Green tea is considered the healthiest of all the teas known to mankind. It is rich in antioxidants, contains bioactive compounds like polyphenols, catechins, and healthy minerals that prevent cell damage.
It improves brain functioning, promotes fat loss, reduces the chances of cancer, and also lowers the risk of heart diseases.
Initially, when people start consuming green tea, it might not soothe the taste buds however, thank god, there are snacks and certain foods that you can have along with green tea.
Here are healthy foods you can munch along with sipping a hot cup of green tea-
#1. Muesli Bars
Do you feel like having something but you don’t want to consume something sweet? Everybody faces this dilemma once in a while. In such situations, what you need is Muesli bars-Hearty and portable. Muesli bars can be easily prepared at home with healthy fruits like bananas, dry fruits like chopped almonds, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, coconut, oats, cranberries, and cinnamon. Not only these bars are healthy but delicious enough to inculcate into a habit.
#2. Seafood
Vegetal tea or Japanese Sencha is a variation of green tea that is popular for its grassy flavor. It has an intense color that no other green tea has. People love having it with seafood like sushi. Dragon well, shrimp, and shellfish are other good options you can try.
#3. Cucumber Sandwich
One of the perfect and easy-to-make snacks is a cucumber sandwich. It’s simply delicious and goes well with green tea. To make a cucumber sandwich all you’ll need is- Fresh dill, cream cheese, bread (white, brown- any of these)
#4. Chicken or Turkey
There is a special kind of tea produced in China: Smoky green tea. It is named so due to the slight smokiness that occurs when it is manufactured. This unique green tea can be best paired with strong flavored food like Chicken and Turkey. It can also be paired with root vegetables and light-baked pizzas. Don’t combine Smoky green tea with sweets as its original taste is bitter and having something on a sweeter side adds to the bitterness.
#5. Roasted Rice
Roasted rice and green tea complement each other very well. Genmai (Roasted rice) is mixed with green tea in a proportion of 1:1 ideally but it can differ according to preferences. There is also a Japanese dish called Ochazuke where green tea is used as a topping. Isn’t it interesting?
#6. Healthy Biscuits
Normal healthy biscuits, those made with dried fruits, the ones you eat with normal tea can also be paired with green tea. You can even bake these biscuits easily at home, in a variety of flavors so that you don’t get bored of a particular type.
#7. Chocolate Chip Cookies
Now, this is for people who are extremely fond of chocolates but at the same time, want to stick to a healthy routine. If you wish to try another sweet cookies, you can also try the vanilla cookies recipe curated by our wellness experts.
#8. Cake
Are you scratching your head right now? AH yes! Cakes and green tea are a marvelous match. Matcha green tea, in particular, pairs up excellently with cheesecakes. Also, experiment with fruity cakes with green tea and see if you like the pair. Many people certainly do.
Other healthy options-
- Roasted Chickpea (Chana)- Perfect low-carb snack to obtain high fiber and protein
- Fruit salads- To alleviate your sugar cravings
- Roasted Makhana (Foxnuts)- Low in calories, rich in sodium with low glycemic index
In a nutshell
If you have paired up wine with food then why not green tea. Give these combinations a try! Apart from the above stated you can also try roasted bulb vegetables with it. Remember not to consume green tea before bedtime as it may cause disturbances in the sleep cycle.
Want to choose the best snack not just for your tea time but ideally for the whole day? Consult a dietitian on The Wellness Corner to get customized meal plans that will fit in your routine and help you achieve your wellness goals effectively.