Green tea is said to possess so many health benefits it’s practically a cure-all. Its unfermented leaves – filled with antioxidants and Vitamin C – are thought to aid weight loss, ease hangovers, and even prevent cancer.

“The health benefits are broad. Green tea helps fight off free radicals, and it helps flush viruses out of the body,” said Kai Andersen, planning manager of the tea company Ito En New York, which sells about 30 kinds of green tea (822 Madison Ave., 212-988-7111).

All health benefits aside, one small matter remains: how the tea actually tastes. Green tea suffers from a reputation as tasting bitter and too oceanic. When brewed properly, though, it can be a soothing, mellow beverage. But with so many green teas on the market, how can you choose between them?

To find the best of the supermarket variety – and to see whether or not the high-end variety was worth the price – we put our taste buds to the test. The results were extremely varied: flavors that strongly appealed to some tasters were nearly repugnant to others.

In choosing a green tea that’s right for you, it’s best to sample a few. “If you’re new to green teas, it’s a subtle flavor experience. You’re looking for something that’s satisfying,” said Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Council of the USA.

Green tea comes in several varieties. The most popular is Sencha, which is known for its delicate qualities. Bancha, also common, is made from full leaves (rather than stems or twigs) and typically has a pleasant, smooth taste. More and more, tea makers are adding flavors to green tea, such as lemon or ginger. So finding your favorite is just a matter of trial and error. Whatever you choose, be sure to follow a few key guidelines for brewing green tea properly.

First, do not use boiling-hot water, which will result in an excess of bitterness and caffeine. Second, do not steep the leaves for too long. “The biggest mistake is to steep it as long as you steep black tea. That makes it too bitter,” said Mr. Simrany, who advises steeping for just under a minute in water that is 165 to 185 degrees.

TASTING NOTES

* CELESTIAL SEASONING, Antioxidant Green Tea Supplement, $3.09, 20 teabags

The responses to this souped-up green tea – which includes ginseng, citrus flavors, and roasted chicory root – were wildly divergent. “Fruity, with a nice lemony aftertaste,” raved one reviewer. “Undrinkable, tastes like TheraFlu,” groused another. Still another said, “Huh?”

* GUAYAKI YERBA MATE, Greener Green Tea, $7.99, 16 teabags

This product combines the South American drink Guayaki Yerba Mate with Green tea. Results were not met with much enthusiasm. One taster detected “a campfire rusticness.” Other notes included “licorice,” a “musty smell,” and “horses.”

* ITO EN, Sencha Green Tea (loose and teabags) $12, 3 ounces or $1 a teabag

Objectors disliked the “fishy,” “muddy,” “rotten grass” taste of this tea from Shizuoka’s Abe River region. “Smells like fresh-cut lawn, tastes like mud,” claimed one. But it was the strong favorite of another reviewer, who found it “very fresh, nutty, and mellow.”

* HAIKU, Sencha Green Tea, $5.59, 16 teabags

Opinions ranged broadly. There were complaints of a “barley” flavor and a “bitter, gritty” feel. But others liked the “rounded, sweet taste.” The organic product also comes with the endearing touch of a tea-related haiku on the box.

* YOGI, Simply Green Tea, $3.09, 16 teabags

“Smells like seaweed, and sort of tastes like it,” said one reviewer. Others liked the “ocean-y” taste, and still others noted an appealing light and nutty flavor. The Yogi brand approaches the marketing of its organic tea in a lifestyle manner: the packaging comes complete with a poem and yoga tips.

* TAZO, “Envy,” Organic Green Tea, $4.99, 20 tea bags

For most, this widely distributed brand – made from tea grown in southwestern China – was “easy to drink,” “lightly fragrant,” and a “clean” hit. One rogue taster found it too bitter, however.

* ALVITA, Chinese Green Tea (loose) $4.79, 4.5 ounces

“Smooth, yet persistent” and “better than most” were the positive reactions to this largely unobjectionable tea. Though the brand hails from China, its origins had no noticeable taste difference.

* EDEN FOODS, Bancha Green Tea (loose), $5.99, 3.5 ounces

In a triumph of consistency, reviewers felt more or less similarly about the loose and individually bagged versions of this tea: “light and fresh,” “airy and soothing,” “almost sweet.”

* EDEN FOODS, Bancha Green Tea (tea bags), $3.29, 16 teabags

With its “sweet,” “balanced” flavor, this “reliable” tea was almost a unanimous winner. One reviewer, however, thought it “smelled too much like seaweed.” The Bancha variety uses more of the actual tea leaves and is believed to have more “ying” than the Kukicha variety, which use more of the stem or twig and has more “yang.”

* ITO EN, Genmai (loose) $12, 3 ounces

This “ricey, pleasant” tea – a mix of whole tea leaves, ground leaves, and roasted rice – was the universal favorite. “Good and toasty,” said one reviewer. Another raved that the “rice lessens the bitter flavor, and adds a nutty sweetness.”