Keep in mind that tea is made by leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant, each hand picked to maintain integrity.  The people that spend hours each day plucking the leaves look for the most tender and youngest the plant produces.  With that, they know they can produce the finest quality possible, whether the best green tea, black tea, white tea, or oolong tea.

Tea Processing

Tea is processed with the CTC method, which involves crushing, tearing, and curling.  In this case, tiny pieces left over are used to make green tea bags, black tea bags, and so on, as well as concentrate for ice tea.  The large leaves and pieces are used for making quality loose leaf tea, which is the best you can buy.

Once the tea has been harvested and processed, it can be blended with other types of tea or flavorings, herbs, and flowers that enhance flavor and aroma, as well as color, texture, and body.  Because of this, you can choose any blend you want, finding one or several to enjoy daily.

Incredible Flavors for Tea

You can choose subtle or bold green and black tea blends depending on your preference.  For instance, Chai green tea and Kashmiri Chai are excellent options that have a spicy flavor.  This type of tea comes from the northern part of the India Himalayas, which is typically enjoyed with a little fresh cream and honey.

Amazingly, just four ounces of quality loose leaf tea can produce more than 50 cups.  However, if you were to purchase bulk green tea, bulk black tea, or some other type of bulk tea, from a single pound, you would get 200 cups.  That means you are paying just a few cents for each cup of delicious tea you enjoy.

For a smooth flavor enjoyed in the afternoon, Nepalese Afternoon Tea blend is great.  This grows in the Himalayan country of Nepal just at the base of Mount Everest.  This tea is simply delicious with subtle flavors of honey, sandalwood, and lotus.

Rose Tea is also a beautiful choice, which has a rich flavor and aroma.  In this case, the tea is made from quality loose leaf black tea that has been enhanced with rose petals.  Because of this, you end up with a type of tea that is light and refreshing, while producing a hint of floral.  Rose Tea is versatile in that it is excellent hot or cold.

Classic Tea

If you prefer a more authentic type of tea, one with rich flavor then Shinharaja is a consideration.  This tea comes from loose, dark leaves that are carefully grown in the hill country of Ceylon.  The finish of this loose black tea is carmelized, which gives it a unique consistency of molasses.  Since it is so rich, most people will add a little cream and sugar but on a cold day, this is the perfect choice.

Then, Earl Grey is smooth with a classic flavor that people love.  Named after a 19^th century Prime Minister, this blend is made with lavender and bergamot.  While deep, it is also subtle.  The high quality of Earl Grey can be enjoyed winter or summer, and most people that try it fall in love.

Tea for Emotions

Just as different specialty teas are chosen for flavor, others are chosen based on mood.  Because black tea is so versatile, it works well for anyone and any emotion.  Again, once you try Chinese black tea, you will likely move on to sampling different blended tea, finding several you simply cannot live without drinking daily.

Most people try a large variety of teas before they find three or four that stand out.  This tasting process is important since everyone has different preferences regarding flavor.  In fact, many tea companies will send small samples for a small fee so you do not have to pay full price for something you end up not liking.

With so many remarkable blends of black tea, you can find a flavor that is smooth and light or one that is deep and rich.  Even aromatic qualities vary depending on the exact blend.  For years, you were limited to black tea blends from local companies but now with the internet, an entirely new world has been introduced.

All you need to do is conduct an online search through any of the major search engine and in response you will find a long list of possibilities.  Remember, it may take a few samples to find what you like but with such incredible choices, you will find black tea blends that are perfect for your personal taste.

From the Beginning

Ever since that day some 4,000 years ago, tea has been revered for its healing properties, as well as being a great beverage, hot or cold.  It was during the 3^rd century that word started spreading about all the benefits from herbal tea and even documents were written.  However, it would not be until 618 AD during China’s Tang Dynasty that this beverage became known as Chinese herbal tea, the country’s official drink.  At that time, tea was called ch’a.

From China, the popularity of exotic tea spread throughout the world, reaching Russia where it was popular in tea rooms, Japan, the beverage used in official tea ceremonies, and even to Britain where it was enjoyed and sold in quaint tea shops.  For several hundred years, people were introduced to the rejuvenating and soothing flavor and effects associated with tea in general.

