Jasmine tea has been drunk in China for centuries. Jasmine pearl tea is typically a green tea flavored with jasmine petals, which add a light, delicate floral flavor. Read on to learn more about this delicious tea.
What Is Jasmine Pearl Tea?
Often mixed with green tea, jasmine pearl tea is tea leaves rolled into a small, pearl-like shape. Usually, green tea is the primary tea, and petals of jasmine are added for flavor. Then, when you place the pearl in hot water, it slowly opens up while it brews. By the end, you’ll have a beautiful floating plant in your cup or teapot with long tendrils of tea leaves extending toward the surface.
What Are the Benefits of Jasmine Pearl Tea?
Jasmine pearl tea, due to being brewed with green tea, is full of cancer-fighting antioxidants. It also likely has anti-inflammatory properties. Some studies suggest it may even rev up your metabolism, making it a good tea for weight loss.
Green tea, the base for jasmine pearl tea, is also full of catechins. These likely have many health benefits, including improving dental health, lowering blood sugars for diabetics, and lowering bad cholesterol in your system.
Plus, the green tea can help get your brain going. It contains caffeine, though in lower quantities than coffee. In addition, the amino acid L-theanine can help relax you, putting you in a focused state, particularly when paired with the caffeine.
How Do I Drink Jasmine Pearl Tea?
Brewing a Cup of Jasmine Pearl Tea
Start by heating up your water. Use 8 ounces of water for a single cup. The best brew temperature for jasmine pearl tea is between 180-185 degrees Fahrenheit or 82-85 degrees Celsius. While you’re waiting for your water to heat up, spoon 1 teaspoon of your jasmine pearls into an infuser and put the infuser in your cup. Pour the hot water over the tea, and let it steep for 2-3 minutes.
Brewing a Pot of Jasmine Pearl Tea
Heat up your water to 180-185 degrees Fahrenheit or 82-85 degrees Celsius. Make sure to measure your water first, as you’ll need to use 1 teaspoon of tea per 8 ounces of water. Place the tea in a strainer or infuser and set in your teapot. Pour the hot water over the tea and leave it to steep for 2-3 minutes.
Enjoying Your Tea
This tea is great as a light afternoon tea, though you can drink it anytime you get a craving for it! Enjoy it hot, sipping it slowly to appreciate the aroma of the jasmine. Though this tea has a natural sweetness, you can add a tiny bit of sugar or honey to the brew if you’d prefer it to be a bit sweeter. If you want to try it iced, make sure to brew it a bit stronger (about half the water) so that the ice won’t water down the flavor.
Tips
Some experts recommend heating your cup up first. Fill it up with hot water before you put the tea in. Let it sit, then dump that water out. Brew the tea as you normally would. This technique helps keep your tea warm for longer.
Save your brewed jasmine tea pearls. Some people use them as many as three times to make tea!
Try using filtered water in your tea for an even purer flavor.