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There is nothing more relaxing than sipping a steaming cup of green tea at any time of the day. Green tea is one of the most powerful tea infusions in existence, providing multiple benefits when taken on a regular basis. Here you will find out all about this drink and which is the best brand on the market.
It’s no fuss, no exaggeration, green tea is a magical drink and one of the most consumed in the world. No wonder, if you see how much power the leaves of this tree have. For this reason, there are thousands of green tea manufacturers around the world and choosing the right one is difficult, but we will help you with that.
Summary
- Green tea is an infusion prepared from the leaves, buds and sometimes twigs of Camellia sinensis, better known as the tea tree. Green tea is known for its great medicinal and cosmetic properties and is the third most consumed beverage in the world.
- There are a huge number of variants of green tea. Each country has its own types, however there are 6 alternatives that are the most popular and of the highest quality; the Japanese Gyokuro, Sencha, Matcha, and the Chinese Lung Ching, Gunpowder and Bi Lou Chun.
- To get the best green tea purchase we recommend that you take into account purchasing factors. The benefits, the presentation, the origin of the tea and the taste are the four main factors that will allow you to know which, among a lot of products, is the best quality.
The best Green Tea: Our Picks
Buying Guide: What you need to know about Green Tea
The buying guide section will give you all the relevant information you need to know about the product you want to buy. There is nothing better than a customer who knows what he wants, how he wants it and who can’t be tricked by anyone. Learn more about green tea here.
What is green tea and what are its benefits?
The first to discover this drink were the Chinese, in fact this country is home to the largest number of tea varieties. The great properties of these leaves gave it the award of one of the best natural sources of antioxidants. It is advisable to drink at least 2 cups of this infusion a day.
Green tea Gyokuro, Sencha, Matcha, Lung Ching, Gunpowder and Bi Luo Chum – what to look out for?
- Gyokuro: It is a green tea of Japanese origin, whose name means “jade dew”. It is of high quality, made from the most tender and delicate buds of the Asahi, Okumidori, Yamakai, and Saemidori varieties of the jade plant
- Saemidori from the tea plant: This green tea is grown in the shade, which results in more caffeine and theanine.
- Sencha: This is another type of Japanese green tea grown in May and June. Its quality varies from medium to high. Its name means “cooked tea” and refers to the fact that it is cooked for a few seconds to prevent the leaves from oxidising, giving it a different flavour. Sencha is the most widely produced tea in Japan and marketed abroad.
- Matcha: The most popular Japanese green tea in the West, Matcha is a high quality tea whose production is similar to Gyokuro, only that in this one it is extracted from the nerve and only the rest is pulverised. This variation is often used in the tea ceremony in this Asian country. It is sold ground in our country.
- Lung Ching: The dragon well grows near Hangzhou Lake, where the only real plantation in China is located. This is a high quality green tea and one of the most popular Chinese varieties both in that country and in the rest of the world. It is made from buds and tender leaves and can be consumed both hot and cold.
- Gunpowder: Its resemblance to gunpowder has earned this tea its name, it is one of the most popular green teas in China. Its leaves are rolled into balls so that they do not lose their properties. It has a sweet and aromatic taste that people love no matter where they come from.
- Bi Luo Chun: Delicate, fruity and with an aroma that few can forget, that is the green tea Bi Luo Chun, one of the Chinese variants of this infusion. It is cultivated early and has small white hairs that attract people. Not as common as its predecessors, but worth a try.
| Gyokuro | Sencha | Matcha | Lung Ching | Gunpowder | Bi Luo Chun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest time | April – May | May – June | May – June | April to October | April to June | April to June |
| Flavour | Mild, sweet and penetrating | Bitter, slight seaweed flavour | Sweet and intense | Sweet and fresh | Mild and sweet | Light, sweet, fruity |
| Aroma | Mild and lingering | Strong and sustained | Intense | Fresh, vegetal and vanilla | Mild and lingering | Fruity and floral |
| Price | High | Medium | Medium | High | Medium | Medium |
Buying Criteria
If you want to know which is the best choice of green tea for your daily life, you should know the buying criteria. These criteria are made up of factors that give you a better perspective of the product you are about to buy and help you decide when one is better than another.
