Green Tea Plant

The green tea plant is the same plant from which other types of tea such as white, oolong and black come from. The tea plant is called camellia sinensis and is native to Asia. Because of the popularity of tea, the plant is cultivated all over the globe. The plant is a shrub of the evergreen variety that prefers warm weather and grows best in tropical or subtropical regions. It is usually kept under a height of six feet and sports small yellow and white blossoms. The best leaves to use for tea are the young leaves, which are lighter in color than older leaves.

Green tea is harvested when the leaves are young and have small white hairs underneath. The leaves are steamed right after harvest which prevents oxidation. It is the level of oxidation that makes the difference between types of tea. Green tea leaves produce a light colored tea with a delicate flavor and a low level of caffeine. This tea has substantially less caffeine that black tea. You can find brands of green tea that have been naturally decaffeinated if you are concerned about caffeine consumption.

Because green tea is delicate, is is prepared with lower heat and less brewing time than black tea. The water should be hot but not boiling, and the tea should only be allowed to steep for three minutes maximum. Any longer and the quality and taste of the tea will be compromised. Speaking of quality, many think that the finest type of green tea is matcha. Matcha also comes from the camellia sinensis plant. It is young green tea that is grown more slowly to encourage a deep green color. Matcha is them laid flat to dry and ground into a bright green powder which is used to make tea.

The green tea plant has many health benefits. Green tea is packed with antioxidants, even more so than darker varieties of tea. These antioxidants help scavenge harmful free radicals in the body. Free radicals may cause health problems such as cancer and heart disease, which is why antioxidants are said to have protective properties against such problems. Green tea also helps speed up the metabolism which can enhance your weight loss plan. As you can see, this plant offers many advantages for health and wellness.





The Complete Guide to Green Tea


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