Refreshing and Delicious

One of the biggest benefits of drinking different types of tea, such as white tea or the best green tea is the refreshing flavor.  When nothing is added, tea also offers no calories, great for a cold beverage without unwanted calories.  To give you an idea of what these special teas offer, if you were to add a slight amount of milk, four cups would provide 17% of the daily recommended dose for calcium, 22% of vitamin B2, and 5% of zinc, folic acid, and vitamins B1 and B6.

You will also find that many types of herbal tea are rich in potassium, great to maintain fluid needed in the body, as well as magnesium, which is required for proper development.  As you can see, Chinese herbal tea is truly an amazing beverage, one that everyone can enjoy thanks to the wide variety of choices.

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.

Popular Flavored White Tea

Although you would love many of the flavored white tea options now being made, one that has made a huge impression on people all over the world is white licorice tea.

Just as we know that healthy tea is great for the body, keep in mind that licorice is also healthy.  Keep in mind that Chinese white tea is processed different from other types of tea so the level of antioxidants left is higher than in loose black tea or loose green tea.  With this, white tea helps prevent and even fight serious diseases such as heart disease and even cancer.  Therefore, whether loose white tea is consumed with or without flavoring, it offers medicinal properties.

If you are just now learning about tea, it can be confusing as to the way quality differs among the various types of tea.  The key is the tea garden in which the tea is grown.  When tea is grown and harvested by a skilled worker, the quality would be higher.

Importance of the Tea Garden

The tea garden where any tea, especially white tea is grown is critical to overall quality.  The leaves and buds used to make white tea must be carefully plucked by hand and then properly harvested.  Then for white licorice tea, only the finest star anise should be used.  Even the blending or infusing of the two must be done correctly.

White tea, black tea, green tea, and oolong tea all come from the Camellia sinensis plant.  The difference is the way the tea is harvested and processed.  White tea takes more time and it is harvested much earlier in the year, a time when the leaves have not opened fully and the buds are still covered with white hair, thus the name.

Unlike Chinese black, green, or oolong tea, white tea is not fermented.  Because of this, the flavor is delicate and slightly sweet, as well as higher in antioxidants.

Tea Garden Facts

For quality white tea, the leaves and buds must all be plucked by hand and even then, only unopened leaves and undamaged buds are used.  Typically, this involves using only the top two leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.  In addition, the worker harvests leaves and buds in March and April, a time when the climate is perfect.

Additionally, the time when white tea is harvested, it cannot be raining and the night before there should be no frost.  Even on the morning when harvested, the dew should be dry.  These environmental factors are crucial to harvesting white tea.

Once hand plucked, the leaves would be dried and steamed and the time steamed would be something that only a highly skilled artisan would know.

Infusing of Star Anise

To create white licorice tea, high quality white tea would be blended with star anise.  The best tea gardens in the world use whole pieces of star anise, as well as the appropriate combination of leaves, buds, and anise to produce an amazing flavor.

After processing, white tea is carefully stored and then packed for export.  This type of tea is grown only once a year but keep in mind that other types of tea are also processed, keeping tea garden workers busy.

Importance of the Gardeners

The goal of gardeners of the best tea gardens is to work throughout the year to maintain the garden so the finest tea is grown, harvested, and processed each year.

In the summer, weeds must be eliminated from the tea garden.  This time of year is when black tea and green tea are harvested and processed.  Unlike white tea that is grown just once a year, black, oolong, and Chinese green tea is grown three to four times each year.

The fall is when the Camellia sinensis plant grows the most so this is the type when gardeners will fertilize and new plants go into the ground.  Then by the month of October, pruning is required so the plants are ready for the upcoming winter.

Throughout the winter, gardeners provide a lot of attention to the Camellia sinensis plants four years old and less.  If the winter were harsh, then extra protection would be provided to help the plants get through the cold months.

By the latter part of February and the early part of March, pruning is needed to help the plants get ready for springtime.  Once harvested, the entire process would start over.

Without doubt, gardeners of tea gardens have a lot of work to be done all year long.  They must work hard to harvest and process each type of tea accordingly.  Obviously, tea gardens that are tended to best will produce the best, oolong, white, black, and the best green tea possible.

It requires a lot of time, patience, and skill to garden a tea garden.  Typically, gardeners come from generations of gardeners, learning from the parents whose family has been associated with tea gardens for years.