Benefits
The main reason people buy and consume green tea, besides its pleasant taste and aroma, is the benefits it offers. Imagine drinking something that is able to improve your health by 100% of what you already are, you will want to buy it in a heartbeat. For this reason, the benefits are a buying factor.
Diuretic and antioxidant
The natural properties of green tea make it one of the best diuretics as it can eliminate toxins that are in the body, making it work better. It also has a high antioxidant content, which allows you to have optimal cellular health and beautiful skin.
Cholesterol Reducer
Green tea is by definition a drink that removes fat from our body. Its adequate consumption can help you lose weight by eliminating fat, at the same time it reduces the levels of bad cholesterol and improves circulation, taking care of your heart. Drink at least 2 cups of tea a day.
Natural slimming and digestive
Having a better metabolism is possible by consuming this drink, and having a better metabolism helps the body burn calories much faster than usual. Likewise, this tea helps the segregation of gastric juices, improving our digestion, relieving our tummy.
Disinflammatory
Our joints will ask for more and more tea, because its anti-inflammatory powers prevent diseases such as arthritis or rheumatism. If you already have these diseases, you can drink green tea to alleviate their effects. If you have something swollen, have a steaming cup and you will get better.
Improve oral health and reduce anxiety
Some varieties of green tea naturally contain a little fluoride, an ingredient that prevents tooth decay, giving you a cleaner, healthier mouth. Also, consuming this drink, especially hot, substantially reduces episodes of anxiety and relieves stress.
Presentation
The presentation of green tea is more important than you might think. In fact, its presentation can influence its price and the way it is prepared. For this reason, the presentation or format of the product is another purchasing factor to take into account.
- Sachets: This is a very common presentation in western countries, where the tea is stored in small sachets or circles of a porous textile. Just put a bag of these in a little warm water and the tea brews into the infusion we all love. It is the express way to drink green tea and is often inexpensive.
- Trimmed leaves or balls: Some teas come in big bags and inside is where the magic happens, with toasted and trimmed leaves. This presentation keeps more of the quality and properties of the tea at its best, as does the pellet format common in the Chinese Gunpowder variant. They are usually more expensive and more yielding than the tea bags.
- Ground: This tea comes in powdered form, very similar to talcum powder, and its preparation is quite a ceremony. Matcha is perhaps the most popular green tea in ground form. To make a cup we need a bamboo set with which we stir the tea after pouring warm water over one and a half tablespoons of tea.
Place of origin
Knowing where our tea comes from is essential, as it guarantees a particular taste, aroma and even quality. We already know that the tea tree or tea plant comes from Asia. Of course, the products coming from there, be it China, Japan or even Korea, are of high quality and quite expensive.
There are other countries that have dedicated themselves to producing green tea with considerable quality, such as the United States, Spain and our beloved Mexico. India is a country known for producing great infusions, recognised around the world, as are many African countries. Keep this in mind the next time you buy your tea.
Flavour of the tea
It’s hard to buy something you don’t like the way it tastes, so if you hate bitter or very sweet flavours, it’s essential that you know what each variety of green tea has to offer. This way your palate will not suffer when drinking this beverage. The taste of tea is closely linked to its harvest and we will explain why.
- Sweet: Chinese green tea variants such as Gunpowder, Bi Luo Chun, as well as the Japanese Gyokuro and Matcha are sweet teas. This is not only because of where they were harvested, but also because they use fresh buds and are sometimes shade grown. Check this before you buy your tea if you want it sweet.
- Bitter: Most commonly, teas are somewhat bitter to the palate, but there are some that are bitter due to their preparation. Sencha green tea is prepared by boiling the leaves after removing them from the plant, this keeps their properties intact but leaves a strong taste of seaweed. Do you like bitter? You should try it.
(Featured image photo: Yelenayemchuk / 123RF)
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