Green Tea
It is not official. But the fact remains that Green Tea that originated in India and China has over the years become increasingly popular in the west. It all started from Britain’s colonial interests in the region when the green tea was first discovered. Tea rooms started to come up all over the country and the trend has never stopped. And now there are people who say that green tea has several health benefits particularly for anti aging, weight loss, breast cancer and others. Stretch Marks are also caused by weight loss.
History of the Green Tea
It is not exactly known how and when green tea was first discovered. But reference to it has been found 5000 years back in early China. As per legend, Emperor Shen Nung noticed that those who boiled water before drinking lived longer. And then one day when he was having his boiled water, some leaves from a tree blew into his pot and this resulted in a delightful aroma.
Green tea was expensive in ancient China and was thus limited to the elite. It spread among the masses during the Ming dynasty. Then came a time when green tea became among the foremost exported items from China – it was a favorite drink of the European sailors. Green tea was first exported to Europe in 1606 by the Dutch East India Company.
What exactly is Green Tea – is it different than the others?
Yes. There are actually three types of tea. Green, Black and Oolong and the differencing factor is in the way they are processed. Green tea is made from unfermented leaves that have the highest concentration of polyphenols and chemicals that are powerful antioxidants. These elements can neutralize free radicals and thus prevent some of the damages.
Types of Green Tea
Green tea is available in the following types…
Chinese Green Tea: Hui Ming, Yu Lu, Yun Wu (also known as Cloud and Mist), Da Fang (popularly referred to as the Big Square), Huangshan Mao Feng, Hyson and others.
Japanese Green Tea: Gyokuro or the Jewel Dew – a sweet and delicate variety, Sencha or the roasted tea is the most commonly used green tea in Japan, Genmaicha is a blend bancha green tea and genmai (roasted rice grain), HÅjicha is a pan-fried or oven roasted green tea that is available throughout the country.
Green teas are also available from Ceylon, Darjeeling and Assam in India and also Vietnam.
Health benefits of Green Tea
People in China and India have always believed in the health benefits of drinking green tea. However the western world has only just started to believe in this. Many studies have been undertaken but a very interesting one was done by the Yale University School of Medicine recently. According to the observations, though Asia had the highest number of cigarette smokers, but the numbers of heart problems and cancer were the lowest. This did not make sense. It is believed that the 1.2 liters of green tea consumed in Asia provides good amounts of polyphenols and other antioxidants that improve cholesterols.
Drinking green tea also reduces weight. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published findings of the University of Geneva in Switzerland in November 1999, and according to them, men who had a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than others.
Conclusion
Green tea not only tastes great but is also good for health. Even medical professionals are accepting this. It is no surprise therefore that the popularity of green tea is on the rise.