As you can see, the single cup of tea you enjoy such as white licorice tea takes a tremendous amount of work to achieve the great flavor and aroma.  Therefore, the next time you enjoy the distinct flavor of white tea or white licorice tea, think about the hard work that was dedicated to give you an amazing cup of tea.

Today, both China and Japan are responsible for producing the largest quantity of green tea.  However, other countries also produce delicious flavors.  For example, Ceylon green tea is produced in Sri Lanka, which actually has more of a malty or nutty flavor and a fuller body than tea grown in Asia.

Green tea is also produced in India, which is called Darjeeling.  This variety of green tea still has the grassy flavor found in Asian tea but it also has a muscatel flavor, which makes it distinct.  Another variety of green tea produced in India is called Assam, which has a medium body with a hint of honey.

Vietnam and Korean Green Tea

In Vietnam, some of the world’s best green tea is grown but most people have no idea.  This particular type of green tea is very different from tea grown in China and Japan, offering a much richer flavor.  In fact, green tea grown in Vietnam almost tastes bitter at first but if you hold a small amount in the mouth, it mellows.

Then, Korea is also a producer of green tea, which is high quality and delicious.  For this, the leaves are the first plucking, which makes the tea extremely delicate and light.  You will find that Hadong produces the finest green tea in Korea, which is all grown and processed by hand.

Australian Green Tea

Interestingly, green tea is also produced in Australia, which is a relatively new country growing this type of healthy tea.  However, the majority of green tea grown in Australia is for the country’s own use, meaning that not much is exported.  Even so, the Australian people are working hard to grow greater quantities of the type of green tea produced, known as Jasmine tea.

Kenyan Green Tea

Even Kenya is known for producing green tea, which as a fruitier and more floral flavor.  This particular type of green tea is only recently being introduced to the United States so the best place to purchase it is online through reputable tea companies.

Purchasing Tea Online

If you want to branch out and try unique flavors of green tea, those from any of the countries mentioned, you should look for reputable tea companies online.  When you buy tea online, you have more possibilities than tea found in a local teashop.

Of course, while tea companies online would have a much broader selection, depending on the tea, those considered rare would be hard to find.  Even so, the variety of tea online versus locally would be far greater.

To start, simply conduct research online using any of the top search engines to find several companies.  Typically, companies provide small samples of various tea varieties so you could choose two or three companies you like and then request samples.

It is important that you find the best green tea available, which is done by buying from reputable companies and looking at more than one company.  After all, each tea company will offer something different.  Therefore, shopping through several companies gives you the chance to purchase all types of green tea.

If you purchase a sample collection of tea through an online company, you would have the ability to sample several flavors without it costing you a fortune.  After trying the different tea varieties, you would then narrow your choices down to those you like best, buying larger quantity.

You will also discover that in some cases, online tea companies have sample collections that include not just green tea, but also loose black tea, white tea, and oolong tea whereas other companies have collections of different green tea varieties only.

Purchasing from the top tea companies would improve your chance of getting only the finest tea and for an affordable price.  The best tea companies receive tea from tea gardens from around the world, which means better variety and higher quality.

It is essential that you take your time in choosing a tea company, looking for those known for quality tea, as well as giving you a guarantee on every type of tea sold.  After all, you want the best tea you can find but without spending a fortune.  You also want to know that you would get a money-back guarantee if something were wrong with the order.

Remember, tea companies that have a solid reputation work hard to provide you with an amazing experience that involves good flavored tea of high quality.  These companies would also strive to offer customers with a nice variety of tea produced all over the world.

As you find several tea companies that you trust, you would then have the opportunity to discover some of the finest in the world and the most distinct tea grown, tea that is of the highest quality.

Green tea is without doubt the best choice in that it offers a light and refreshing flavor coupled with health benefits.  Green tea is loaded with antioxidants so it promotes good health and even fights numerous health issues.

Numerous studies have been done on green tea, and they all agree to for preventing and fighting disease, it is the most beneficial.  This type of tea helps with weight loss as well as reducing risk of cancer, heart disease, and high cholesterol.  In fact, several of the more recent studies show promise for Alzheimer’s disease.

All you need to do is begin your search for online tea companies, looking specifically for those that important tea from the finest tea gardens in the world.  With that, you have the opportunity to enjoy delicious flavor while also benefit from the medicinal properties.

