Japanese) into one of the fruit smoothies I regularly make, figuring there had to be some healthy stuff left in them. It didn't add any weird taste or anything to the smoothie but I simply haven't done it again.

[Chip]

This is an interesting topic in that it is hard to find conclusive across the board recommendations from Japanese sites. Many sites stress only doing this with organic teas, especially a particular type of high grade gyokuro, because you are injesting the leaves, thus any pesticides with it. Yet not all matcha is organic...then some say only use organic matcha. It is a very convoluted and complicated subject full of a lot of gray areas.

I use matcha in cooking all the time...but I have not taken to eating Japanese tea leaves that have been used. But I expect that I will.

[tenuki]

I usually eat at least one of the leaves when I'm trying a tea for the first time. I've discovered some very interesting things doing that.

[Mary R]

I usually eat at least one of the leaves when I'm trying a tea for the first time. I've discovered some very interesting things doing that.

I'll happily admit to doing the same thing, too. A few have been so good that I've pondered creating some sort of salad or what not...but I doubt that will ever move from the realm of crazy ponderings.

[Wesli]

At one time I was saving up all my spent leaves in the freezer to add to my veggie smoothie. It didn't taste that great, sadly. However, now that I'm drinking more high-quality stuff than I was back then, perhaps it is time for another go?

[Sam.]

I'd say go for it, Wesli. I love green smoothies - romaine lettuce or baby spinach and frozen fruit, so delicious and healthy! When I added tea leaves (admittedly not a large amount) to my smoothie I couldn't taste a difference.

[tenuki]

When I added tea leaves (admittedly not a large amount) to my smoothie I couldn't taste a difference.

He drinks a lot of pu, I bet he'll taste a difference. 'wow, it's like I added compost!!' lol.

[Sam.]

True, mine were just spent green tea leaves. Pu-smoothie might taste just like that - "poo."

[Mary R]

Ugh, all this talk about smoothies puts me in mind of the Blend-Tec commercials.

Green tea...will it blend?!

[Pentox]

Green tea...will it blend?!

Probably better than a golf club.

[Sam.]

Yea, I'd think so. I actually use a Vita-Mix, one of the mega-strength blenders and I think one of Blendtec's main opponents.

[shogun89]

Yes I do. Every time i make tea i eat about half of it. dosent matter which kind. sometimes i will even get unsteaped leaves and chew on them for about 15 min. it tastes good and gives you the relaxing feel that tea does. try it

[trent]

see... I'm not the only weird tea leaf eater on TeaChat