This green tea latte recipe couldn’t be simpler. Unlike most green tea lattes you find at coffee shops or even recipes online, this one does NOT use matcha powder, which may contain questionable ingredients, like unwanted added sugar! Which we all know isn’t great for cardiovascular health or blood sugar. This recipe uses bagged green tea. I can’t wait to show you how easy to prepare this green tea latte recipe really is!
Matcha vs Green Tea
Green tea and matcha are both made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, but they are prepared and consumed in different ways.
Green tea is made by steeping the leaves of the plant in hot water and then discarding the leaves. This method results in a light and refreshing beverage that can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Matcha, on the other hand, is made by grinding the leaves into a fine powder, which is then whisked with hot water to create a frothy and creamy drink. Because matcha is made from whole tea leaves, it is much more concentrated than green tea and has a stronger flavor.
While both green tea and matcha have been linked to numerous health benefits, matcha is often considered to be the more nutritious of the two. This is because matcha contains a higher concentration of catechins, a type of antioxidant that has been linked to numerous health benefits, including improved heart health and reduced cancer risk (1).
However, it’s worth noting that matcha is typically more expensive than green tea and can be harder to find. Additionally, the strong flavor of matcha may not be to everyone’s liking, and it can be more difficult to prepare than green tea.
Ultimately, whether you prefer green tea or matcha may come down to personal taste and preference, as both beverages can be enjoyed as part of a healthy and balanced diet.
Health Benefits of Green Tea
The powerful antioxidant health benefits of green come from its high catechin content. Catechins are polyphenols present in green tea leaves, which we benefit from each time we enjoy a cup of tea.
Green tea contains four main catechins. They are:
- epicatechin (EC)
- epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG)
- epigallocatechin (EGC)
- epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).
Of these four catechins, EGCG is the most active and abundant (2). Many studies focusing on EGCG report several health benefits to such diseases including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (3). EGCG may also protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s dementia (4).
Newer research also shows that active components in green tea may help alleviate respiratory issues including asthma and complications from the COVID-19 virus (5). This is due to the anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties of green tea.
One 8-ounce cup of brewed green tea contains approximately 50-100 mg of EGCG (6).
What is a Green Tea Latte?
A green tea latte is a latte that substitutes green tea in place of the espresso.
You see, in a traditional latte, you use about 2 ounces of espresso and top it with about 8 ounces of lightly steamed milk, and milk foam.
In this recipe, we will use 3/4 cup (6 ounces) of brewed green tea and blend it with 1/3 cup (a little under 3 ounces) of almond milk.
FYI, this green tea latte recipe will NOT be green in color. If you’re looking for that oh-so-pretty, aesthetically pleasing, bright green kind of latte, I suggest trying this recipe using matcha powder:
- Oat Milk Matcha Latte by Angela Lago, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Is There Caffeine In Green Tea?
The short answer is yes. Though the exact amount of caffeine varies from one brand of tea to another, most black and green tea ranges from 30-50 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce serving.
Caffeine is the only drug allowed by the FDA to be added naturally and legally to food products (7). The FDA has also set a recommended daily caffeine limit, which is 400 mg of caffeine per day for most adults (8).
Those with heart disease or high blood pressure may need to limit their intake of caffeine, as it can temporarily increase heart rate and blood pressure. Your physician or cardiologist may even tell you to avoid it. Additionally, those with high blood pressure (hypertension) may be more susceptible to the effects of caffeine (9).
One study from the Journal of the American Heart Association found that for those with severe hypertension, coffee consumption (>2 cups per day) was linked to an increase in death from heart disease. On the other hand, green tea intake was not associated with any increases in heart disease death for those with any degree of hypertension (9).
Another reason to try this healthy green tea latte recipe!
It’s also important to mention that the study also revealed that compared to coffee drinkers, those who drank tea were older, more likely to be employed, refrain from smoking, and have a higher daily intake of fruits and vegetables.