Responsibilities of Tea Wholesalers

For suppliers that resell tea and tea products, tea wholesalers add distinct value.  While suppliers sell to consumers, tea wholesalers provide tea and tea products to hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, hospitals, bars, grocery stores, and other venues.

Without doubt, the value is vital, with some examples as follows:

 Guests staying in hotels are served delicious loose leaf tea in the restaurant and day spa or guests can have it delivered to the room via room service

Meals at quality restaurants are complimented with delicious loose green tea, loose black tea, or some other type of exotic tea of choice, whether consumed hot or cold

 At grocery stores and convenience stores, tea products are displayed for consumers to buy

Coffee shops, bars, cafes, and even tea rooms offer a relaxing environment where tea varieties of all types can be enjoyed

Reseller and Tea Wholesaler Relationship

For the greatest benefits, resellers and tea wholesalers need a good working relationship.  This means working closely together, beyond ordering from a website or catalog or being offered a discount on certain types of tea.  Instead, the wholesaler should understand the needs of the reseller and provide products and services that would add value to the reseller and his or her customers.

A great tea wholesaler would work hard to provide a quality product, as well as great service and competitive pricing.

Quality of Tea

Of course, one of the most important responsibilities of a tea wholesaler is always to provide the reseller with the highest quality tea possible.  As consumers realize they can purchase the best green tea, Jasmine tea, or other tea from a particular store, restaurant, or hotel, they will keep going back.  For this reason, the tea wholesaler should have a solid reputation for adding value.

Customer Support

In addition to the quality of tea, tea wholesalers must provide resellers with outstanding service and support.  If the wholesaler is dedicated, this would involve providing a variety of quality tea, assisting with reseller ordering, track shipments, offer billing assistance, if needed, and take care of any problems.  After all, a good working relationship would provide long-term benefits for both parties.

Competitive Pricing

Pricing is always important but especially in the current economy.  Another responsibility of tea wholesaler is to provide his/her resellers with the best pricing available.  Whether the reseller is buying Chinese green tea, Jasmine Pearl Tea, gunpowder green tea of some other variety, they need quality but at a competitive price, with discounts if possible.

Sometimes, tea wholesalers will offer resellers automatic price level adjustments.  With this, when a reseller placed an order for bulk quantity, a price adjustment would be done automatically to show a discount and in real time.

Order History

To make the entire process easier, more efficient, and more accurate, an e-commerce website is recommended.  This should be created so it offers automatic order history.  In this case, tea wholesalers could quickly pull up all the information needed to make the next order better.  This is a huge time and effort saver, well worth it.

Along with having the capability of looking up past orders on an e-commerce website, having a system such as this also makes billing easier and it helps avoid mistakes and confusion.

Many tea wholesalers are now offering unlimited shipping locations for every order, as well as single point of billing when more than one delivery location is involved.

The bottom line is that the tea industry would not be what it is without three parties – tea wholesalers, resellers, and consumers.  All three add value, creating the perfect balance of what makes the tea industry so successful.

Distribution Chain for Tea

As with any type of food distributed within the United States, tea is moved through three primary channels that include:

Retail

Wholesale

Distributors

Buying Tea through Retail

Purchasing healthy tea, flowering tea, or herbal tea via retail means the tea is delivered directly to the consumer and without third party involvement.  Typically, retail includes the higher end supermarkets, health food stores, gourmet markets, and specialty tea shops.  In all cases, the consumer chooses the type of tea wanted and then makes the purchase.

Other types of retail through which tea can be purchased include the e-commerce shopping, which includes tea companies online, as well as mail order.  While mail order has been a popular venue, more and more people prefer to buy tea online simply because it offers much more variety, nationally and internationally, and this type of shopping is private and convenient.

