Green tea

Green tea (綠茶) is a category of tea that is minimally oxidized, resulting in a vivid green color and vegetal flavor profile.

What is green tea?

Green tea is a popular beverage that is enjoyed by people all throughout the world.

It's made from the leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis plant, which is the same plant that is used to produce other varieties of tea, such as white, oolong and black tea (red tea). Although all true tea is technically made from the same species of plant, there many distinct regional cultivars, each of which have their own unique characteristics.

Another distinction between these types of tea is the application of different processing techniques.

For example, to manufacture green tea, the fresh tea leaves are either lightly steamed or pan-fried in order to halt the oxidization process. This process helps preserve the delicate flavor, aroma, and color of the tea.

As a result, green tea typically has a fresh, grassy, and vegetal flavor profile, often with hints of nuts and flowers, along with a slightly bitter taste, which is considered to be quite different than many other types of tea.

“There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.” - Lin Yutang

Is green tea healthy?

Green tea is widely recognized for its plethora of health benefits and is often considered to be a healthy addition to one’s diet. The primary reason for this is due to its polyphenol content, which is a class of compounds that includes antioxidants such as catechins and flavanoids.

The compounds have a diverse array of pharmacological properties that include anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic and anti-bacterial effects within the human body.

Advantages of green tea

One of the key advantages of green tea is the amount of research that has been performed on this specific variety of tea.

We will discuss some of its many benefits in the section below.

Cardiovascular health

One of the key advantages of green tea is its effect on cardiovascular health. There has been a considerable amount of research which indicates that green tea can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, with some studies indicating that those who consume green tea may have up to a 31% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease¹.

Diabetes prevention

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has been rapidly increasing in recent years, with 1 in 10 Americans now contracting the disease².

However, studies have shown that consuming green tea can improve insulin sensitivity and help lower blood sugar³. A review of 7 studies, which included 286,701 people, showed that tea drinkers may have up to an 18% lower risk of acquiring diabetes⁴.

Digestive health

Green tea is also thought to improve digestive health by preventing dental caries and reducing cholesterol and lipid absorption in the gastrointestinal tract⁵, which can be of ample benefit to those who suffer from cardiovascular disorders.

Skin health

Many of the same compounds which have an effect inside of the human body also have an effect on the skin.

For example, a study performed in 2016 showed that consuming green tea extract can result in a significant reduction of acne lesions on the skin⁶.

Other studies have shown that the polyphenols in tea can help protect the skin from harmful UVB rays⁷.

A natural source of minerals

The tea plant is also a strong accumulator of essential minerals such as potassium, zinc, magnesium, and copper, although it should only be considered a supplementary source⁸. It also contains a large quantity of natural fluoride, which has been shown to be beneficial in regards to dental health.

Green tea contains caffeine and theanine.

As with all true teas made from the Camellia Sinensis plant, green tea contains a considerable amount of natural caffeine, as well as another compound known as theanine. Although caffeine is a stimulant that can boost energy levels, theanine is thought to modulate it's effect and induce a state of relaxed-alertness which can feel quite different than other sources of caffeine, such as a cup of coffee.

Green tea typically has between 30 - 70 milligrams of caffeine per serving, based on 2 grams of tea and 250 milliliters of water.

Order green tea online

If you're looking to buy green tea, we stock a large assortment of various loose leaf tea right here in our online shop. Our immense passion for the tea industry means that we care about the products that we send out and we guarantee that you will receive the freshest tea possible.