No, green tea is not an herbal tea.
Understanding the Difference
The key difference lies in their origins:
- Green tea is derived from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. This is true for black, white, oolong, and other "true teas" as well. [Source: Mount Sinai - New York, Reddit r/tea posts]
- Herbal teas, also known as tisanes, are infusions made from various herbs, spices, flowers, and other plant parts other than Camellia sinensis. [Source: Golden Tips Tea Blog, Reddit r/tea posts]
Many sources confirm this distinction. For example, both Harvard Health and Stash Tea clearly categorize green tea separately from herbal teas. [Source: Harvard Health, Stash Tea] The fact that some products might be marketed as "green herbal tea" (like the Triple Leaf example) doesn't change the botanical origin of the Camellia sinensis leaf used in making traditional green tea. [Source: Amazon - Triple Leaf Teas]
Lipton, Numi Tea, and Teapigs all offer both true teas (including green tea) and herbal teas in their product lines, further highlighting the separate categories. [Source: Lipton, Numi Tea, Teapigs]
