Chinese people have been drinking green tea to promote good health for at least 5,000 years. The one popular legend about Chinese Green Tea had been told that Chinese green tea was accidentally discovered by Emperior Shen Nung. While his preparing hot water, a leaf from nearby plant fell into the pot imparting a strong fragrance. He sipped
and found it had a delightful and refreshing flavor.
Chinese Green Tea is the most popular beverage and that is what is meant, when one is talking about 'tea'. Middle Kingdom states that 'luh cha' (lu cha), or Chinese green tea is so named because of the tint of the infusion, as opposed to the color of the leaves.
In recent years as a healthy source discovery that Chinese green tea is a rich source of antioxidants, many people in traditional black tea markets have also started to drink Chinese green tea either straight or as part of some green tea blends.
Why Chinese Tea are in Green?
Green tea leaves are steamed, heated in hot pans or roasting in an oven after picking, arresting bacterial growth. Then they are rolled by hand to squeeze out excess moisture and to release flavor enzymes. The green tea leaves are finally dried and packed.
When Chinese green tea leaves are brewed, then turn a light green color with a milder flavor than black teas.
Chinese Green Tea Benefits
Modern science is beginning to tell us what Asian tradition has known for centuries, that tea is good for you.
The strong anti-oxidants called polyphenols is found as a rich compound in Chinese Green Tea which benefits in many ways for health. Studies have been done across the globe that show, Chinese Green Tea will flight against cancer, aging, bacteria, heart disease and help with digestion and weight loss. While Chinese green tea has received by far the most attention recently, both oolong and black teas have studies supporting their own distinctive claims.
Green tea, for centuries the beverage of choice in Asia, is rapidly gaining popularity in the western world. Its natural aroma and widely acclaimed health benefits make green tea appealing to both the tea lover and previously non-tea drinker. The aroma of some green teas surpasses even the best black teas in subtlety and complexity.
Green tea is as varied and unique as wines. Their uniqueness depends upon the growing region, the season's weather, time of harvesting and type of processing. Many varieties are available in multiple grades.
The styles of green tea include: gunpowder, tea rolled into balls, Young Hyson, tea made into long twisted leaves, Imperial, similar to gunpowder but not as tightly rolled, and Hyson, made from older leaves than Young Hyson.
Chunmee green tea is produced in China and is also referred to as Zhenmei or Precious Eyebrows. The leaves are carefully hand rolled to the eye-brow shape with great skill. The color is jade green and yields a liquor which is pale yellow.Chun Mee green tea is known for its plum-like sweetness and smoothness. This special grade yields a more smooth and complex tasting tea than the standard grades Emerald Petals is grown in Lu'An county located in the Dabie Mountains of Western Anhui province.Emerald Petals is known as "LU AN GUA PIAN" in Chinese and is one of the "Ten Famous Teas" of China. Emerald Petals has a largish flat & broad, emerald green leaf, which produces a generously flavoured & coloured beverage with a refreshing, slightly floral aroma. Emerald Petals may be drunk with food or at any time during the day. It is a very good value yet high quality green tea.
Huoshan Yellow Sprouting in know in China as "HUO SHAN HUANG YA".This rare green tea (In China,it is taken as a yellow tea)comes from southwest Anhui province.It is grown in the Huo Mountains in an environment of pure air and water. Huoshan Yellow Sprouting is a revelation, exhibiting a strong lychee (wine gum like) aroma in the dry leaf with a decidedly rich & complex flavour in the beverage. It brews a golden liquor with astringent aftertaste.
Gunpowder tea is so-called because it is rolled into small balls, reminding someone of old-time gunpowder. Some of our customers have asked, is all gunpowder hand rolled? According to The Tea Man, it depends on the gunpowder. The higher quality grades are hand rolled. Other, lower end gunpowders are machine rolled. However, a caveat: where labor is cheaper than machinery, it is hand rolled. How to tell the difference? The difference in flavor is remarkable. Since hand rolled generally represents a higher quality, the flavor is much more subtle, not at all harsh; very smooth foretaste and long, long delightful aftertaste. Hand rolled has a more grayish appearance and is of a smaller (pinhead) size, since it is usually composed of only the first three leaves. The higher the quality (and price), the smaller the pinhead size. Imperial Gunpowder is the largest, often 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter. Pinhead is actually a grading and is 3/16 to as small as 1/6 inch in diameter. The larger the size, the looser the roll. The looser the roll, the larger the leaf. The larger the leaf, the lower the leaf position on the branch leg. The lower the leaf position, the older the leaf. The older the leaf, the harsher the flavor. The harsher the flavor, the less expensive the tea. The less expensive the tea, the more common the tea is.
Gunpowder green (called "Zhucha" in China) - also known as "pearl" tea, Gunpowder green is produced in the Ning Bo region of China. These tightly rolled balls of leaves resemble gunpowder pellets. This state allows gunpowder tea to be kept longer than most other greens. Once infused in water, leaves unfurl to give a strong, slightly pungent flavor with a long aftertaste. Color is a coppery green. Gunpowder is said to be high in fluoride.