Buying Tea through Wholesale

In this case, the supplier would sell to his or her customers, which would be hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, and other entities that resell tea to consumers.  Value added is done by the supplier’s customer, which occurs in several ways to include:

Creation an environment where the consumer can relax and unwind while enjoying tea as a peaceful experience

Offering consumers food items such as fresh fruit, sandwiches, soups, and desserts specifically to complement the type of tea being served

Serving tea after dining in a four or five-star eating establishment

Providing the consumer with a glass of cold, ice tea, great for cooling off on a hot afternoon

Serving hot or cold tea to guests of a hotel associated with a special event being hosted

Buying Tea through Distributors

While distributors are another channel through which tea would be moved, they have different responsibilities than the wholesaler does.  For instance, distributors would be responsible for stocking inventory and providing account executives with product that provide service to large resellers, which would include convenience stores, grocery stores, drug stores, etc

Typically, distributors would create and implement a comprehensive support system whereby their customers are offered a convenient, easy, and efficient means or ordering and having the tea shipped to them.

Wholesaler Value Added

The primary goal and responsibility of the wholesaler that works with loose leaf tea is to make sure the consumer ends up having an amazing experience.  When handled properly, this value is unrivaled for everyone involved.  Look at tea rooms, which are designed with a certain atmosphere and furnishings so people can relax and enjoy the best green tea, Chai green tea, Chinese black tea, or other variety.

These rooms are warm and inviting, they have low music playing in the background, and soft lighting to enhance the experience.  Then, serving the guests appetizers or finger foods makes the occasion even more enjoyable.  With this scenario, guests of the tea room enjoy the delicious flavor of the loose leaf tea chosen, as well as the ambience, which is where the value is added.

Another example would be having dinner in a fine establishment, one with a meal created by a master chef, a beautiful interior, and outstanding service followed with a cup of infused loose leaf tea.  Having a cup of gunpowder green tea, Jasmine Star tea, or Chinese white tea would provide the perfect ending to an amazing meal.  Of course, the quality of the tea, to include the quality and temperature of the water are imperative to ensure guests are being served the finest.

A tall glass of ice tea is also a great way to add value.  Someone driving across several states on vacation during the summertime would appreciate stopping for a delicious and refreshing beverage.  However, the quality of the tea in this case is also just as important.  To make sure every consumer is being offered high quality tea, the wholesaler plays a vital role.

More and more, people in the US that drink tea are becoming aware of high quality versus poor quality tea.  With such growing demand, wholesale suppliers realize they have an important job to do in finding quality tea and then going through quality control measures to make sure they provide their customers with the best available.  The wholesaler that provides tea to restaurants understands that most people want delicious, loose leaf tea to complement the meal.

In addition to tea being served in loose leaf form but with natural flavor, a growing trend is for tea to be flavored.  With this, it is common to see coconut tea, mint tea, or even Earl Grey tea, which is flavored with Bergamot oil that produces a citrus/smoky flavor.  People need to remember that while all of this adds value, the presentation of the tea is just as vital to the overall experience as the quality of the loose leaf tea.

Because of the unique blend of quality tea leaves and flower petals, the tea ends up with a smooth flavor and texture with a hint of sweetness, while the aroma is fragrant.

Production of Jasmine Tea

For more than 700 years, this type of flowering tea has been produced in China.  Initially, blossoms from the Jasmine plant were hand plucked in the morning just prior to them opening.  After that, the petals had to be stored in a cool place and in the evening, they were blended with Chinese green tea.

The process at night involved infusing the flower petals with the loose green tea leaves because nighttime is when the petals are the most fragrant.  This infusion process was repeated several times until the perfect aroma and flavor was developed.  While Jasmine tea is made in a more automated method today, to buy the best tea available, it would still involve using the best green tea leaves with fresh picked Jasmine blossoms.

Jasmine Tea Grading

If you enjoy drinking Jasmine tea, hot or cold, keep in mind that you have a number of options.  The challenge is finding quality Jasmine tea since the grading method is somewhat complicated.

Remember, when it comes to grading tea, no international standards exist.  Therefore, every country that produces tea uses a distinct grading system.  In fact, the unique types of tea have an entirely different type of system.  When looking at green tea versus white tea or Chinese black tea, they are graded differently.

This means to understand the grading system of Jasmine tea, you would need to learn about the way in which the tea variety from which this type of flowering tea is made is graded.  For instance, the following will help make this easier to comprehend.

Black Tea – This type of tea is graded based on process, which would provide information as to the percentage of whole leaves used and the time of year and day the leaves are plucked but it might not help in determining quality.  The key is to learn the originating place and harvesting method of the tea.  Within the United States, this kind of tea is known as whole leaf tea, called “Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe”.  Just be sure you never purchase “dust” tea, which is low quality.

