Finding Out About Green Tea

Green teas have always been popular, especially in the Japanese cultures but have made their impact in the western world as well. Green tea has been used in many aspects in the last few years not only as a well brewed beverage but also added to supplements and other dietary items because of the rich antioxidants that this tea possess.

You maybe asking what exactly is green tea. Well really it is no different that your typical black tea. The only difference is the process that the green tea goes through that makes it different from the the traditional black teas. Black teas are highly processed, this is what gives them the darker color. A green tea is processed less and in some instances is grown in a different environment. Some high quality green teas are grown in the shade rather than the direct sunlight.

Green teas are made from the same tea plants as red and black tea but they undergo a very minimal oxidation process. Green tea originates from China although it has become the common tea of Japan. In fact in Japan green tea is commonly just called tea as this is the main type of tea of the Japanese culture.

Green tea has many special features to it that are not present in other types of tea. Green tea typically has a lower amount of caffeine than your typical cup of black tea. In fact green tea only has a fourth of the amount of caffeine as a equivalent sized cup of coffee. That is also about half of the amount of caffeine that a normal cup of tea contains.

To brew the perfect cup of green tea you will want to use a slightly cooler water than you would for your typical tea. The water used to brew green tea should be between 140 degrees F and 190 degrees F. The higher the quality of green tea used the cooler the water should be and the shorter the brewing time. The less expensive green teas will need to be brewed longer and at a higher temperature. Green teas typical use one teaspoon per cup of water and can also be steeped multiple times. You can typically steep a single serving of green tea leaves two to three times before discarding.

Source : articlesbase