The FDA recommends limiting caffeine intake to 400 mg per day, though individuals with severe hypertension may need to reduce or avoid caffeine. One cup of green tea contains approximately 30-50 mg of caffeine.
Other Foods That Contain Caffeine
This is not to say that both coffee and caffeine are bad for you. They also have benefits for human health. However, those with high blood pressure may need to limit intake and be mindful of which other foods and beverages contain caffeine.
There are foods that contain natural caffeine like some teas, coffee, and chocolate. In addition, other foods and beverages have caffeine added to them, as in energy drinks or performance-enhancing supplements. See the list below to compare the different caffeine contents of specific foods.
Caffeine Reference Chart
| Food Product | Serving Size | Caffeine (mg) |
|---|---|---|
| Black tea | 8 oz. | 30-50 |
| Green tea | 8 oz. | 30-50 |
| Coffee, black | 8 oz. | 80-100 |
| Decaf coffee, black | 8 oz. | 2-15 |
| Hershey’s milk chocolate bar | 1- (1.5 oz) bar | 10 |
| Hershey’s special dark chocolate bar | 1- (1.4 oz) bar | 25 |
| Hershey’s cocoa powder | 1 Tbsp. | 9 |
| Red Bull energy drink (sugar-free or regular) | 8.4 oz. can | 80 |
| Monster Energy Drink | 16 oz. can | 160 |
| Starbucks coffee, Pike’s Place roast | 16 oz. grande | 310 |
How To Make Green Tea Latte
Healthy Green Tea Latte Recipe Instructions
- Combine Your Ingredients.
In a large coffee cup or microwave-safe bowl, add all ingredients (with exception of the bagged green tea), and stir. Alternatively, this can be done via kettle or in a saucepan on the stovetop if you do not have a microwave.
- Heat Your Ingredients.
Place almond milk mixture in the microwave and heat on high for 1 minute and 45 seconds. Microwave oven temperatures will vary, however, the goal is to achieve a temperature between 150-180 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Steep the Green Tea.
Add the green tea bag to the heated ingredients and steep for 3 minutes. Discard tea bag after 3 minutes.
- Blend and Enjoy!
Pour green tea/almond milk mixture into a blender and blend for 60 seconds. Pour into your favorite cup and enjoy your frothy and aromatic green tea latte!
Variations and Substitutions
This is not by any means the only way to make a green tea latte. In fact, there are so many different variations to try, you will never get bored drinking green tea. How great is that! Experiment with some of these variations and substitutions to find which one you love best.
Basic Green Tea Latte: Omit the cinnamon and this green tea latte recipe according to all other directions.
Jasmine Green Tea Latte: Use jasmine green tea instead of regular green tea. Or try other green tea flavors and varieties!
Iced Green Tea Latte: Make according to recipe instructions, then pour over ice.
Vanilla Green Tea Latte: Omit cinnamon and add vanilla when blending.
Chai Spiced Green Tea Latte: Use a chai spice mix (cinnamon, clove, ginger, and cardamom) in place of just cinnamon.
Ginger Green Tea Latte: Use ground ginger in place of cinnamon.
Power Green Tea Latte: Add in 1 scoop vanilla protein powder of choice.
And of course, there are endless substitutions to liven things up. Try some of these suggestions:
Milk options: regular dairy milk, soy, oat, rice, pea, or coconut
Spice options: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, apple pie spice, cardamom.
Toppings: a dusting of whatever spices you enjoy, whipped cream or milk foam, crushed graham crackers or cookies, marshmallows, caramel syrup, or chocolate syrup.
How to Steep Tea
What is steeping anyways? Well, steeping is basically soaking solids in a liquid to extract the flavors and aromas. In this case, we are using bagged green tea leaves and steeping them in water.
