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Articles What's So Special About Green Tea?
Health Benefits, Brewing & Varieties  By Tania Tyler Green tea is much more than just a refreshing
beverage tea; it provides many proven health benefits as well.
The Chinese and Japanese have enjoyed green tea's healing qualities
for thousands of years but it hasn't been until recently that scientific
research has proven the health benefits of drinking green tea. All teas (green, black, and oolong) are harvested
from the same plant (Camellia sinensis). The method of processing
creates the different types. Green tea contains the highest content
of various antioxidant compounds (polyphenols) that have been proven
as beneficial in fighting certain cancers, to help lower cholesterol
levels and blood pressure, to help prevent food allergies, to reduce
the risk of flu and infections, and to reduce the effects of aging.
Vitamins C and E and beta carotene are also prevalent in green
tea. Enough fluoride is found in green tea to help reduce plaque
formation and bacterial infections in the mouth. The caffeine content
found in green tea is about a quarter to an eighth that of coffee
and less then a can of cola but varies with the brewing time.  Green
teas are as varied and unique as wines. Their uniqueness depends
upon the growing region, the season's weather, time of harvesting
and type of processing. Many varieties are available in multiple
grades. Some exotic teas are picked only one day a year! The majority
of green teas come from Japan, China or India. Processing of the
tea varies between the different regions so this is just a basic
overview. The finest teas come from the most aromatic, young, top
two leaves and the unopened leaf bud of the plant. After picking,
the green leaves are spread out in the hot air to wither. Once
they are soft, they are traditionally pan-fried in woks. In Japan,
they may be steamed. This prevents the leaves from oxidizing (fermenting)
as occurs in black tea. The leaves are then rolled to give them
durability, their characteristic shapes: twisted, curly or balled,
and as a means to regulate the release of natural substances and
flavor when steeped. The final step dries the leaves by firing.
This stabilizes the natural fragrances and flavors and preserves
the green color. The objective of processing the tea leaves into
green tea is to preserve the healthy, natural and active substances.
Sometimes flowers are placed on the tea leaves
during the drying process to impart a gentle floral flavor to the
tea, such as the popular jasmine green tea. There are hundreds of different green teas,
most of which never reach the U.S. Some of the more common green
teas are:
- Gyokuro - the finest green tea.
- Bancha - the "everyday" green
tea of Japan. This tea is made from low-grade leaves, imparting
a slightly astringent taste.
- Genmaicha - a tea made from a combination
of usually bancha and roasted brown rice. Some of the rice
pops during the roasting process like popcorn. This is a light
tea with a slightly nutty flavor.
- Sencha - a delicate, sweeter, Japanese
green tea with needlelike leaves available in many grades.
- Kukicha - a mild Japanese tea made
from the twigs or stems of the tea bush.
- Gunpowder - a stronger Chinese
tea rolled into tight pellets originally to preserve freshness
during the long trip from China to Europe.
- Dragonwell - a favorite Chinese
tea with flat, long leaves.
Some of the more exotic and expensive green
teas have such interesting names as: White Monkey Paw, Dragon Pearls,
Lucky Dragon, Jasmine Dragon Tears and Bird Nest.
So, for those of you who have tried green tea
and just don't care for the taste, give it a second chance. Green
tea requires a quicker brewing time from most teas to keep it from
becoming bitter tasting. Use approximately one teaspoon of tea
per cup of water. Bring your water to just under a boil or boil
and let sit for 5 minutes before pouring over the tea. Green tea
only needs a brewing time of one to two minutes before removing
the tea leaves from your cup or pot. Adjust the quantity of tea
or length of brewing to suit your taste. The used tea leaves can
actually be reused for a second cup of tea, just brew about 20
seconds longer. Green tea can also be brewed with other herbs such
as ginger, peppermint, lemon balm or jasmine flowers to change
the flavor yet still reap the health benefits. Take a few minutes, brew up a cup of this ancient
healing tea and contemplate life while your body enjoys the gentle
health benefits. Related Articles - Green Tea
An
excellent article about Green Tea
From Wikipedia, the free encylopedia - Covering the history
of green tea, Chinese green teas, Japanese green teas, other green
teas, health benefits of green tea, the Japanese tea ceremony,
additional links and references. Includes complete descriptions & photos
of the different types of green teas. Health
Benefits of Green Tea provided by Celestial Seasonings
Includes green tea research links, Q & A Links
to scientific papers on the Health Benefits of Green Tea
Provided by Google Scholar - very cool! Search
for News Articles about Green Tea
Provided by Google News UK
Tea Council - Tea 4 Health
Tea4health is dedicated to bringing you the facts about the health
giving properties of the world’s favourite drink. If you
need questions answered about tea and health, or if you want to
know why drinking at least 4 cups of tea a day is good for your
health, then look no further – this site provides a wealth
of information that will help you. 
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