Raising Natural Kids

Because knowledge is the key to making informed decisions for your family.

  • Home
  • About
  • Like Minded Moms
  • Natural Remedies
  • Vaccines 101
  • Shop Safe Products
  • Recipes

Lead in Green Tea; Know Where Yours Comes From

by Dawn Lorenz 4 Comments

Spread the love

Green Tea  – so simple, yet so complex. Light in flavor and so full of health benefits; it should be a staple in every household.

Green Tea

Because it’s full of antioxidants called catechin, green tea is beneficial for so many aspects of the human body.

It’s great for detoxing, preventing cell damage, improving blood flow, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, and, according to one study done in Switzerland, MRIs revealed that people who drank green tea had greater activity in the working-memory area of their brains. Green tea has also been linked to weight loss, when drank in combination with a spoonful of coconut oil mixed in (if you have never tried this before, be prepared that the first few times it may send you to the bathroom as it cleans out your system). There are also suggestions that green tea may be beneficial in fighting cancer. 

green tea lead

Where your tea comes from matters!

When purchasing green tea, organic, loose leaves are best – these have the highest amounts of antioxidants. If not loose, you want a tea that is pure; this means that the tea itself is organic, along with the tea bag. Country of origin is key to look at when choosing your tea. Like most things, you want to avoid tea grown in China. In a recent report published by consumerlab.com, green tea grown in China contained 1.25 to 2.5 milligrams of lead, where as other brands not from China, did not contain measurable amounts.

““Lead can occur in many botanical products because it is taken up from the ground,” said Dr. Tod Cooperman, president of ConsumerLab.com. “The green tea plant is known to absorb lead at a higher rate than other plants from the environment, and lead also can build up on the surface of the leaves.” Dr. Cooperman said the tea leaves containing lead probably originated in China, where studies have found that industrial pollution causes the leaves in some regions to gather substantial amounts of lead. The decaffeination process also helps remove lead”(New York Times). In the study measuring lead in teas, Lipton and Bigelow tested high, so these are two definitely to avoid. Stash has an organic green tea that is grown Japanese style in Brazil. Choice green tea is grown in Japan and their decaf green, in India. 

81OCe5IenJL._SL1500_

 

How to Brew the Best Cup

Different varieties of green tea produce a different color when brewed and each has a slightly different temperature that is best to brew at. In general, though, 140 and 170 degrees is where you want the temperature to be. If your kettle is whistling or steam is coming out, it’s too hot and the water will burn the leaves, leaving you with a bitter tasting cup of tea. If this happens, fill your cup half way with cold, filtered water and then pour in the steaming water, so as to even out the temperature.

Related

Filed Under: Food, Recipes, recipes Tagged With: Family, green tea

« Essential Oil Safety For Kids
Preventing and Healing Cavities Naturally »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. justin says

    March 16, 2017 at 8:34 pm

    I love this stuff especially with some honey! I knew it had the potential for lead absorption but I had no idea it was that much.

    Reply
  2. tealand says

    February 3, 2017 at 8:16 am

    Great. Really informative article on green tea. Thanks much for sharing.

    Reply
  3. cala says

    September 18, 2016 at 1:42 am

    Hi, Dawn 🙂 I enjoyed reading your informative article on green tea. As a tea lover, I know it’s always best to use organic whenever possible, however, I was unaware of the problem with absorption of lead in green tea leaves. And Lipton and Bigelow…REALLY!? Such big brands and so readily available. The things that one has no idea about until you begin to educate yourself! Thank you for sharing your research. Please continue your good work for the benefit of your family and hopefully for the millions of others who will read your blog. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Emily says

      February 3, 2017 at 5:44 am

      Cala that is so true! You really don’t know what can harm you and what can help you until you get educated. I am going to stick to organic loose leaf green teas from Japan from now on!

      Reply

Learn how to make simple, informed changes toward natural living that create the foundation for a lifetime of health for your children.

When you click 'teach me,' you'll subscribe to receive helpful tips and information regarding raising your children naturally.

me n luke

About Raising Natural Kids

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Meet the mattresses that my family sleeps on (we own 5!). Get 125 off each mattress with code RNKSAVE

My Green Mattress Coupon Code

Over 400 handmade products for every part of and every person in your life.

Self-care,healing, beauty, baby & cleaning products

Recent Posts

  • Experiencing Hair Loss? Here’s How You Can Combat Hair Loss Naturally Right Now
  • 16 Natural Living Deals Happening Now for Black Friday & Cyber Monday
  • How to Dye Easter Eggs Naturally
  • Vitamins and Remedies for Fighting A Coronavirus
  • How to Get Rid of Strep for Good (and why it’s sticking around)

What You Sleep On Matters. No chemical flame retardants, no chemical foams. Sleep healthy. Get $125 off each mattress anytime with code RNKSAVE.

My Green Mattress Coupon Code

A cast iron waffle maker is a great alternative to non-stick!

Top Posts

Preventing and Healing Cavities Naturally
What You NEED to Know About Anesthesia if You Have MTHFR
How to Get Rid of Strep for Good (and why it's sticking around)
Egg Yolk, The Perfect First Food for Baby

A compilation of our favorite gifts given to our kids.

Creative Gifts For Kids
Disclaimer Work With Us

Copyright © 2023 · Raising Natural Kids · Dawn Lorenz · All Rights Reserved