Green Tea

What could Green Tea do for you?

Good morning readers,

The weather is great for the next couple of days and today is going to be a hot one so, take care not to burn your bits and pieces…

It’s bank holiday today and also the celebration of 75 years since VE day. A time when we all stood together, side by side with our crowned colonies. Although we weren’t defeated in WWII, a staggering 449,700 people lost their lives protecting our uk way of life. We may not know their names, but they will never be forgotten.

Green Tea and getting it right

Many of you have heard about the benefits of Green Tea but I wanted to put my spin on it as I’ve been drinking Green Tea for years.

About 18 to 20 years ago Green Tea was everywhere, urging us to drink it because of it healing properties. Like so many of you, I decided to buy some Green Tea bags of a known brand and drunk it regularly. I didn’t know what to expect and as far as I could see after drinking 4 to 5 cups a day for months there wasn’t too much going on but continued to drink it as I enjoyed it.

A number of years later, I visited Thailand on holiday and while I was there I was looking at all the Green Tea’s available. I couldn’t believe there were so many and all offering different taste and claiming different health benefits. One thing they all had in common, the Green Tea was loose leaf and not the tea bags I had become a custom to. You took a scoop and scooped up your preferred Tea into a bag where it was weighed and you paid accordingly.

The Thai Lady offered me help in choosing the right one for me and off I went. I decided to look further into the Green Tea she recommended for me and it seems her recommendation had great reviews and was full of the right healing properties for me. After a couple of months, religiously placing my Green Tea leaves in a tea pot every day I noticed it was doping its job. I continued to drink that tea for years and enjoying its benefits it was easy for me to sauce as I had moved to Thailand.

When I left Thailand almost 4 years later and with the circumstances as they were, my Green Tea became a thing of history. It wasn’t until 3 years ago I re discovered my (Tencha) Green Tea and I’ve really enjoy it all the more.

For all that we like the convenience of a tea bag, we are not getting the true benefits of the Green Tea 9 times out of 10 the tea bag will contain the dust of Green tea loosing more nutrients and tasting bitter.

I do recommend chatting with your doctor first if you decide to add drinking green tea to your regular day just to make sure it doesn’t conflict with any medication you may be taking. Also, it’s like anything in life, if you drink too much in a day it could be harmful, 3 to 5 cups a day is enough.

Here are a few types of Green Tea I’ve listed below to try and help you discover which one’s might benefit your individual needs.

Green Tea ~ Sencha

The most commonly drunk amongst the Japanese green tea is Sencha.

Sencha is grown in direct sunlight, and tends to be harvested in the first or second flush of leaves. It is said that tea leaves from the first harvest are usually the best quality.

As soon as they picked, the tea leaves are steamed, starting at the tops of the plants with the youngest leaves. Once steamed the leaves are dried and rolled releasing all the juices, intensifying the flavour and giving them the appearance of long needles.

Sencha refers to the first flush of tea leaves picked. They have less time in the photosynthesis process so, dosen’t use as many minerals growing and maintaining a high Vitamin C content and helping to boost the immune system.

Green Tea ~ Gyokuro

The process for Gyokuro green tea is similar to Sencha but they are deprived of sunlight for approximately 3 weeks prior to harvest. This process, enduring less photosynthesis, keeps the strong but sweet flavour of (Theanine) amino acids in the plant and giving Gyokuro its fuller taste. The tea is more difficult to shade and cultivate, causing the price to be higher.

Because of this process, Gyokuro is able to contain large amounts of natural caffeine and chlorophyll, ingredients that stimulate the brain and nervous system, also, stimulates healthy skin and tissue growth.

Green Tea ~Tencha

Tencha is made very similarly to Gyokuro Tea. It is removed from sunlight three weeks prior to harvest, and then after harvest the leaves are steamed, air dried, and vines and stems are removed. The only difference is, it doesn’t go through the rolling process.

As the rolling process doesn’t take place, the larger leaves release high levels of of natural caffeine, nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.  helping to rejuvenate and, boost your energy and metabolic system.

Green Tea ~ Matcha

Matcha Green Tea is ground up Tencha.

After the shading, harvesting, and steaming, the leaves are then air-dried, stems and veins removed and then ground down into a fine powder revealing a bright green colour.

Known as the Japan’s formal tea ceremony tea of choice, when mixed with hot water the bright green powder provides very high amounts of natural nutrients, rejuvenating healthy skin helping to fight ageing, enhanced weight loss, relaxed body and mind and to detoxify the body.

Tea ~ Konacha

Konacha is frequently mistaken for Funmatsucha, but what many do not realise is that although Konacha means powder tea but in fact its not powder, it’s made up bits of leaves left over from the process of Gyokuro or Sencha.

Hence making Konacha a cheap tea with a strong aroma and not many health benefits , if you roast it into Houjikonacha it will diluting the bitter flavour.

Green Tea ~ Fukamushicha

Fukamushicha is a mix of leaves from Sencha, Gyokuro, Kabusecha, and even Bancha processes that are deep steamed providing a deeper colour. Funmatsucha has as much or possibly more antioxidants than normal Green Teas. This strain helps target the common cold, soothes your stomach, headaches, and general illness once mixed with hot water.

Green Tea ~ Kukicha

Kukicha is known as twig tea because it is made with twigs and stems instead of the leaves. Yellow or brown in colour , the tea is still goes through the same process as steaming the leaves. that go through the Green tea process.

known for its yellow brew Kukicha is the remains of Sencha, Gyokuro, and matcha teas but, it’s a mix of stems and stalks left over from  their original process.

This mix of three different high quality tea processes, Kukicha has a light fragrance and flavour that provides relaxation and morning refresh.

Green Tea ~ Bancha

Bancha is the second harvest after the first flush, leaves will be picked 3 times through June to October and with every harvest become less desirable. has been taken for Sencha, then regrown.

Bancha leaves tend to be picked in three periods varying between June and October, with the tea leaves becoming less desirable in each harvest. The taste is quite bitter due to the high levels of fluoride, becoming effective against tooth decay and halitosis (bad breath).

So to sum up, Green Tea has many naturally good properties for our bodies but you will need to pay a little extra to buy the loose leaf version thus enabling you to get the best from your Green Tea.

I personally have just ordered CEREMONIAL GRADE JAPANESE MATCHA award-winning matcha green tea that has a smooth and deep flavour with subtle hints of sweetness. The healing properties sound fantastic so i’m going to give it ago after all a lady needs all the help she can get…

Next time you’re in the supermarket, just remember to choose your green tea wisely and believe me when I say it always tastes better if you place your leaves in a tea pot. After a few times using your tea pot you will be able to gage how much tea pro rata to hot water you need.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope this post has enlightened some of you.

Take care of you and yours,

Sue x

All your suggestions and comments are always welcome, email me at contact@femalemasseuse.co.uk

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