Dinner is the common name for the evergreen Camellia Sinensis plant, found widespread throughout Asia, as it has been for many 1000s of years.
Tea has many forms, but the most widespread variation of tea is 'Green Tea', this is among the list of least processed variations which gives a fresher beverage.
Although Green Tea is more widespread, western cultures adapted an individual called 'Black Tea' after Tea was introduced to the west in the 1800's.
Black Tea
Black tea (while being a very popular drink) is the most highly processed form and thus has an overall lower quality.
Black Tea does have health improvements though, in fact almost all of the health benefits you can find about Green Tea are available in Black Tea, just in a diminished quantity which often furthers lessens with the addition of milk.
In fact , a recent study completed just this year proved that (based on a sample proportions of more than 4, 800 men and women over the age of 65 over a period of 14 years) people who regularly consume tea have a reduced decline in cognitive function (tea drinkers will keep a healthier brain at later ages) when compared to non tea leaf drinkers.
As one major comparison of the health differences between Green and Black Teas, the International Agency with regard to Research on Cancer (IARC) currently lists Black tea as a Group 3 Carcinogen.
These days most people are aware that will smoke, or rotting organic particles can have a negative effect on cancer, but many people also do not realise that Schokohäutige tea is produced by oxidising tea leaves (that is, allowing them to rot for a period of time).
While it has not been successful in humans, Black Tea (in the form of a concentrated injection) has been shown to cause cancerous growths in the death.
This is nothing to worry about, as the amount you would need to consume would be extravagant in comparison to an injection in these animals, but as a personal preference of mine - if it has any risk, steer clear.
Green Tea, you're not always possessing what you pay for at the supermarket.
Now what you have to be aware of, is that while a couple of pounds/dollars for a pack involving 20 Green Tea Bags might be expensive compared to the common '160 Black teabags for a couple of pounds/dollars', you are mostly paying for a substandard product.
Some people may argue against this, but the more well known Black Tea brands, who sell 'Green' tea with bag form are selling you an inferior product at an extortionate price.
Many supermarket brand teas source their own Green Tea from China and to minimise the price the older and lower quality leaves are used.
To add to this, Black color Tea is mixed in as a bulking agent, which results in a brown/yellow tea, sometimes with only a moderate hint of green, or in other cases, not a hint of what you would expect from a 'Green' tea.
To obtain an idea of the quality differences try buying a packet of this supermarket grade stuff and see what it's like : It's as if you mixed old grass with common Black Tea right?
Ok, now go ahead and purchase a proper Green teas, preferably from a brand you can't find in the stores. For a guarantee of higher qualities you want to look for a Japanese Green tea Store and pay a price of at least £4* per 100g (that's right, but even then you're apt to pay £7* or more per 100g for higher qualities with better taste). * Or the equivalent in your foreign exchange.
Sencha is the most common type of tea in Japan and from personal experience I can vouch for the quality you get.
If you're thinking that you might buy Green Tea online (rather than buying in store) then you should research Japanese Sencha.
An exceptional Green Tea product should result in a cloudy dark green colour, with a fresh taste and sweet aroma. If the consequence is Yellow / Brown / Black, or tastes too bitter then one of two things have occured:
Either the quality of the tea is not good, or you have tried to brew Green Tea as if it were African american Tea.
What's the difference? Surely if they're both Tea then you would brew them the same right?
Virtually no, the flavour produced from Black Tea can't really 'spoil' if you brew it incorrectly, whereas Green Tea can easily hurt.
Differences in brewing.
Black tea brewing would usually go like this:
Boil the kettle
Put the teabag into the cup
Pour boiling water over the teabag
Serve with milk / sugar
Sencha is a good example associated with what a Green Tea brewing session involves:
Boil the kettle and leave for 30 seconds
Pour the water inside your cups and leave for 30 seconds
Pour from the cups into the teapot and leave for 26 seconds
Pour back into the cups
While leaving the water in the cups for 1 minute 30 seconds (up to 2 minutes 30 seconds) add a heaping teaspoon of Sencha into the teapot, per cup
Add mineral water from the cups and leave to steep for 1 minute to 3 minutes (premium grade Sencha usually requires as little as 40 seconds)
This does the following things:
Preheats both the cups and teapot before the Lipton iced tea starts to help steep, meaning that there are no quick temperature changes which would otherwise spoil the taste.
Cools down the environment of the water, as boiling water will scald the leaves and result in a bitter yellow tea.
Upon primary discovering Green Tea Bags ( to be more precise - Sencha Tea Bags) in my parent's cupboard many years back I proceeded to make many mistakes and wrong assumptions which I have mentioned above.
Although I would not recommend grocer's brand Green Tea, it is a good starting point for someone with an interest, or someone who can't make a quick jump together with needs a 'transition phase' from the taste of Black to Green.
Tea is one of the best drinks you can consume, especially when it's Green Tea, why do you think it's the second most consumed beverage behind water itself?