Chinese green tea is without doubt among the most loved beverages in the world. While it was initially a drink found in Asia, enjoyed by the Chinese and Japanese for 3,000 years, it has now been deemed a vital part of the western world. Asia still produces the most green tea and today, you will find hundreds of varieties of green tea, as well as different grades.
Processing of Green Tea
Interestingly, the same plant called Camellia sinensis that produces loose black tea, white tea, and oolong tea produces green tea. The only difference is the processing method used. For instance, all tea is fermented except green tea. Instead, after the leaves are hand plucked, they are laid out to dry, which can take up to 24 hours. Once the drying is done, the leaves are pan fried or steamed so the leaves do not ferment. At that point, the leaves are tightly rolled, followed by a second drying process.
Due to the way in which loose green tea is processed, it has a unique flavor and aroma from other types of tea. When brewed, the color is light green and if green tea is enjoyed without cream or sugar, it has a slightly grassy flavor. Because green tea is not fermented, it has a unique flavor over Chinese black tea, oolong, or white tea.
Benefits of Antioxidants
The process used for oolong and black tea involves fermentation, which means the antioxidants, known as epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG are oxidized. In this case, antioxidants are converted into different compounds. However, without green tea being fermented, EGCG is not touched. For this reason, green tea has the highest level of antioxidants, giving it incredible healing properties.
For one thing, EGCG can fight off free radicals, which carry molecules carrying oxygen through the body, wrecking havoc, specifically to the digestive tract. If free radicals are not controlled, they cause significant damage to DNA and the body’s cellular system. When cells become damaged, serious disease is common, which includes heart disease, high cholesterol levels, and even cancer.
Today, doctors suggest that people eat foods high in antioxidants, specifically EGCG. With this, the person would live a long, healthy life. If you look at people that live in Asia, you would notice that they have much lower incidences of disease because they consume so much green tea.
Varieties of Green Tea
As you begin looking at one or more tea companies, you will quickly realize that green tea comes in wonderful varieties. In fact, this particular type of tea can be found not only in China but also throughout Japan and even in India, Kenya, Korea, Sri Lanka, Australia, and Vietnam. Therefore, opportunities for green tea are tremendous.
Of course, you should try a variety of blends, as well as the best green tea that has not been blended so you can determine the one you like best. Then when you purchase bulk green tea, you need to make sure you are buying the current year’s crop grown only in the finest tea gardens.
Buying Quality Green Tea
Quality tea gardens are found around the globe but the quality of tea produced varies. The process associated with growing and harvesting tea requires a lot of time, much of the work being done by hand. For this reason, if a worker were to take any type of shortcut, it would be noticed in the tea purchased. The leaves should only be plucked by hand and the tealeaves processed on the same day plucked.
The highest quality green tea comes from tea gardens that are run by skilled artisans. These workers are highly skilled in plucking tea and know what to pluck, as well as how long the leaves should be steamed, which is anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds. This simple step is essential, which determines the flavor, as well as softness or thickness of the tealeaves.
Along with tea coming from the finest tea gardens, you should always purchase tea that is from the best pluckings in the current year. Workers pluck leaves during the spring, which is the first harvest, until the first frost. Because of this, some tea, such as green tea is harvested four, sometimes five times in a single year.
One particular time of year for growing green tea is in the summer but again, the first pluckings during the first growing season in the spring ensures the highest quality possible.
The better tea gardens work hard to grade later plucking with a lower grade than tealeaves plucked early and some will actually use words such as “first plucking” on the label. While you would pay more money for tea from the first plucking, you will also enjoy the most amazing flavor and aroma.
Buying Green Tea Online
If you want to buy tea online, you will find a better selection although you could also shop locally. Many of today’s teashops are trying to put first plucking tea in their list of teas offered and choose the highest grade they can find.
Some local teashops also let customers know when a shipment of first plucking green tea or other type of tea has arrived.
Because green tea plucked early limits available quantity, it can be challenging to find. Typically, this tea would hit the market for customers to buy sometime in May to June.
While you can still purchase excellent green tea that is not from the first plucking, the key is to purchase from a reputable source.
