What is Tea?
Tea (茶) originated in China as a medicinal drink. Genuine tea is made from the dried leaves of the tea plant (the Camellia Sinensis) which was originally grown and farmed in China and was found in India to be naturally growing.
Camellia Sinensis prefers cool, rainy weather and medium to high elevations. Cultivators harvest only new buds and leaves during the picking season, and then dry and roast the tea.
Production
Teas which are processed in the traditional fashion are called Orthodox teas. Orthodox teas generally contain only the top two tender leaves and an unopened leaf bud, which are plucked carefully by hand and then processed using five basic steps (Plucking, Withering, Rolling, Oxidation, Firing). Most Orthodox tea production these days involves a unique combination of age-old methods, such as bamboo trays to allow the leaves to wither on, and modern, innovative machinery, like leaf rollers carefully calibrated to mimic motions originally done by hand.
The other way of making tea is the Unorthodox method, of which the most common type is CTC (crush-tear-curl). This much faster style of production was specifically created for black tea. These teas may or may not be plucked by hand. For commercial production, large machine harvesters are used to "mow" the top of the bushes to get the new leaves, rather than hand-pluck. CTC production uses a leaf shredder which macerates the leaves (crushing, tearing and curling them, hence the name) into fine pieces, then rolls them into little balls. The result looks quite a bit like Grape Nuts cereal, actually. These teas will brew very quickly and produce and a bold, powerful cup of tea. CTC is usually used primarily in the tea bag industry, as well as in India to create Masala Chai blends (due to their strength and color).
Though the same source plant is used, the different teas are made by using different processes. Depending on when they are dried, the leaves ferment to different levels, creating different flavors. White tea is the least processed. It is merely withered and dried by steaming it. Green tea is not fermented. It is prepared by steaming fresh-picked leaves before heat-drying. Oolong tea is only partially fermented. Black tea is prepared by allowing picked tea leaves to completely ferment before firing. Pu-erh tea is post-fermented.
The tea is brewed by pouring water over the dried ingredients; the less fermented it is, the cooler the water needs to be, and the shorter the steeping time.
What Is In Tea?
Polyphenols
Polyphenols provide a significant portion of the taste and the health benefits found in tea. Two classes of polyphenols are tannins (found also in wine) and flavonoids. Flavonoids are most commonly known for their antioxidant activity. All teas made with Camellia Sinensis tea leaves are high in flavonoids like catechins, a powerful class of antioxidants. Catechins are a type of antioxidant found in flavonoids. Flavonoids are a class of polyphenols. These terms are often used interchangeably when discussing the health benefits of tea.
Brewed green tea is an especially rich source of catechins, with over 120 milligrams per 100 grams, which is equivalent to about 3.5 ounces of liquid. Black tea also contains catechins, although somewhat less than green tea, with about 25 milligrams in 100 grams.
L-theanine
L-theanine is an amino acid that occurs naturally in the Camellia Sinensis plant. In fact, unless you take an artificially manufactured dietary supplement, tea is the ONLY way to get L-theanine in your diet. This powerful amino acid boosts alpha wave activity in our brains, which promotes a state of relaxed concentration. Think "quiet alertness". The calming effects of L-theanine actually counteract the extreme highs and jitteriness that can result from excessive Caffeine intake. A high quality loose leaf tea will contain the most L-theanine, and the very highest levels are usually found in green and white teas.
How To Judge Tea?
People judge tea by their senses such as sight, olfaction, gestation and touch to separately judge from shape, color, fragrance, taste, water color and tea-leaf. The judge method has two processes: viewing its shape while it’s dry and tasting its quality while it’s brewed.
Tea has long been promoted for having a variety of positive health benefits. Recent studies suggest that green tea may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer, promote oral health, reduce blood pressure, help with weight control, improve antibacterial and antivirasic activity, provide protection from solar ultraviolet light, and increase bone mineral density. Green tea is also said to have "anti-fibrotic properties, and neuroprotective power." Additional research is needed to "fully understand its contributions to human health, and advise its regular consumption in Western diets."
