Understanding Green Tea, Black Tea, and Tea Tasting
My wife and I tend to spend a lot of time going here and there checking out new herbs and ways of healing. Recently, we were in San Francisco and went tea tasting at a very large tea shop. (The tastings are free and the knowledge is priceless.)
Our instructor, May, was a great help, and gave us a wonderful tour of the ins-and-outs of green and black teas.
Green tea is common in China and consumed on a regular basis. Tea is commonly made in the following way, using one teaspoon of dried tea per cup of water, and the water must not be hotter than 180 degrees.
After steeping the tea for 30 seconds, the first cup of tea is discarded. This is common practice in China, and it makes a lot of sense because most of the caffeine resides in that first cup of tea. After it is thrown out, then steep another cup of tea for one minute.
That same tea is used for an additional five to six times and still tastes great. Small cups of tea are the norm: three or four ounces is all that is needed. So, a single teaspoon of tea can be savored over a whole day without the jitters of lots of caffeine.
Green tea is just that; green tea does not go through any or very little fermentation. The younger the tea leaves, the greater amounts of polyphenols are found in those tea leaves. In China, fermented tea is thought to have more healing qualities. This is just the opposite of what science is telling us, and in Asia they have been drinking tea for hundreds of years.
On the average, in China, tea is not drunk for taste, but for the healing abilities that the tea confers upon the body. The more fermented and aged the tea is, the more healing abilities it has for the body.
Great Chinese teas are aged in cakes, and these tea cakes cost upwards of $30,000 dollars for a few ounces. Those are some of the most expensive teas. These teas are used sparingly, and the tea cakes are passed down through the family for years. With little bits of the black tea cake being used even over the lifetime of a person.
Sometimes, these tea cakes take on a musty flavor. That is to be expected, and those who truly know these kinds of teas look forward to that musty flavor.
Some Chinese black teas are even aged in hollowed out mandarin orange peels giving the teas a special quality.
There are aged Chinese black teas for just about any kind of bodily complaint that you can imagine; including constipation, aches, pains, vitality, energy, and the list goes on and on. This is why there are hundreds of different types of Chinese black teas that have different qualities. Also, there are special regions of China that are well known for their expertise in growing healthy tea. Those teas are sought after and expensive.
If you live near San Francisco, New York City, and other places that have Chinese tea tasting stores, give some of these teas a try, and enjoy the information you are learning.
About the Article
This information is meant to get you started… so you can do more research on your own… dig a little deeper and find what works for you. This article is for educational purposes only, I strongly recommend that you seek advice from your own GP, private doctor, or medical specialist for any ailment, illness, or medical condition.. this article not meant to be a scientific analysis in any way, shape, or form.
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About the Author
Dr. Paul Haider, Master Herbalist and Spiritual Teacher for over 20 years, helping people to recover and feel healthy. You can also find Dr. Haider on FB under Dr. Paul Haider, Healing Herbs, and at www.paulhaider.com – feel free to contact him any time.
