Nowadays many people buy green tea in preference to the more widely consumed black tea because of its published health benefits, as well as great taste!
Originating from China, green tea, like all teas comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant. Unlike black tea, the green variety is not fermented. The best quality is obtained from the youngest buds and leaves, plucked by hand during a few days in early Spring. After plucking, the leaves are dried for a short while, then either dry-fried in woks or baked in order to remove the moisture. Though Japanese green tea is often steamed, rather than baked or fried.
You get what you pay for
There is a big difference between the green tea sold in bags and flavored with mint or lemon, and quality unblended tea. The flavorings often serve to cover up the stale, bitter taste of the cheap powdered tea (known as "fanning") which makes up most of the product. Quality green tea consists of whole, unpowdered leaves, which are packed in airtight wrappings to keep them fresh. Green tea has a shorter shelf life than black tea and should be consumed as fresh as possible.
What to look for
The tea should consist of whole leaves, broken leaves tend to be bitter.
The natural oils in the tea should give the leaves a slight sheen.
It should be a dark green color if it has been baked, or a light green/yellow
if it has been fried.
It should be packed and stored in an airtight container.
Health benefits
Thousands of studies have been conducted on the possible health benefits of drinking green tea. The high levels of flavonoids, catechins and polyphenols - antioxidants - are responsible for its reported protective effect against some cancers, heart disease, diabetes and other conditions. So when you buy good quality green tea, you are not only buying a delicious drink, but looking after your health too!
