For connoisseurs of tea, the mild and fragrant bouquet of green tea may bring to mind its rich, exotic history and its tender, less processed leaves. Green tea requires a more refined palate than the bolder black teas we grew up with, and its delicate aroma puts us more in mind of a Japanese tea garden than a British afternoon ritual with crumpets. But to think of the benefits of green tea, or any variety of tea, in only this way is to miss the point altogether of why tea flourished centuries ago under a Chinese moon.
Chinese Tea
In one sense, all tea is Chinese tea, because tea originated in China, and the plants and seeds were carried throughout Southeast Asia to Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Korea, India and beyond. For some, Chinese tea is any tea (from anywhere) processed in the traditional Chinese manner. It can refer to black teas, oolongs, green, white, yellow and red teas. When talking about Chinese tea, however, more comes into it than just the kind of tea and manner of preparation. Culture and customs bring to tea philosophy and reverence. If in these pages we’ve focused on the science of tea, Chinese tea emphasizes the art of tea.
Green Tea Extract
For those who prefer to get the health benefits of green tea in another form, or for those who want a supplement to the tea they already drink, green tea extract is a convenient addition to any diet.
Look at the ingredients in many diet products and green tea extract is frequently listed. As with green tea itself, green tea extract is an effective weight-loss supplement because of its thermogenic properties. But green tea extract is not just for dieters!
White Tea Vs Green Tea
Although not new to Asia, white tea is a relative newcomer to the West, and an elegant addition to the teas we already know and love.
In many cultures, white represents purity, the untouched, and the angelic. Certainly you could attribute those characteristics to white tea, with its beautiful names evocative of its Oriental past, like Golden Moon, White Peony and Silver Needle.
Originally, white tea was hand-picked in only one region, the Fujian Province, of China, and only between March 15 and April 10, but now it’s also harvested in Japan, Sri Lanka and India, and its popularity is increasing around the world. One reason for this is its lovely taste, usually described as sweet and light, although different white teas vary in flavor. Another reason is its superior health benefits.
Oolong Tea
Enjoying a cup of oolong tea conjures up the Chinese countryside, lush and verdant, fragrant blossoms and glossy leaves swaying in the gentle breeze, and tea growers with baskets to their sides, bending to their tasks. Every oolong tea leaf is infused with that beauty and serenity, and that, along with its aroma and flavor, have made it one of the most popular teas in homes and restaurants today.
Can Green Tea Help With Weight Loss
The short answer to that question is yes! It would appear that green tea can be used as a weight-loss tea as one of its many benefits to your health.
With the advent of oolong tea nearly 1,000 years ago, it is said that when times were hard and crops not plentiful, green tea drinkers in southeast China switched to oolong because of they couldn’t afford the weight loss they experienced with green tea! Oolong is now believed to have many of the same weight loss properties as green tea, but with a different aroma and flavor. As oolong is a semi-oxidized tea, it doesn’t have the higher concentration of beneficial catechin polyphenols (a kind of antioxidant) that green tea boasts.
What is Green Tea?
The history of tea is as exotic and far-flung as the mountains wreathed in mist where the best teas are grown. Legends abound about the origins of tea. Some say that in the 3rd millenium BC, Chinese Emperor Shen Nong first experienced the delights of tea when petals of the Camellia Senensis plant wafted into his pot of boiling water. Others suggest that Buddhist monks drank brews of wild plants for medicinal reasons, and brought green tea with them to Japan and beyond during their travels. Whatever its origin, green tea (all tea was green, and possibly white as well, in those days) inspired praise in the literature of ancient Asian cultures for thousands of years because of its delicate flavor and its reputed health benefits.