Q. Why is everyone talking about Green tea?
A. It’s good for you! Green tea is high in antioxidants which combat the natural effects of ageing upon cells within the body. Green tea is also effective at reducing incidents of cardio-vascular disease.
Q. For how long has it been known that green tea is good for you?
A. Anecdotal evidence of good health attributable to drinking tea was cited in scripts from China’s Shang dynasty as far back as 1766-1050 BC!
Q. What is green tea?
A. Green tea is tea that has not oxidised during manufacture. After plucking and once the leaf has withered and been rolled the leaf is fired or steamed to stop the juices on the surface of the leaf from oxidising, or fermenting as it is known in the trade. Green tea is made from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis as black tea.
Q. Isn’t all tea green?
A. No, most of the tea we drink in the West is black. This means that the rolled leaf is allowed to oxidise in air. The juices on the surface then oxidise before this is stopped by firing.
Q. What does green tea taste like?
A. Green tea should taste fresh and aromatic without bitterness. Other notable characteristics are grassy, floral, nutty, brisk and from light to full bodied. However, there is as much variety within green teas as the difference between green and black!
Q. Where is green tea produced?
A. China, Japan, Darjeeling and many regions of the Far East. Japan only produces green tea and China produces some of the very best of the world’s green teas, often by hand and according to strict methods of manufacture. China also produces a huge amount of green tea for internal consumption.
Q. Is green tea new?
A. No, green tea was developed much earlier than black. Only in the eighteenth century was black tea created for Western markets as a means of maintaining its freshness during the long voyage to European markets. There then began a considerable following for these teas in the Netherlands and England.
Q. What types of green tea are there?
A. Gunpowder, and Chun Mee from China; Sencha and Matcha from Japan. Gunpowder is pale green and aromatic. Chun Mee is smooth, aromatic and floral. Pi Luo Chun from Jiangsu province is one of China’s great teas as is Huang Shan Mao Feng from Anhui province. Sencha is Japan’s everyday drinking tea and is produced in different qualities such as Fukujyu. Dragon Well is another great China green but is also known as a white tea due to it being picked whilst the leaf remains a downy-white bud.
Q. Why are many China green teas so bulky?
A. The leaf is whole, and not broken during manufacture. This means that they produce a more complex flavour than many black teas.
Q. Can green teas be brewed repeatedly?
A. Yes, the leaf can be brewed for just a couple of minutes for the first infusion, increasing progressively to several minutes.
Q. What are the health benefits of green tea?
A. Like all fruit and vegetables tea is rich in antioxidants but it is the particular concentration of flavanols, a particularly beneficial group of antioxidants, that has received greatest attention from the medical profession. The catechins in green tea within this flavanol group remain most potent and effective in combating cancers.
Q. Does green tea contain caffeine?
A. Yes, but about one quarter of that found in black tea. Green tea should therefore not compromise a good night’s sleep.
Q. How hot should the water be when making green tea?
A. Freshly drawn water that has boiled but cooled a little should be used when making green tea. If the water is too hot there is a tendency that the tea will become bitter.
Q. For how long should green tea be brewed?
A. Green tea should generally be brewed for only two to three minutes on the first infusion. The same leaves may be used repeatedly but the brewing time will need to be progressively increased.
Q. Are there other traditionally flavoured green teas such as jasmine?
A. Yes, the Chinese have for centuries tossed fresh flower petals into green tea, layering the tea and flowers to create flavoured teas with great subtlety. Osmanthus produces a deliciously sweet and peach-like tea. Whilst most of us will have tried jasmine tea not many of us are familiar with the heady aroma of a good, fresh jasmine tea.
Q. How long can green tea be kept?
A. Green tea should be consumed within six months of purchase. They are more perishable than black teas that can be kept for well over a year. All tea should be kept in cool, dry and airtight containers away from light and odours.
Q. Is green tea used in the Japanese Tea Ceremony?
A. Yes, a traditional green tea is used called matcha. This is made from tencha which is then powdered using special millstones. Tencha is bright green in colour and is rich in chlorophyll as it is grown in the shade for around twenty days prior to plucking. This gives a sweeter, milder flavour.
Q. Can teabags be used for green tea?
A. Teabags should not be used for brewing any good tea and the subtleness of green tea is most affected by contamination by paper. Many of the best green teas cannot be infused in bags as the leaf is large and whole. Teabags make the tea brew more quickly and therefore the more subtle characteristics of the tea are lost.
Author Resource:
Anna Greening writes about Tea for Grey's Teas, a leading online supplier fo speciality teas including exclusive green tea and white tea ranges
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")