Green Tea – China grades this kind of tea on the shape of the leaf.  However, while other countries also grade on leaf shape, they have different terms for describing the shape.  In addition to the shape of the leaves, China and other countries that grow green tea grade quality as well.

 Oolong Tea – In China, oolong tea has a simple grading method.  The finest quality is known as “fanciest” or “Extra Fancy” while the lowest quality is called “common”.  China is the primary producer of oolong tea so choosing quality Jasmine tea blended with oolong is easy.  Keep in mind that if oolong comes from a different country, the grading system would be different.

White Tea – This too has a simple type of grading system since the leaves plucked from the plant are not involved with the method for grading quality.  White tea is always from a first plucking since it has just one growing season.  For this reason, buying quality white tea as the base for Jasmine tea coming out of china means that you would have the option of Silver Needles or White Peony, both excellent choices.

Now, if you were to purchase tea from India or Sri Lanka such as Darjeeling or Ceylon, you would see another grading system.

For the best Jasmine tea, the first decision is what the petals would be blended with, green, black, white, or oolong tea.  Experts suggest you begin with Chinese green Jasmine tea, again a blend of green tea from China and Jasmine flower petals.  With this, you would experience what Jasmine tea should be.

Buying Jasmine Tea

After deciding on blend and the country of origin, you would then start looking for reputable tea companies.  The better stores would have the blend you want or be able to get it but if not, you might need to try a different blend.

Most of the better tea companies will have a wide range of combinations made from high quality tea.  Therefore, if you have to choose a something other than your first choice, you would still end up with an amazing Jasmine tea.

The bottom line is that Jasmine tea is a wonderful choice so you would never be disappointed.  With a relaxing aroma and a light, sweet, and delicate flavor, it is the perfect tea.  Because of this, countries that grow tea always offer Jasmine tea so now; the challenge is finding the exact blend you want.

Japanese Tea Ceremony

When looking at the Japanese tea ceremony, this special occasion has been a longstanding ritual steeped in tradition.  While this ceremony is hundreds of years old, it is still a vital part of society today.  The type of tea served for the ceremony is called Macha, which is powdered green tea.  However, the flavor of the tea is second to the actual ceremony.

Typically, the tea ceremony occurs over a 45-minute period but centuries ago, it could last anywhere from four to five hours.  Keep in mind that the people that lead the Japanese tea ceremony are tea masters, people who have studied tea and mastered the ability to arrange flowers, apparel, and the making of tea, which are all important elements of the ceremony.

Guests enter the tearoom or tea house where they look at the flowers, artwork, and utensils for the tea.  Next, each guest would kneel and then sit after which time they are served sweets, which commonly consist of soft cakes made from bean paste.  While eating, the guests watch the Chinese green tea being prepared.  Interestingly, a leaf practitioner is the one that makes the tea, a person who has gone through in-depth training and spent years studying the appropriate way of making and serving guests of a tea ceremony.

Another important aspect of the tea ceremony is the tea utensils, which have been passed down within families for centuries.  The traditional utensils consist of iron kettles, tea bowls, bamboo water scoops, and Japanese tea cups.

Chinese Tea Ceremony

Tea ceremonies are also a part of the Chinese culture although in this country, they are more for special occasions.  In this case, the special event is the purpose of the ceremony and based on the event, the type of green tea would be served, such as gunpowder green tea, Chai green tea, flavored green tea, and others.

Although the Chinese tea ceremony could be for any occasion, it is most commonly associated with weddings.  On the day of the marriage early in the morning, the bride would serve her parents tea within their home just prior to the groom showing up.  Then once the wedding ceremony was complete, the bride and groom would serve the groom’s family tea together.

For this tradition, the couple would kneel in front of the groom’s family and the process of serving them tea is to show respect and honor.  During the Chinese tea ceremony for a wedding, the couple would be provided with red envelopes from various family members, with jewelry or money inside.

In addition, the Chinese wedding ceremony involves a number of symbols such as dates, lotus seeds, and others.  These symbols symbolize babies that would be born soon after the couple weds, along with the bride and groom having a happy, long life.

