What is Green Tea?
Green tea is made from the leaves of
Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Originates from
China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. It has recently become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally consumed.
History
Tea consumption has its legendary origins in China of more than 4,000 years ago. Green tea has been used as both a beverage and a method of traditional medicine in most of Asia to help everything from controlling bleeding and helping heal wounds to regulating body temperature, blood sugar and promoting digestion.
Green Tea's properties
Many scientific and medical studies determined the extent of its long-purported health benefits, with some evidence suggesting that regular green tea drinkers may have a
lower risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancer. Although green tea does not raise the metabolic rate enough to produce immediate weight loss, a green tea extract containing polyphenols and caffeine has been shown to induce thermogenesis and stimulate fat oxidation, boosting the metabolic rate 4% without increasing the heart rate.
According to a survey released by the United States Department of Agriculture in 2007, the mean content of flavonoids in a cup of green tea is higher than that in the same volume of other food and drink items that are traditionally considered of health contributing nature, including fresh fruits, vegetable juices or wine.
Flavonoids are a group of phytochemicals in most plant products that are responsible for such health effects as
anti-oxidative and anticarcinogenic functions.
Japanese Green Tea
Green tea (
緑茶 Ryokucha) is ubiquitous in Japan and therefore is more commonly known simply as "tea" (お茶 ocha). It is even referred to as "Japanese tea" (日本茶 nihoncha?) though it was first used in China during the Song Dynasty, and brought to Japan by Myōan Eisai, a Japanese Buddhist priest who also introduced the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. Types of tea are commonly graded depending on the quality and the parts of the plant used as well as how they are processed. There are large variations in both price and quality within these broad categories, and there are many specialty green teas that fall outside this spectrum. The best Japanese green tea is said to be that from the Yame (八女 yame) region of Fukuoka Prefecture and the Uji region of Kyoto.
Gyokuro (玉露, Jade Dew)
Gyokuro is a fine and expensive type that differs from Sencha (煎茶) in that it is
grown under the shade rather than the full sun for approximately 20 days. The name "Gyokuro" translates as "jade dew" and refers to the pale green color of the infusion. The shading causes the amino acids (Theanine) and caffeine in the tea leaves to increase, while catechins (the source of bitterness in tea, along with caffeine) decreases, giving rise to a sweet taste. The tea also has a distinct aroma.
Kabusecha (冠茶, covered tea)
Kabusecha is made from the leaves grown in the shade prior to harvest, although not for as long as Gyokuro. It has a more delicate flavor than Sencha. It is sometimes marketed as Gyokuro.
Sencha (煎茶, decocted tea)
The first and second flush of green tea made from leaves that are exposed directly to sunlight. This is the
most common green tea in Japan. The name describes the method for preparing the beverage.
Fukamushicha (深蒸し茶, long-steamed green tea)
Sencha, which, in the processing of the leaves, has been steamed two times longer than usual Sencha, giving it a deeper color and producing a fuller flavor in the beverage.
Tamaryokucha (玉緑茶, lit. ball green tea)
Tamaryokucha has a tangy, berry-like taste, with a long almondy aftertaste and a deep aroma with tones of citrus, grass, and berries. It is also called Guricha.
Bancha (番茶, coarse tea)
Lower grade of Sencha harvested as a third- or fourth-flush tea between summer and autumn. Aki-Bancha (autumn Bancha) is not made from entire leaves, but from the trimmed unnecessary twigs of the tea plant.
Kamairicha (窯煎茶, pan-fired tea)
Kamairicha is a pan-fired green tea that does not undergo the usual steam treatments of Japanese tea and does not have the characteristic bitter taste of most Japanese tea.
- By-product of Sencha or Gyokuro
Kukicha (くき茶, stalk tea)
A tea made from stems, stalks, and twigs. Kukicha has a mildly nutty, and slightly creamy sweet flavor.
Mecha (芽茶, buds and tips tea)
Mecha is green tea derived from a collection of leaf buds and tips of the early crops. Mecha is harvested in spring and made as rolled leaf teas that are graded somewhere between Gyokuro and Sencha in quality.
Konacha (粉茶, (coarse) powdered tea)
Konacha is the dust and smallest parts after processing Gyokuro or Sencha. It is cheaper than Sencha and usually served at Sushi restaurants. It is also marketed as Gyokuroko (玉露粉) or Gyokurokocha.
Matcha (抹茶, powdered tea)
A fine ground tea made from Tencha. It has a very similar cultivation process as Gyokuro. It is used primarily in the Japanese tea ceremony. Matcha is also a popular flavor of ice cream and other sweets in Japan.
Genmaicha (玄米茶, brown rice tea)
Bancha (sometimes Sencha) and roasted genmai (brown rice) blend. It is often mixed with a small amount of Matcha to make the color better.
Hōjicha (ほうじ茶, roasted tea)
A green tea roasted over charcoal (usually Bancha).
Tencha ( 碾茶, milling tea)
Half-finished products used for Matcha production. The name indicates its intended eventual milling into matcha. Because, like gyokuro, it is cultivated in shade, it has a sweet aroma. In its processing, it is not rolled during drying, and tencha therefore remains spread out like the original fresh leaf.
Aracha (荒茶, raw green tea)
Half-finished products used for Sencha and Gyokuro production. It contains all parts of the tea plant.
Shincha (新茶, a new tea)
First flush tea. The name is used for either Sencha or Gyokuro.
Funmatsucha (粉末茶, instant powdered tea)
Milled green tea, used just like instant coffee. Another name for this recent style of tea is "tokeru ocha," or "tea that melts.
