What is Green Tea?

What is Green Tea, you ask? Not so simple of a question to be honest. All true teas - as distinct from herbal and flower infusions, which tea lovers call tisanes - are made from the leaves of a magnolia-related evergreen tree with the botanical name of Camellia sinensis. These can grow up to 30 feet in height in the wild, but on tea plantations, the plant is kept as a shrub, and cut to a height of about 3 feet to encourage new growth and for convenient picking.

Generally, tea plants grow only in warm climates but flourish at altitudes ranging from sea level to 7,000 feet. The better teas a while longer to develop which adds to the richness in flavor. A new tea plant might take around 2 1/2 to 5 years to mature for actual production and consumption in store bought teas, but they will last longer.

All tea plants belong to the same species-Camellia sinensis-, but local growing conditions (altitude, climate, soils, etc.) vary, resulting in a multitude of distinctive leaves. The way the leaves are processed, however, is even more important in developing the individual characteristics of the three predominant types of tea: green, black and oolong.

Green tea is the least processed and provides the most antioxidant polyphenols, a catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is believed to be responsible for most of the health benefits linked to green tea.

Green tea is made by briefly steaming the just harvested leaves, rendering them soft and pliable and preventing them from fermenting or changing color. After steaming, the leaves are rolled, then spread out and "fired" (dried with hot air or pan-fried in a wok) until they are crisp. The resulting greenish-yellow tea has a green, slightly astringent flavor close to the taste of the fresh leaf.

Green tea has always been, and remains today, the most popular type of tea from China where most historians and botanists believe the tea plant originated throughout all of Asia. Why is this so? Perhaps because green tea not only captures the taste, aroma and color of spring, but delivers this delightful bouquet along with the highest concentration of beneficial phytonutrients and the least caffeine of all the teas. The key to the amazing health benefits that are derived from consuming green tea is that the leaves are steamed which preserves the EGCG compound from being oxidized. Other teas are fermented which breaks down the natural EGCG and takes away from its healing properties.

 In fact, green tea has very long and storied history dating back thousands and thousands of years. It can be quite fascinating to know what the Chinese have known for centuries.

Whats New About Green Tea Health Benefits

Understanding green tea health benefits can help you to begin and maintain a healthier lifestyle. If you’re the type of person who finds it challenging to maintain healthy eating and living, a great way to start is by making green tea a part of your daily diet. In today’s hurry up age, it is very possible to spend much of our days rushing to and fro, only taking time to grab a bite to eat on the run. We don’t blame you for being on the go, but at some point you have to stop and take care of your health and body to make sure they both last you for the long run. There are many green tea health benefits that have been discovered by scientists and researchers over the years. While not all of the claims to health benefits have been verified, there are those which have. It has been reported that some of the major health benefits of drinking green tea include resistance or reduction of cancer, impaired immune function, infection, high cholesterol levels, cardiovascular disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Deciding to incorporate green tea health benefits into your diet doesn’t have to be an ordeal but careful planning and consideration should be given to selecting the type green tea product you want to use. There are many different forms of green tea on the market, many of which are not the genuine article. Don’t fall for imposters that claim to be green tea but actually only have a small percentage of green tea extract listed as a fourth or fifth ingredient on the list. Some green tea health products can be purchased over the Internet. This is a great way to not only research the various green tea products that are available, but it eliminates the need to travel to the store to buy them. As a rule, however, you should avoid trying products just because they offer a free sample. The something for nothing concept is usually an auto ship program that subtlely invites you to pay regular charges for automatic refills of a product that may or may not work for you. When you do find a green tea product that you’re interested in taking, it is the best practice to check with your physician, particularly if you are taking any other medications that may react to the addition of green tea to your diet. Once you’re cleared by your doctor, you’re ready to begin experiencing some of the great green tea health benefits that are said to have helped make green tea the rage that currently is in many countries around the world. Remember, not all green tea products are created equal. When the truth is told, there are many lookalike products and even some pseudo green tea items that make the claim but substantiate nothing. So whether you are searching for green tea health benefits for the short or long term, make sure you are selecting authentic green tea items.