Green Tea as a Daily Beverage

For all the millions of people around the world outside of Asia, green tea is simply enjoyed because of its refreshing flavor but also the long list of health benefits. Studies now show that drinking three cups of green tea daily protects the body from illness.  This type of tea contains high levels of antioxidants that can prevent and fight heart disease, high cholesterol, and even some forms of cancer.  Additionally, studies show that because of green tea metabolism properties, it helps with weight loss and can regulate insulin, great for people with diabetes.

Today, many people suffering from cancer are turning away from traditional chemotherapy and choosing green tea as a nontraditional treatment instead.  However, for people that have been on chemotherapy, adding green tea actually makes this aggressive treatment more effective.  In fact, studies have been done that compare people on chemotherapy drinking green tea versus those not drinking green tea and for those that have three cups a day, the chemotherapy worked better.

If you were interested in making your own variety of green tea, you would first need to determine the variety you like.  Of course, with so many possibilities, narrowing your choices down to just one might be challenging.  Just in China alone, each of the small towns has multiple varieties of green tea.

Although you can ultimately choose what you like best, the following are some of the more popular choices:

Gunpowder Green Tea – This variety has a smoky flavor and is made by rolling pearl very tight that when being brewed, would slowly unroll to expose a slight green color and leaves

Sencha – This type of Japanese green tea is grown near Mt. Fuji and is very popular, often used to entertain people in homes.

Of course, flavored green tea is another option, which means base green tea is flavored with things such as mint, vanilla, and Jasmine.

The goal is to brew the perfect cup of green tea, which means following precise steps.  First, the kettle would be filled with purified or filtered cold water.  While the water is heating on the stove, the teapot and your tea cups would be filled with warm water out of the tap to get them warm.

Once the water boils, it would be removed from the stove and the tap water in the teapot and cups discarded.  The boiling water would need to sit off the heat for two minutes or until it reaches 160 degrees.  Now, most other types of tea, such as Chinese white tea, oolong tea, and black tea are served at 180 degrees.  Next, one teaspoon of loose green tea would be added to the cup and the hot water poured into the cup.

The important part of brewing green tea is that you should not allow it to steep any longer than two minutes or it could become bitter.  With high quality green tea leaves, you could easily get three infusions from the leaves.

Remember, no matter if you were buying green tea for a traditional tea ceremony, as a means of building a healthier body, or simply because you love the flavor, you will not be disappointed.  Once you taste the soothing flavor of green tea, you will understand why it has been such a vital part of the Asian culture for so many years.

Controlling Blood Sugar

Another huge green tea benefits is that it can help regulate blood sugar levels.  In this case, green tea slows the increase of sugar after eating by using amylase, which is a special type of digestive enzyme.  For the breakdown of starches, this enzyme is critical for the body in that it keeps blood sugar levels from skyrocketing.  Then, when you look at loose green tea, you would also see that when consumed or taken as a green tea supplement along with chromium and/or vanadyl, blood sugar management is much more effective.

Key Benefits to Green Tea

Although many different types of tea offer healing benefits, green tea is exceptional.  However, the goal is to purchase only the best green tea possible and the following tips will help.

It is best to purchase green tea in isolation if you are looking for a specific ingredient for a desired result.

We also recommend that you purchase a quality fat burner, one containing green tea.  A great product currently on the market is Xenadrine EFT but others exist.  The goal is to look at the ingredients and level of ingredients so you purchase only high quality products with pure green tea.

Even if you love coffee, switch to the best green tea you can afford.  Remember, you can purchase quality tea from many tea stores or online and instead of dealing with hyperactivity or anxiety associated with caffeine in coffee, you would enjoy a relaxing beverage in that green tea contains very small amounts of caffeine.

As you begin searching for green tea, you will find various origins but without doubt, Chinese green tea is the best.  After all, the Chinese have been harvesting and drinking green tea for thousands of years so they certainly know.  We recommend you consider gunpowder green tea, Chunmee, Young Hyson, Lung Ching, Bi Lo Chung, and others, which are delicious, high in antioxidants, and affordable.  Other types of Chinese green tea to consider include Tianmu Qing Ding, Huang Shan Mao Feng, and Tianmu Yunding.

The best time of year to purchase the best green tea is in May and June, which is immediately following harvest time.  If the tea does not already come in an airtight container, be sure you store the tea this way, which would keep it preserved for several months.  To promote health, simply drink three to four cups of Chinese green tea a day while enjoying the wonderful flavor.