How to Make a Perfect Cup of Jasmine Tea

The jasmine flower is hand-picked, making jasmine tea a delicacy.

Jasmine tea, sometimes called jasmine flower tea or jasmine tisane, comes from China where it is frequently drunk pure, but in other countries it is often added to other teas, such as green tea. The polyphenols (antioxidants) in pure jasmine tea, like in green tea, provide numerous health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and preventing cancer, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Use water that is nearly boiling, never lukewarm. Water should be at least 170 F. Water that is too hot can cause bitterness.

2. Add roughly 1 tsp. loose tea leaves per teapot (roughly 3 to 5 cups of tea).

3. Steep the tea for 1 to 5 minutes. The polyphenol content of the tea will increase with greater steeping time, but more than 5 minutes can result in bitter tea.

4. Optionally strain the tea, pour into warmed teacups, and sip gently while the tea is still hot.

Tips & Warnings

• In general, loose tea is better than teabags, since you avoid the harmful glue used to seal many teabags, and loose tea is generally fresher and less likely to be stale.

References

• Optimistic Lifestyle: Jasmine Tea. A Special Approach to Health
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Green Tea