Member-only story
Are Japanese People Healthy Because They Drink A Lot of Green Tea?
It’s rather what you end up not drinking, than what you do
A cup of green tea to go with your lunch, miss?
When you go to a restaurant and are asked to choose a drink to go with your lunch, there is a drink option that is consistently offered in Japan that is rarely found in the United States: green tea.
It’s not just restaurants, but you can order straight Japanese green tea at your movie theater, your McDonald’s, your local street vendor, at school, Disneyland, and almost every vending machine in the country. Oftentimes you’ll even be given several options for tea — green tea or black tea? Roasted or a blend with oolong? Tea is as varied and ubiquitous as soda would be in the United States. It’s even served in most soda fountains at fast food chains.
In Japan, green tea is not just for the health-conscious
I was not always so used to drinking tea, but when it is the only beverage available in the house and you’re offered it every time you visit a friend or extended family member’s home, you begin to find yourself accustomed to it as a typical beverage.
Could I get you a glass of tea?
