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Famed for its health and medical benefits, green tea has found
its popularity rise in recent years thanks to a healthier outlook
from the public in general. Whereas before, it may have been seen as
something only socialites would drink to try to "stand out" from the
crowd, now green tea is drank everywhere from restaurants to fast
food outlets. But where did it originate, and what has made this
more popular than others?
There are different claims as to how old green tea, or the drinking
of green tea, really is. Since there are variations in the tea, with
many South Asian countries having their own type, no-one can really
state for certain how long this tea has been consumed. However,
records show that it's been drank for at least 5,000 years in both
India and China, although you can find variations in Thailand and
Japan as well.
Indeed, in 1191, there was even a book written on how beneficial
green tea can be by none other than the famous Zen Buddhist, Eisai.
Not only did he describe how good green tea was for your body and
internal organs, but also how it could ease various bodily ailments
such as indigestion and fatigue. This knowledge has carried itself
through the centuries, so that even today these are major reasons
for people to drink green tea.
Depending on which country the green tea comes from, there are
various ways to brew it. However, as a guide, the following is
pretty much standard practice:
· For each individual cup, use one teaspoon of green tea. This
equates to approximately 2.25 grams of tea should be used, with a
measuring of six ounces in water.
· Use water that is extremely hot, but NOT boiled, as this will ruin
the flavor completely. For best results, aim for a temperature
between 82 – 88 degrees centigrade.
· Let the tea steep for between two to three minutes, for optimum
flavor, before pouring into measured cups.
Although many people would say that tea is tea and that green tea is
no different, it couldn't be further from the truth. The taste can
vary from country to country; even green tea from different
provinces in the same country can taste different from other
provinces. Therefore, depending on your taste, you may find that you
prefer one country or region's tea to another.
For example, the most commonly known green tea is that from China,
and this can vary wildly in taste dependent on the province. The
most famous green tea, Xi Hu Longjing, is found in the province of
Zhejiang, and is pan-fried. Due to this method, it has a slightly
richer taste than other variations from nearby locations.
Then there is Gunpowder tea, which is also founding Zhejiang but is
of a lower quality. This tea is "only" 1500 years old at most in its
origin; the name comes from the way it is rolled into small pellets
before being brewed. The lower grade leaf tends to not lend itself
to as nice a flavor as Xi Hu, but it is still a very popular cup.
In fact, with China being such a proponent of green tea, it's not
surprising that there are over twenty variations from six different
provinces, all with their own little variation in taste. Whilst you
have the range from lower quality to higher, such as the two
afore-mentioned Zhejiang teas, you can also find teas that are
somewhere in between. Hyson, which is mainly from the Anhui province
but can be found elsewhere, offers a more mellow tasting tea,
usually from the leaves being harvested earlier.
It's not just China that green tea is associated with these days,
though. Now, Japan, Thailand and India all have their own
variations. Japan, perhaps more so than other countries, is now
finding itself popular for importers of green tea, who don't wish to
maneuver through the minefield that can be trying to get through
customs and costs with the Chinese government.
Although Japanese green tea is thought to be less palatable than its
Chinese counterpart, that would be to dismiss some extremely
appetizing teas. Some of the best Japanese green tea, as found in
the Kyoto district, can more than hold its own with the Chinese
variation. For instance, Matcha is a powdery green tea of very high
quality, and is so popular that it is actually used in the Japanese
"tea ceremony", which many Westerners will recognize from various
Hollywood films that portray a server in traditional garb serving
tea whilst in a sitting position. A proper ceremony can last up to
four hours.
Another popular type is the Kabusecha green tea, which is more
delicate in flavor due to the leaves being left to grow in the shade
while they are being harvested. Although not quite as widespread or
popular as Chinese green tea, Japanese tea is still found in over
ten different provinces of Japan, and is becoming just as popular as
their neighbor's version.
If you wish to try other teas from different countries, you may wish
to look to the ones from Darjeeling or Ceylon in India, which use
similar methods to the Chinese and Japanese tea brewers but infuse
it with slightly different herbs to create a more varied flavor, or
from Vietnam, Indonesia or even Brazil, which lends a South American
slant to this ever-growing drink.
copyright 2007 Nicholas Hurd all rights reserved
Notice: Nothing in this article is intended to be medical advise.
Consult your physician or health care provider for information regarding
Your health
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