I have a feeling green tea has become the tea we’re all supposed to love.
It’s everywhere. Wellness conversations, morning routines, skincare trends, and those beautiful matcha drinks that somehow make an ordinary afternoon look more interesting.
And honestly, I get it.
Green tea can be wonderful. Fresh, grassy, sometimes sweet. But I’ve started wondering why we talk about it as though it’s the obvious choice, while darker teas barely get a mention.
Because what about a rich black tea? Or a roasted oolong? Or a Pu-erh that develops an entirely different character with age?
I think we’re missing quite a lot.
Somewhere along the way, green tea became associated with being healthier and more refined. Its antioxidants receive plenty of attention, while darker teas sometimes get treated as though processing has made them less valuable.
But tea isn’t quite that simple.
Black tea undergoes extensive oxidation, while oolong can fall anywhere across a broad spectrum. These processes change the leaves’ chemistry and flavour, but they don’t automatically make one tea better than another.
And personally, I’d rather choose my tea based on what I enjoy drinking.
There’s something lovely about the malty richness of Assam, the roasted depth of certain oolongs, or the earthy character of ripe Pu-erh. They’re different experiences, and not everyone will enjoy them equally.
That’s perfectly fine.
What bothers me is how easily trends become rules. We discover something popular, convince ourselves it’s the best option, and forget there’s an entire world beyond it.
Maybe that’s why I think the green tea obsession deserves a little questioning.
Not because green tea is overrated in itself, but because no single tea should define what good tea looks like.
Some days, a light green tea might be exactly what I want. Other days, something darker and fuller sounds much more appealing.
I don’t think we need to choose sides.
Green tea can keep its popularity.
I’d just like us to remember that some of the most interesting cups aren’t green at all.
— Maria Tan
On tea, culture, and everyday rituals.
Are We Drinking Tea or Just Collecting It?
There was a time when buying tea meant something simple. You chose a tea you liked, brought it home, and brewed it. The leaves were meant for hot water, not long-term storage. Yet something has quietly changed. Today it is not unusual to meet tea drinkers with shelves filled with sealed cakes, tins, and packets…
The Soul of Tea: Unveiling the Beauty of Traditional Tea Ceremonies
Tea is more than just a drink, isn’t it? It is a quiet moment in the middle of a busy day, a small ritual that grounds us. We are not just drinking tea; we are experiencing something far more profound, a glimpse into the centuries-old traditions of cultures that revere this simple beverage. Whether in…
The Matcha Latte and the Tea It Came From
The matcha latte drink has become one of the most recognizable tea-based beverages in modern cafés. From Starbucks menus to independent tea bars, it is served hot in ceramic mugs or as iced matcha lattes layered in a glass with cold milk and ice. It is marketed as a healthy drink. It is praised for…
We Are Drinking Tea Too Quickly
There is something ironic about rushing tea. We order it to relax. We call it calming. We describe it as grounding. And yet, more often than not, we drink it the same way we drink everything else — between emails, between meetings, between scrolling. Tea has become background noise. A mug beside the laptop. A…
-
Where Tea Meets Cuppage Plaza Food: Restaurants That Serve Both Well
Walk into Cuppage Plaza Singapore and you immediately feel the shift. Just a short walk from Somerset MRT Station, Cuppage Plaza is a go-to spot for anyone craving authentic Japanese cuisine. Sure, Orchard Road is just outside, all shiny and bustling, but once you step inside this older building, the vibe totally shifts. The hallways…
-
Milk Tea Is Not Tea
This is not an argument about preference. It is a question about naming. Milk tea is everywhere now. It travels in oversized cups, sealed with plastic film. It arrives layered with foam, syrup, pearls, jelly, whipped cream. It is photographed before it is tasted. It is queued for. It is branded. It is loved. But…
-
A Journey into Herbal Teas: Exploring Nature’s Finest Infusions
Imagine cupping your hands around a warm mug, inhaling the sweet, floral scent of chamomile tea or the invigorating peppermint tea aroma from the peppermint plant. As you take the first sip, you feel a sense of calm and comfort wash over you. This soothing experience is the magic of herbal teas, a diverse and…
-
Singapore Tea for Every Palate and Every Ritual
What draws us to seek something deeper in a simple cup of tea? In Singapore, where countless cultures have settled like leaves steeping in warm water, the answer unfolds quietly in the spaces between tradition and modernity. Good tea emerges from patient sourcing, from the steady hands of those who understand its language, from leaves…
-
Where to Find Private Room Singapore Spaces for Tea Rituals
In a city that never truly rests, quiet becomes something you have to choose. You feel it when you’re weaving through Orchard Road in the middle of the day, or squeezing past crowds in the Central Business District at lunch hour. The lights are bright, the notifications keep coming, and even when you sit down, your…
-
Tea Is Losing Its Ceremony — And We Let It Happen
No one announced it. There was no collective decision, no moment of cultural shift. And yet, the ceremony has quietly receded from everyday tea. What was once deliberate has become automatic. Tea used to require attention. Water temperature mattered. Leaves were measured with care. The cup was chosen, not grabbed. Even in the absence of…
