Green Tea
Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze
Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) is an evergreen shrub whose young leaves and leaf buds are harvested and minimally processed (unlike black tea, which is fully oxidized) — the source of one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world.
Last reviewed October 7, 2026
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What is Green Tea?
Origin: China and other parts of East and South Asia
What is Green Tea traditionally used for?
Traditionally used, and now extensively researched, as an antioxidant-rich daily beverage. Long associated in East Asian tradition with alertness, digestion, and general wellness.
How is Green Tea prepared?
Steeped as a light infusion — green tea is more delicate than black tea and is best brewed with slightly cooler water and a shorter steep to avoid excessive bitterness.
Dosage: As a beverage: enjoyed freely in ordinary amounts, generally cited as up to several cups daily. Concentrated extract supplements are a separate product with their own dosing considerations not covered by ordinary tea-drinking guidance.
Is Green Tea safe to use?
As an ordinary brewed beverage, green tea has a long, well-established safety record and this caution doesn't apply to typical daily consumption. It does contain caffeine, so those sensitive to caffeine, pregnant, or avoiding it for other reasons should account for that. The important distinction is with concentrated green tea extract supplements (not brewed tea) — these deliver far more concentrated EGCG than a cup of tea ever would, and have real documented case reports of liver injury at high doses; regulatory bodies in some regions cap supplemental EGCG intake specifically because of this. A cup of brewed tea and a green tea extract capsule are not the same thing, and this caution is about the latter, not the former.
This is educational information, not medical advice. See our full Disclaimer before use.
What else is Green Tea called?
- Camellia
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Used in rituals & traditions 1 entry
Each entry says whether it is historical, traditional or modern, and cites its source. Tradition and personal practice, not medicine.