First-time green-tea buyers
If you are buying one box for your first food shop, decide whether you want to try green tea without added flavour first or start with a flavour you recognise.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers putting together a small tea cupboard
A mixed collection lets you try several green-tea flavours without buying a separate full box of each.
Shoppers watching their caffeine intake
Ordinary green tea contains caffeine, according to Clipper Teas. If you want to reduce it, look for an explicitly decaf-labelled product rather than relying on the words “green tea”.
What should you check first?
Choose the type of tea you want to try, then check the ingredients, pack size and brewing directions on that particular product.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour | Compare plain green tea with lemon, mint, jasmine or ginger blends. Read the ingredients to distinguish added flavouring from ingredients such as lemon peel. | I want to discover the taste of green tea itself, or start with a citrus, mint, floral or ginger flavour I already find appealing. |
| Caffeine | Look for an explicit decaf label if you want to reduce caffeine. Check the product information if a particular caffeine amount matters. | Reducing caffeine matters to me, so I do not want to mistake an ordinary green-tea bag for a decaf one. |
| Pack size | Check the bag count and whether the box contains one tea or several. Twinings lists a 20-bag Pure Green box and a 20-envelope Classic Collection with five each of four flavours. | I would rather try a small box or several flavours before committing cupboard space to one blend. |
| Matcha content | Check whether the product is a green-tea bag containing matcha or pure matcha powder, and read any stated ingredient proportions. | Matcha is the reason I am shopping, so I want to know what is actually in the product. |
| Brewing | Follow the directions for the tea you buy. Teapigs specifies 80°C water and three minutes for its Mao Feng green tea; do not assume every green tea has the same instructions. | I want a tea whose preparation directions I can follow with the equipment in my kitchen. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Assuming every green tea is plain
Ingredients differ: Clipper Pure Green lists green tea alone, while its Lemon blend also contains natural flavour and lemon peel.
Read the ingredients if you want either an unflavoured starting point or a blend containing particular additions.
-
Assuming green tea is caffeine-free
Clipper Teas states that ordinary green tea contains caffeine. The category name alone therefore does not identify a decaf product.
Choose a tea explicitly labelled decaf if reducing caffeine is part of your decision, and check its label if you need a specific amount.
-
Confusing a matcha blend with pure matcha
Pukka describes Supreme Matcha Green as whole-leaf green tea with matcha powder. A matcha-labelled tea bag is therefore not necessarily pure matcha powder.
Read the ingredient list and any stated matcha proportion when matcha content is important to you.
Green-tea brands to consider
Twinings
Its UK green-tea range includes plain tea, lemon tea and a mixed collection.
- Twinings lists a 20-bag Pure Green box and a Classic Collection with five bags each of ginger, lemon, jasmine and mint green tea.
- Check each blend’s ingredients separately; a flavoured collection does not have one shared ingredient list.
Clipper
Its green-tea products provide distinct plain, lemon and decaf choices.
- Clipper lists green tea as the sole ingredient in Pure Green; its Lemon blend lists green tea, natural flavour and lemon peel.
- Its decaf product uses decaffeinated green tea, but check the pack if you need a particular caffeine amount per cup.
Teapigs
Its Mao Feng tea is a specific pure-green-tea option with stated brewing directions.
- Teapigs lists pure Mao Feng green tea and directs buyers to brew it for three minutes with water at 80°C.
- The stated format contains 15 tea temples, so compare the count with other boxes if you are planning how long your first purchase should last.
Pukka
Supreme Matcha Green is a green-tea blend containing matcha powder.
- Pukka describes the product as made with organic whole-leaf green tea and matcha powder.
- If matcha content is your deciding factor, check the stated proportions rather than treating a tea bag as pure matcha powder.
Yogi Tea
A Tesco grocery listing identifies Yogi Tea Green Energy as a 17-bag Marketplace item.
- Check the current product’s ingredients, caffeine information and seller details before comparing it with plain green tea.
Green-tea options on Joybuy
These tea bags cover lemon and jasmine blends, plain and roasted green tea, and an explicitly decaffeinated option. Compare their ingredients and box sizes against the type of tea you want for your first shop.
No image available
Twinings Lemon Green Tea, 20 bags
A single-flavour option if you want lemon with your first green-tea box. The ingredients list green tea and natural flavourings; check the current pack if lemon peel, rather than lemon flavouring, matters to you. This is not labelled decaf.
No image available
ITOEN OH-I OCHA Green Tea, 40 g, 20 bags
An unflavoured option for trying green tea before choosing a blend. The ingredient is listed as green tea, and the box contains 20 bags. Follow the brewing directions on the pack; it is not labelled decaf.
No image available
Itoen Oi Ocha Hojicha Premium Roasted Green Tea, 20 bags
A roasted green-tea style if you want to try that preparation rather than an unroasted plain tea. The product lists green tea as its ingredient and contains 20 bags of 1.8 g each. Check the pack for brewing directions and caffeine information if either affects your choice.
No image available
Tetley Green Tea Decaffeinated, 100 g, 50 bags
An explicitly decaffeinated green tea for shoppers looking to reduce caffeine. The ingredients are described as decaffeinated green tea. Its 50-bag box is a larger first purchase than the 20-bag options; check the pack if a specific caffeine amount matters.
No image available
Tea Story Jasmine Green Tea [Relaxation Pro], 24 × 2 g bags
A jasmine green tea if you would rather start with a floral style. The pack contains 24 individually wrapped bags and gives brewing directions of 75–80°C for 2–3 minutes. Check its ingredient proportions or caffeine information if either is important to you.
Green-tea questions
Should my first green tea be plain or flavoured?
Choose plain green tea to find out whether you like its unflavoured taste. If you already prefer a recognisable flavour, look at lemon, mint, jasmine or ginger blends; a mixed collection lets you try several before choosing one to buy again.
Is ordinary green tea caffeine-free?
No. Clipper Teas states that ordinary green tea contains caffeine. Look for a product explicitly labelled decaf if you want to reduce caffeine, and check its pack if you need information about a particular amount.
Should I brew every green-tea bag with boiling water?
Follow the directions for the product you buy rather than assuming all green tea is brewed alike. For example, Teapigs specifies 80°C water and a three-minute brew for its Mao Feng green tea.
Is a matcha green-tea bag the same as pure matcha?
No. Pukka describes Supreme Matcha Green as whole-leaf green tea with matcha powder. If you are buying specifically for matcha, check whether the product is a blend or pure powder and read any stated ingredient proportions.