15 ways to sweeten Sencha Green Tea
Sencha is the most commonly found and primarily produced green tea in Japan. It is grown in full sunlight and harvested in late spring. Due to sunlight exposure, its leaves are dark green with a grassy aroma and astringency flavor. Although, most people like it just the way it is, much bitter.
However, many avoid it due to its taste but worry not because we have listed fifteen low-calorie sweetener or sugar substitutes to add in Sencha and make it better natural and healthy ingredients add just the right sweetness to your green tea.
1. Honey
Adding honey is a traditional way of sweetening your green tea. It has fewer calories than sugar and more health benefits. It makes your green tea taste much better and healthier. You can either use raw honey or a combination of honey and apple. Both work and make your tea a whole lot better. Just put a teaspoon in your teacup and not during the brewing process.
2. Organic Maple Syrup
Organic maple syrup is the second-best way to sweeten your Sencha tea. It is popular not only in Canada but worldwide due to its taste, low calories and natural mineral ingredients. Moreover, it has many qualities and helps in the prevent of heart disease and cancer with like Sencha tea.
3. Rock Sugar
Rock sugar is a fancy and low-calorie substitute for white sugar. Although its effect on the flavor of the tea is the bare minimum, some still suggest adding green tea. It all comes down to personal preference, whether you like your Sencha bitter or like to mild it with an extra light flavor.
4. Stevia Leaf
Stevia leaf is a herbaceous solution for your bitter green tea. It provides a licorice-like flavor to your tea and sweetens the taste. Stevia is a healthy and calorie-free sweetener, and you can store it for the long term. It is derived from the Stevia Rebaudiana plant which is found in South America, and generally, in the market, it is available in its refined form. Selecting organic stevia is much better due to its therapeutic and medicinal properties. These are rich in Vitamin C and A, and many minerals that help in your body. It is the safest sweetener used worldwide and provides thirty times more sweetening power than sugar.
5. Mix fruit teas
Instead of adding sweetener, you can just buy fruit or flower flavored Sencha tea. These have dried fruit bits mixed with Sencha leaves, and when you brew them, you can sense the smell and taste of fruits in your tea. If you do not like your plain bitter Sencha, it is a good alternative, and you do not have to add extra sweet calories to your tea.
6. Mint or lemon juice
If sweetened means to balance the taste with no bitter aftertaste, then you can add either mint leaves or lemon to achieve the effect in Sencha tea. Lemon juice is a great way to reduce bitterness and add healthy quality to green tea. Do not pour it in hot tea; instead, let it cool down a bit then add a slice or teaspoon of juice. Just stir and enjoy.
7. Agave Nectar
Agave nectar is commercially produced in the factories from several species of agave plants. Its taste lies between honey and molasses and tastes like bitter green tea. It would help if you kept this fact in mind that it is much sweeter and you can judge it by its color of it. Darker agave syrup has a more robust caramel flavor, and lighter has a mild or neutral taste. Therefore, make sure to add only a small amount to get a mild and sweet flavor in Sencha tea.
8. Coconut Sugar
People have suggested variations of coconut such as coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut water, and coconut sugar to mild the bitterness of Sencha tea. However, in our opinion coconut sugar stands out the most because it is subtly sweet with a slight hint of caramel, and looks and feels like brown sugar.
9. Date Sugar
Dates packs sweetness in small bites and low calories. Date sugar, made from dried dates, is another suitable way to sweeten your Sencha tea. Due to its undissolvable quality, unlike conventional sugar, it is much less used worldwide.
10. Almond or Soy Milk
Lastly, if you wish to add milk to cancel out the bitterness in Sencha, use any nutty milk instead of cow milk. Soy milk or almond milk is a classic way to sweeten green tea. These contain proteins, vitamins, and minerals that make the drink healthier. You can add milk to make a latte or smoothie or any way you like.
11. CONDENSED MILK
Thick milk with a rich, sweet flavor is a sure tasty sweetener for either plain sencha tea or matcha-sencha latte. A bit of swirling, or one to two tablespoons of condensed milk, is enough to make a delicious drink. What is good about condensed milk is it has more vitamins than sugar. It contains calcium, protein, Vitamin D, Riboflavin, and many more.
12. XYLITOL
Xylitol tastes sweet but does not cause tooth decay. It is called a sugar alcohol since it contains chemical structures from sugar and alcohol. You only need a small amount to put on your Sencha, as more than 50 grams of xylitol daily will not be good for your health. Xylitol is low in calories and has a lower glycemic index than sugar. It is perfect for health-conscious tea drinkers. It can help you feel refreshed, as xylitol can prevent cavities and ear infections.
13. ERYTHRITOL
It is also a sugar alcohol but has zero calories and more nutrients than xylitol. Because of this, it helps drinkers, especially the ones with diabetes, to lose weight and control blood sugar levels. There are other sugar alcohols, but erythritol is the best to pair with Sencha.
14. MOLASSES
Drinking tea is a stress reliever, and adding molasses will make your Sencha tea a stomach reliever as it can manage your constipation symptoms. Molasses can also be a key to making your heart, nerves, bones, and muscles run smoothly. Despite being an extract from sugar beets and sugar canes, molasses has antioxidants and nutrients that can cure Anemia, lower blood pressure, and improve skin and hair health.
15. MONK FRUIT
This fruit is sweet and, at the same time, does not mess up blood sugar levels. This sweetener can also be bought in sachets, so you can just put the powder on your tea. It is a natural food and can fight off cancer and diabetes. Low in calories too, making it an excellent sweetener to pair up with Sencha.
Ways to Sweeten Sencha Green Tea — Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add lemon or mint to Sencha?
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About the author
Kei Nishida
Author, CEO Dream of Japan
Certification: PMP, BS in Computer Science
Education: Western Washington University