Steeping tea is a simple process. Here are the basic steps to steeping tea:
- Boil water: Bring fresh, cold water (or other liquid) to a boil in a kettle or on the stovetop. Use a thermometer to make sure your water isn’t too hot to begin steeping your tea (see this article from My Tea Vault on how to brew your tea).
- Choose your tea: Select your tea of choice, whether it’s loose-leaf tea or tea bags.
- Measure the tea: Measure out the appropriate amount of tea for your desired strength. A general guideline is to use one teaspoon of loose-leaf tea or one tea bag per 8-ounce cup of water.
- Add the tea: Place the tea in a teapot or directly into a mug.
- Pour the hot water: Pour the hot water over the tea leaves or tea bags.
- Steep: Allow the tea to steep for the recommended amount of time. Different types of tea require different steeping times. As a general rule, black tea should be steeped for 3-5 minutes, green tea for 1-3 minutes, and herbal tea for 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the tea: Once the tea has steeped for the appropriate amount of time, remove the tea leaves or tea bags. No need to squeeze out your tea bag! This will increase the tannic acid and make your tea bitter.
- Enjoy: Your tea is now ready to drink. You can enjoy it plain or add honey, or other sweeteners to taste.
FAQ
Yes. One cup of green tea contains 30-50 mg of caffeine. Decaffeinated green teas are also available, which have about 2 mg of caffeine per cup and provide the same amount of health-promoting benefits as caffeinated varieties.
There is approximately 50-100 mg of EGCG per each 8-ounce cup of green tea.
Green tea does contain natural caffeine, which is a diuretic. However, the amount of caffeine in one cup of coffee would not be enough to cause dehydration or have you running to the bathroom often to urinate.
Most resources agree that steeping your green tea for 1-3 minutes at a temperature between 150-180 degrees Fahrenheit will provide the most health benefits.
Yes! And it’s the perfect finishing touch to any coffee or latte. If you do not have a hand frother, warm your almond milk to room temperature, then use a hand mixer or blender until the almond milk becomes frothy and doubles in size. Almond milk with a higher fat and protein content will yield a higher amount of froth. Almond milk creamer will also froth beautifully.
Healthy Green Tea Latte Recipe (Without Matcha)
Equipment
- 1 blender optional
- 1 food thermometer
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water preferably filtered
- 1 sachet/bag green tea use high-quality for best taste
- ⅓ cup almond milk unsweetened
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon optional
Instructions
- In a large coffee cup or microwave safe container, add all ingredients, except the bag of green tea.
- Heat in microwave for about 1 minute and 45 seconds or until thermometer reads a temp between 150-180 ℉.
- Add green tea bag and steep for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, discard tea bag.
- Add green tea/almond milk mixture to a blender and blend on high for about 60 seconds or until slightly frothy. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You can use dairy milk or any other plant-based milks in this recipe. Keep in mind that the higher the fat content the more calories your latte will be. The higher fat content will also make it froth better!
- If you prefer to use honey in place of maple syrup, feel free. I only chose maple syrup to make this green tea latte recipe vegan.
- You can also try calorie-free sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit.
- Play with the flavor by using other spices including pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or a chai blend using a sprinkling each of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.
Did you try this hot green tea latte recipe? Let me know in the comments. FYI, you can make it iced too! See the variations and substitutions section for a quick how-to.
Want more healthy drink recipes?
- Turmeric and Ginger Tea (Recipe for Good Health)
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie [Vegan]
- Low Sugar Beverages Perfect For Those With Diabetes And Heart Disease
Feel free to pin this recipe to save and share with others!
Kiran Campbell is a registered dietitian and entrepreneur with 13 years of experience. She has a degree in psychology as well as dietetics. She is also a proud member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ and its Cardiovascular Health and Well-being Dietetics Practice Group among others. Kiran proudly presents and promotes the most up-to-date, science-based nutrition information on all things heart-related. She aims to serve not only individuals with heart disease, but also those wanting to protect against it. Learn more about Kiran by visiting her About Page.