Tea is nearly calorie-free and rich in antioxidants. Tea is an important part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Tea (茶) originated in China as a medicinal drink. Genuine tea is made from the dried leaves of the tea plant (the Camellia Sinensis) which was originally grown and farmed in China and was found in India to be naturally growing.
Camellia Sinensis prefers cool, rainy weather and medium to high elevations. Cultivators harvest only new buds and leaves during the picking season, and then dry and roast the tea.
Production
Teas which are processed in the traditional fashion are called Orthodox teas. Orthodox teas generally contain only the top two tender leaves and an unopened leaf bud, which are plucked carefully by hand and then processed using five basic steps (Plucking, Withering, Rolling, Oxidation, Firing). Most Orthodox tea production these days involves a unique combination of age-old methods, such as bamboo trays to allow the leaves to wither on, and modern, innovative machinery, like leaf rollers carefully calibrated to mimic motions originally done by hand.
The other way of making tea is the Unorthodox method, of which the most common type is CTC (crush-tear-curl). This much faster style of production was specifically created for black tea. These teas may or may not be plucked by hand. For commercial production, large machine harvesters are used to "mow" the top of the bushes to get the new leaves, rather than hand-pluck. CTC production uses a leaf shredder which macerates the leaves (crushing, tearing and curling them, hence the name) into fine pieces, then rolls them into little balls. The result looks quite a bit like Grape Nuts cereal, actually. These teas will brew very quickly and produce and a bold, powerful cup of tea. CTC is usually used primarily in the tea bag industry, as well as in India to create Masala Chai blends (due to their strength and color).
Though the same source plant is used, the different teas are made by using different processes. Depending on when they are dried, the leaves ferment to different levels, creating different flavors. White tea is the least processed. It is merely withered and dried by steaming it. Green tea is not fermented. It is prepared by steaming fresh-picked leaves before heat-drying. Oolong tea is only partially fermented. Black tea is prepared by allowing picked tea leaves to completely ferment before firing. Pu-erh tea is post-fermented.
The tea is brewed by pouring water over the dried ingredients; the less fermented it is, the cooler the water needs to be, and the shorter the steeping time.
What Is In Tea?
Polyphenols
Polyphenols provide a significant portion of the taste and the health benefits found in tea. Two classes of polyphenols are tannins (found also in wine) and flavonoids. Flavonoids are most commonly known for their antioxidant activity. All teas made with Camellia Sinensis tea leaves are high in flavonoids like catechins, a powerful class of antioxidants. Catechins are a type of antioxidant found in flavonoids. Flavonoids are a class of polyphenols. These terms are often used interchangeably when discussing the health benefits of tea.
Brewed green tea is an especially rich source of catechins, with over 120 milligrams per 100 grams, which is equivalent to about 3.5 ounces of liquid. Black tea also contains catechins, although somewhat less than green tea, with about 25 milligrams in 100 grams.
L-theanine
L-theanine is an amino acid that occurs naturally in the Camellia Sinensis plant. In fact, unless you take an artificially manufactured dietary supplement, tea is the ONLY way to get L-theanine in your diet. This powerful amino acid boosts alpha wave activity in our brains, which promotes a state of relaxed concentration. Think "quiet alertness". The calming effects of L-theanine actually counteract the extreme highs and jitteriness that can result from excessive Caffeine intake. A high quality loose leaf tea will contain the most L-theanine, and the very highest levels are usually found in green and white teas.
How To Judge Tea?
People judge tea by their senses such as sight, olfaction, gestation and touch to separately judge from shape, color, fragrance, taste, water color and tea-leaf. The judge method has two processes: viewing its shape while it’s dry and tasting its quality while it’s brewed.
Tea has long been promoted for having a variety of positive health benefits. Recent studies suggest that green tea may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer, promote oral health, reduce blood pressure, help with weight control, improve antibacterial and antivirasic activity, provide protection from solar ultraviolet light, and increase bone mineral density. Green tea is also said to have "anti-fibrotic properties, and neuroprotective power." Additional research is needed to "fully understand its contributions to human health, and advise its regular consumption in Western diets."
Tea is nearly calorie-free and rich in antioxidants. Tea is an important part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.