Article Repost: Green tea – A healthier alternative

Green tea – A healthier alternative (Article written for well-being magazine Anima)

If you need a break from work, sip some green tea as it helps you get relaxed. Embrace the green tea culture and find out how green tea benefits our health.

By Azure Lorraine

The Japanese Tea Ceremony, literally translated as ‘the Way of Tea’, is a cultural art of preparing and presenting matcha, powdered green tea. In the ninth century, two Buddhist monks, Saicho and Kukai from Japan studied in China. During that time, tea was mainly consumed for medicinal purposes. Having learned the benefits of tea and having developed a love of it, they returned to Japan with some young tea trees. However, tea in Japan remained a secret shared by only a few initiated souls until 1191, when Eisai, a Buddhist monk, wrote a book on tea’s medicinal benefits. What resulted was The Kissa Yojoki, the Book of Tea.
In the Book of Tea, monk Eisai continued the legacy of Saicho and Kukai and recommended consuming tea to boost the performance of vital organs, to ease alcohol poisoning, to cure a variety of diseases and to improve mental clarity. He also introduced different types of tea leaves and delineated the process of growing tea. Farmers started to plant tea trees in Uji, Kyoto, the birthplace of Japanese green tea. Eisai’s book altered attitudes towards tea in Japan forever; a tea culture was born. Nowadays, green tea is consumed daily in a vast majority of Japanese households. So why is green tea still so embraced after centuries? Studies from the World Health Organization have shown that Japan continues to be one of the longest living nations. What is the secret behind their longevity? How does green tea benefit our health and what are differences between various teas? Read on to find out more.

Nutrients

Green tea contains vitamins, antioxidants and minerals, such as catechin, theanine, vitamin C and zinc. These are some of the vital ingredients to boost our immunity and health.

Catechin
Catechin not only eliminates free radicals, preventing cancer development and diabetes, it also helps decrease cholesterol levels in the bloodstream and decreases blood pressure. Most important of all, it boosts the overall performance of the intestines and organs. Scientists from the University of California have done studies on the interaction between catechin and a mouse’s brain. They found that catechin reduces brain damage after the mouse has suffered from a stroke.

Theanine
Theanine is known to fight against depression, stress and anxiety; it is released to your brain so you feel relaxed and content. It boosts your focus and concentration and lowers blood pressure. For women who suffer from PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome), theanine will help relieve symptoms such as bloating, cyclic acne and mood swings.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants are essential nutrients to have in your body because they help fight against cancer, heart diseases, diabetes and help avoid strokes. They also promote skin revitalization and boost weight loss.
JAMA, the Journal of American Medicine Association, indicated in a study by Dr Kuriyama that green tea consumption is associated with decreased mortality due to the reduced incident of cardiovascular disease. In another study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, Dr.Toru Naganuma found that drinking at least five cups of green tea daily leads to a 42% reduction in the incidence of blood cancers and a 48% decrease in lymph system cancers.

Harvest
Japanese green tea is usually harvested between two to five times each year during spring and autumn. The quality of tea is influenced by various factors: the location of plantation, its surroundings and absorption of sunlight. The best qualities come from those which are farmed and packaged in the same location. This will guarantee the freshness and quality control of tea leaves. You can also tell the quality by looking at the size of tea leaves. The bigger the tea leaves are, the less they have been processed. Unlike most green teas, the best Japanese green tea is not dried. Freshly picked tea leaves are steamed, which prevents oxidation and stops activation of potentially harmful enzymes.

Different types of Green Tea
Sencha

Sencha is the most popularly consumed tea. Subdivided into shincha and bancha, shincha is the first picking of the harvest usually between spring and early summer, while bancha is harvested in the later pickings. Sencha usually has a delicate sweetness and astringency. Sencha has a high level of vitamin C. It’s a refreshing choice for iced tea in the summer.

Genmaicha
Roasted and popped brown rice is mixed in bancha or sencha to create genmaicha. Its rich and warm flavor makes it the ideal companion to dinner with rich sauce and oily food.

Houijicha
Houjicha, a roasted tea of bancha or sencha. Houjicha leaves usually are brown in color, with a sweet, nutty and smoky fragrance. Caffeine is usually removed in its roasting process so it is a perfect selection for children, elderly and those who wish to have a cup of tea before bedtime.

Matcha
Matcha is usually a bright shade of green and grinded into powder form. It is used in Japan’s tea ceremony ‘Chado’. It is popularly used in cooking and desserts in Japan.

The Way of Tea
Many Japanese people treat their tea as seriously as a French wine connoisseur does his or her favourite vintage. The Japanese Tea Ceremony, literally translated as ‘the Way of Tea’, is a cultural art of preparing and presenting matcha, powdered green tea. In the tea ceremony, matcha will be prepared with fresh hot boiled water and stirred with a tea whisk until it is frothy. The ceremony is usually performed when guests are present. It quite often lasts for two to five hours. While most of us will not have the time to fully experience the way of tea in our daily lives, here are some simple steps on how to brew a perfect cup of fresh, great tasting Japanese green tea:

Step 1: Boil 100ml of water to 70-100C depending on how sweet you like your tea. If you
prefer your tea to be sweeter, reduce the water temperature. The higher the water
temperature, the more catechin will be in your tea.
Step 2: Put 1 tablespoon of tea leaves in a teacup of teapot. You can adjust the amount to
taste.
Step 3: Pour 10 ml of hot water to the teapot. Wait for 10-15 seconds. This steeping technique
will ‘wake up’ the tea leaves and give your tea a richer flavor. Then continue to pour the
remaining hot water.

Step 4: Depending on the types of tea leaves, let the tea brew for about 30 seconds to 4
minutes. Tea leaves such as sencha will require shorter steeping time while green tea with
brown rice will require longer steeping time. For iced tea, simply steep the tea and let it cool.
Refrigerate overnight and you will have a fresh cup of iced tea in the morning.
Step 5: Enjoy!

Final Word
No matter which types of green tea you choose, the health benefits that green tea gives you are remarkable. Green tea is definitely a healthier alternative to soda and carbonated drinks.Start experiencing the way of tea and feel the health transformation that brings you today.