How Green Tea is Different from Black Tea

Green tea is thought to be the original type of tea that was first drunk in Asia. Legend has it that the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was enjoying his morning cup of hot water when by chance a few green leaves of the tea bush landed into it. The leaves greatly improved the hot water. Other versions of the legend say bits of sun-dried tea leaves blew into the water.

There are four types of tea produced by the tea bush Camellia sinensis: green, white, oolong and black. The differences in these teas are in the way they are dried and stored. Herbal teas technically are not teas because they don't contain any tea leaves. They happen to be called tea because it's a more appetising name than "tisane" or "infusion". Green tea is the most popular type of tea enjoyed in Japan. Powdered green tea, sencha, is used in the elaborate Japanese tea ceremony.

Growth

The countries that grow and export the most black tea are India and China, but countries that grow the most green tea are China, Japan and Ceylon. There is now one tea plantation in the UK that also grows green tea. The best green tea is commonly thought to be Japanese, but it is all a matter of personal preference.

To make green tea for loose-leaf or tea bags, the top leaves of the tea bush are picked and then left to dry, but they are not heated up to ferment like in oolong or black tea. However, some leaves of green tea will not look green in color but may appear brown or black.

Taste

Green tea has a much, much different taste than black teas, which are the usual tea found in restaurants and supermarkets. It is much more delicate and much grassier. It can also taste vile if the leaves are steeped in cup of hot water for too long. It's best to use water that is just about to boil rather than boiling water.

Because of this difference in preparation, many Americans prefer to drink green tea iced rather than hot. Any bitterness can then be masked with sweeteners or the addition of fruit juices and cold water. Ready made green iced tea is also popular in America because then the consumer doesn't have to go through the bother of making the tea in the first place.

Health Benefits

Only white tea has less caffeine than green tea, which has only a fraction of the caffeine content in black tea. There are decaffeinated versions of green tea sold, but many tea aficionados complain that drinking hot water tastes better. Green tea is a low-calorie beverage if no sweeteners are used. Because of the taste, milk or cream is usually not added as with black teas. However fruit juice and herbs like ginseng are often found in forumations of tea bags and commercially made iced green teas.

There have been a lot of controversial health claims attributed to green tea, but so far, nothing has really been proven, but studies have been promising. Green tea extract in particular shows some promise in helping to fight chronic lymphocytic lukemia, notes the Mayo Clinc. However, substituting green tea for a more calorie-laden beverage can certainly help in reducing weight, blood pressure and helping in overall health.

References

"The Story of Tea: A Cultural; History and Drinking Guide." Mary Lou Heiss & Robert J. Heiss. Ten Speed Press; 2007.

"Tea Bliss." Theresa Cheung. Conari Press; 2007.

Science Daily. "Green tea extract appears to keep cancer in check in majority of CCL patients." August 16, 2010. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607101702.htm