When you consider the natural benefits of green tea, in theory, the introduction of CBD has the potential to enhance these benefits.
Today we will be looking at CBD matcha green teas, two of which are infused with CBD and the other hemp-based. While the smell and taste are very different, we were pleasantly surprised at the quality.
Before we move on to the reviews, it is essential to mention the two types of traditional green tea, matcha and sencha. While both come from the same plant species, matcha is a fine green powder that has been stoneground, while sencha is loose leaf tea that has been steamed and rolled.
CBD green tea bags under review
We feel it is important to keep the same structure for our CBD reviews so that our readers can compare and contrast on the same basis. Consequently, today we will be considering:-
- Packaging
- Price
- Smell
- Flavour
- Value for money
The three products we will be reviewing today are:-
- Somnio Sencha Green Tea
- Rokit CBD Matcha Green Tea Blend
- Edensgate CBD Matcha Green Tea
While all of these products are green teas, each one offers something different and proved very interesting to review!
Somnio Sencha Green Tea
When it comes to packaging for the Somnio Sencha Green Tea, this is a little confusing. First of all, the packaging is described as biodegradable with a cardboard box but a plastic inner bag.
The feel of the teabags suggests that they are not biodegradable, but we will attempt to confirm this and update ASAP.
However, described as vegan-friendly, organic, THC and GMO free, it certainly ticks many traditional environmentally friendly boxes.
Each pack of Somnio Sencha Green Tea will cost you £12.49 for 15 teabags which equates to 83p per bag. While it can be a natural inclination to compare and contrast the cost of traditional green teabags with the likes of Somnio Sencha Green Tea, we are not comparing like for like.
This particular green tea is hemp-based instead of CBD infused with the other teas we are reviewing today.
As Somnio Sencha Green Tea is hemp-based, it offers a different smell and flavour to the CBD infused ones in this review.
However, the hemp smell is not as strong as others we have encountered, and this is actually a relatively light tea. The make-up is 40% green sencha, 10% jasmine and 50% hemp, and as far as the flavour, it is certainly one you won’t forget. Of course, some people will not like hemp’s distinct flavour/smell and may be more suited to infused CBD teas.
However, as far as hemp flavour and hemp taste, the Somnio Sencha Green Tea is very pleasant indeed. Worth a try!
Value for money
Interestingly, Somnio Sencha Green Tea is the cheapest of the three reviews today, even though it has a traditional stronger hemp base. While the smell and taste are distinctive, this is a relatively light and enjoyable green tea.
If you are looking for a green tea with CBD benefits that tastes and smells different to traditional green tea, then Somnio Sencha Green Tea is one for you to try. Unfortunately, many people are put off by the smell of hemp and won’t get as far as tasting what is an enjoyable experience.
Rokit CBD Matcha Green Tea Blend
Moving onto the Rokit CBD Matcha Green Tea Blend, the branding on this green tea is clear and concise. Again, from an environmentally friendly point of view, it is disappointing to see the benefits of the outer cardboard packaging diminished somewhat by the plastic bag inside. However, the teabags themselves are biodegradable.
On a side note, due to the matcha type of green tea, you will experience a powdery residue on your hands when you hold a teabag. Not a major concern – but something few people will have experienced with traditional teas.
Each Rokit CBD Matcha Green Tea Blend package comes with 18 teabags for £16.99, which equates to around 94p per bag. There is 5 mg of CBD per teabag, which is relatively light compared to others but still gives you the benefits of CBD.
The Rokit CBD Matcha Green Tea Blend is the mid-range price of the three we have reviewed today, although most CBD green teas come in at around £1 per teabag.
While the Rokit CBD Matcha Green Tea Blend is marketed as a matcha tea, there is a significant element of sencha green tea. Interestingly, while the teabag has a sweet smell, the tea has a relatively strong grassy aroma. It has the feel of an earthly vegetable-like essence, distinctive but certainly not unpleasant.
Due to the flavour, this is a type of CBD green tea that could only be enjoyed in moderation and could perhaps be described as the “Marmite” of green tea. The reality is that you will either love it or hate it – on balance, it is distinctive, different, but enjoyable.
Value for money
If you want to buy CBD infused green tea, some offer a distinctive flavour while others are more connected with the traditional green tea experience.
The Rokit CBD Matcha Green Tea Blend is distinctive, although perhaps not to everyone’s taste. However, looking at it from a value for money point of view, it certainly has many attractions and is probably best described as not unpleasant but different. Then again, do you want your CBD matcha green tea to taste like traditional green tea?
Edensgate CBD Matcha Green Tea
As far as the packaging goes, Edensgate CBD Matcha Green Tea is probably the most environmentally friendly of the three we have reviewed today. The cardboard outer packaging is all that is required, with no inner plastic bag to hold the teabags. In addition, it is described as GMO free and 100% kosher, which certainly ticks more environmentally friendly and health-conscious boxes.
All in all, a good start!
The Edensgate CBD Matcha Green Tea is the most expensive of the three green teas we have reviewed today. Each package contains 15 teabags costing £16.99, which equates to around £1.13 per teabag.
There is a relatively strong CBD element that comes in at 20 mg per teabag, although, as we will cover in a moment, this is not necessarily reflected in the smell or taste.
While this is four times stronger than the Rokit green tea, it is essential to note that your body will only ingest around 15% of the CBD that we digest.
When considering the smell and flavour of Edensgate CBD Matcha Green Tea, this is where opinion can diverge. Do you want a green tea that reflects the relatively high CBD content, or do you want a traditional generic tasting green tea with all of the CBD benefits?
Edensgate CBD Matcha Green Tea tastes like a traditional green tea, light and grassy, but it doesn’t necessarily stand out. Don’t get us wrong; this is an enjoyable green tea but, if handed this by a friend, you wouldn’t know it was CBD infused, despite the relatively high CBD element.
Value for money
It is safe to say that opinion will be divided on the Edensgate CBD Matcha Green Tea because while it has a relatively high CBD content, it tastes like a generic green tea.
Do you want to taste an element of CBD in your green tea, or are you happy to experience the health benefits without the change in flavour? The situation is even more complicated because this is the most expensive of the green teas we have covered today.
Edensgate CBD Matcha Green Tea is an enjoyable generic green tea, but unfortunately, there is nothing distinctive.
Conclusion
While our review of CBD matcha green teas has proved very interesting, the various elements will undoubtedly divide opinion. On the one hand, we have the hemp-based Somnio Sencha Green Tea, which delivers precisely what you would expect, a distinctive smell and a distinctive taste.
Then we have the Rokit CBD Matcha Green Tea Blend, which may not be to everybody’s preference but was undoubtedly memorable and enjoyable. This fuller flavour green tea might be described by some as the “Marmite” of CBD matcha green teas.
The Edensgate CBD Matcha Green Tea was in some ways a little disappointing due to the generic green tea taste, but then people may prefer this flavouring. It allows you to enjoy the benefits of CBD matcha green tea without the, what can be, distinctive and robust flavouring of some CBD green teas.
Each of the three green teas has several pros and cons, and ultimately it will come down to personal preference.