Green Tea

Green Tea are the most popular tea and are produced from the leaves of the same plant; there are some differences!

The main difference is the way in which they are processed. Simply put, Green tea is not  oxidised, This is because the leaves of black tea are exposed to oxygen after harvesting over a period of time, whereas the leaves of green tea are either steamed or panfried to stop the oxidation process.

It’s the immediate use of heat that helps to halt the oxidisation process. Other differences in taste come from where green tea is grown. Green tea grown in Japan tends to be steamed, whereas green tea in China is pan-fried, which accounts for their different tastes. Chinese green tea tends to taste sweeter and lighter, with a slightly toasted flavour, whereas Japanese green tea is more earthy with a hint of citrus.

How to Use

Most experts recommend drinking about three to four cups per day for the most anti-aging benefits of green tea, but even drinking one to two cups is a step in the right direction. There are some ways to spice up your green tea.

The standard way to brew green tea:

1. Place your tea bag or high-quality tea leaves (purchase organic from a reputable company for the best tea) in your teapot.
2. Heat or boil water, but don’t let it completely boil and become too hot, as this can destroy some of the delicate compounds found in green tea leaves. The “ideal” temperature for brewing green tea is between 160 degrees Fahrenheit to 180 degrees F (traditionally standard Chinese green teas brew at a slightly higher temperatures). Pour hot water into the teapot to steep the leaves for only about 1–3 minutes. Larger leaves need more time to steep than finer, smaller leaves. At this point you can also add any fresh herbs you plan on steeping.
3. Once brewed, pour a little tea at a time into each cup in order to have the tea’s strength be evenly distributed. At this point, you can add some lemon juice or raw honey as the finishing touch.