Green Tea To Make You Healthy, Wealthy and Wise
It is not always that we are so fortunate that something we enjoy is good for us. How lucky we are that green tea fits that role so well!
The role of green tea in promoting health has been much in the news in the last few years. There is ample evidence that, consumed in moderation, green tea indeed does aid many aspects of functioning. Some of these benefits have been known for over a thousand years.
The polyphenols, flavonoids and even caffeine (in moderate quantities) present in green tea are all known to help the body protect itself. Green tea helps lower cholesterol (the ‘bad’ kind), absorbs free radicals that can damage cell membranes and reduces the prospect of certain cancers.
Despite Federal FDA denials, many studies lend strong support to those who tout green tea’s benefits. Black tea, as well, has most of the same benefits.
But green tea has many virtues beyond the medicinal. It tastes delightful and provides a relaxing form of enjoyment in a hectic world.
Just as with black or Oolong tea, green tea comes from the leaves of an evergreen called Camellia Sinensis. They are plucked, then processed. But unlike black tea, green tea leaves do not go through a long oxidation process.
Instead, green tea leaves are steamed, which retains the EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) antioxidants. Black and Oolong teas undergo ‘fermentation’ which converts the EGCG into other compounds. ‘Fermentation’ in tea, despite the use of the same word, is not the same process as in winemaking. No sugars are converted to alcohol. It’s simply a synonym for oxidation, more or less.
As a result, the tea flavor is much more delicate and the aroma and taste retain much more of the ‘vegetative’ quality from the original bush. That flavor is enjoyed in a hundred varieties by tea drinkers the world over.
The Long Jing tea from Hang Zhou in China, pan dried and flat in appearance, often goes by the name Dragon Well. This green tea is among the most common drinks in China. Yet for all its commonality, it makes a fine brew. The Gyokuro, also known as Jewel Dew as a consequence of its color, is another fine green tea from China.
The Ryokucha from Japan is a green tea that is so common there that a form of the word (ocha) is often taken to mean simply ‘tea’. Connoisseurs regard the green tea from the Uji region of Kyoto to be among the finest. Matcha is a powdered green tea once used primarily in tea ceremonies. Now it is so popular throughout Japan and elsewhere that it finds its way into ice cream and other sweets.
Gunpowder, which has nothing to do with the explosive, is another popular variety. The leaves are rolled into tiny pellets, making for a very intense infusion. Its muscatel overtones make for a wonderful brew.
There is even a green tea-style Earl Grey. Though without the heady flavor of the more common black tea type, the bergamot oil combines well with green tea.
So if you have always been a committed black tea drinker, it’s time to open up your horizons. It may not make you wealthy, but it can give you enjoyment and promote your health. And isn’t that very wise?
Yerba Mate, South America's Herbal Tea
Tea is most commonly associated with Asia. And it’s true that the majority of tea comes from China, India and other countries in that area. But there are other countries that have the climate, soil and expertise to produce a fine tea.
In recent years, South Africa has been on the radar with the rising popularity of Rooibos. Delightful as it is, Rooibos is not a traditional tea. It’s not made from the Camilla Senensis plant. Another plant makes for a great tea, and this one is cultivated in South America: Yerba Mate.
Produced from the Ilex Paraguariensis tree, part of the holly family, it makes a fine herbal tea. Grown in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil it is a South American wonder. Each country has its own distinctive style of Yerba Mate tea. In Brazil, the leaves are toasted, yielding a stronger taste. In Argentina, the cocido is a fine breakfast tea.
Like other herbal teas, it has many of the great health benefits of a traditional leaf. It provides a relaxing drink while aiding digestion. And it still has many of the antioxidants that are helpful in warding of cancers.
Even in bag or loose leaf form it still makes for a great brew. It can be a very fine, almost powdery substance, though. The leaves are dried, then crumbled into a very fine brown-leaf tea mixture. So, if you don’t care for bits of herb in the liquid, filter well. The tea can even be prepared in a French press.
It’s easy to obtain in bag form, but for a more traditional South American brew there’s an alternative preparation method. Instead of a teapot, a gourd and a bombilla is used. The gourd (called a mate) is used in place of a cup, and the bombilla is a metal straw that gives the smooth herbal a nice little tang.
Fill the gourd 3/4 full of herb, then pour cold water over them until they’re wetted but not drowned. Let them soak for a few minutes. While you wait, heat a cup of water to about 82°C/180°F, then add enough water to fill the gourd. Steep for a few minutes. Then insert the bombilla filter end down into the liquid and sip. Arriba!
In the traditional social setting, one person typically takes the role of preparer and server and has the first sip. Then the gourd and straw is passed from one person to the next. And you thought only the Japanese had tea rituals!
Pick up a gourd and bombilla and have some tea South American style.
White Teas-Light, Delicate and Caffeine Free
White tea is made from the same plant as is green tea, but undergoes a very different process. It begins with the rolled buds of the Camellia Sinensis plant, but suffers no oxidation.
That oxidation process, often called fermentation, is what produces the distinctive color and taste of other teas. Though the word is the same, ‘fermentation’ in tea circles does not mean the same as when it’s used in relation to wine. No sugars are altered to produce alcohol.
Instead of oxidation, the buds are dried by steaming, then air dried. No rolling or crushing occurs. This leaves the enzymes in the leaves intact, unexposed to air. Water evaporates more slowly and up to 40% of the original weight is lost. Then the leaves are slow-roasted to remove about 95% of their moisture content.
The result is a tea with very little caffeine and a very light color and delicate taste. The final product has a very fresh taste, somewhat like real leaves or grass, that is preferred by some tea aficionados. Leaves gathered in the early spring provide a clean cup with a fragrance that has a hint of outdoors.
A type called Silver Needle that hails from the Fujian province in China is an especial treat. The Darjeeling province in India makes a fine white tea as well. And there is a variety called Ceylon White that hails from Sri Lanka.
But there’s more to white tea than just good taste.
Though still an area of active research, there are studies that suggest white tea is even healthier than the already great green tea. Green tea stimulates the immune system to fight infection and according to a recent study at the Pace University, that property may be even more pronounced in white tea. It has an anti-viral and anti-bacterial effect.
With its lower caffeine content (15 mg per serving, compared to 40 mg for black tea, and 20 mg for green tea) white teas will be a great addition to the ‘decaf’ section of your tea tin.
Brew about 2.5 grams (1,5 teaspoons) for every 200 ml (6 oz). Heat the water to 82°C (180°F), then steep the leaves for a few minutes. Cool to taste and enjoy this ancient delight as a new experience.