How to brew green tea: tips

Green tea is considered the most useful drink. In the East, this drink is used as a means of preventing cancer. It has a large amount of antioxidants, removes cholesterol, promotes weight loss, lowers blood pressure and strengthens the walls of blood vessels. And this is not the whole list of the positive properties of green tea. However, in order for this wonderful drink to reveal all the wealth of its potential, you will need special dishes and a special method of brewing. No wonder in Asian countries for brewing tea, there is a special ceremony. It involves the selection and preparation of dishes, purification and heating of water, as well as the very long and unhurried process of steaming tea leaves to obtain a fragrant greenish-yellow drink.

How to get green tea

Green and black teas are the leaves of the same tea bush, they are only processed in different ways. After harvesting (quality tea is collected from April 15 until the end of July) 2-3 young tea leaves are dried on the day of collection for 2 days, then treated with hot steam (the color is not very saturated, and the taste is soft) or in pots on fire (tea turns out bright green and very fragrant). The Japanese love steaming tea leaves, and the Chinese prefer to roast. In the process of short-term (not more than 3 minutes) heat treatment, the tea loses moisture and twists. In the tea leaves are stored tannins, and the leaves themselves are twisted into a tube. Green tea does not ferment. It practically does not change color, however, it loses the aroma of fresh, freshly plucked greens, acquiring a tart, dryish smell. Then the tea leaves are made either crumbly (long leaf), or preformed, when the leaves are ground into powder and pressed.

How is green tea useful?

Green tea contains a lot of useful substances. The inhabitants of the East owe their longevity to the correct application of this wonderful healing drink. The best qualities of green tea include:

1. Caffeine. It is an alkaloid synthesized in plants, including a tea bush, with the aim of scaring off insect pests and attracting pollinating insects. Moreover, the amount of caffeine in a cup of green tea is about the same as in the same espresso cup. Therefore, a cup of tea will wake you up no worse than a coffee drink. Caffeine acts stimulantly on the nervous system, tones blood vessels, gives strength and energy. But caffeine in green tea will not affect a person as straightforwardly as in coffee due to the content of thiamine (vitamin B1).
2. Thiamine Vitamin B1 is different. It has a calming effect, reducing the effects of caffeine. Maintains normal tone of the heart muscle and stomach. Thiamine in combination with caffeine normalizes metabolic processes in the body and contributes to increased metabolism. Due to this property, green tea is considered an excellent way to lose weight.
3. A nicotinic acid. This is vitamin PP, which is especially rich in green tea. Nicotinic acid is an excellent anti-allergen, slows blood clotting, improves the functioning of the stomach and intestines, helps to reduce the myocardium. Stimulates the braking processes of the central nervous system.
4. Tannin or tannic acid. They strengthen the walls of blood vessels, make the tea taste tart and rich, without irritating the gastric mucosa. The greatest advantage of tannin is its ability to remove radioactive strontium.
5. Catechins or flavonoids are antioxidants. They inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and also break down body fat in the abdominal area. Catechins are necessary for people with diabetes, because they increase insulin sensitivity. They are not worse than calcium helps to fight osteoporosis.
6. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid. 100 grams of green tea contains 280 mg of ascorbic acid. Accordingly, one cup of freshly green tea contains 7 mg of vitamin C. And this is 8% of the daily value for a man and 16% for a woman. Of course, all these figures are approximate, but this indicator is not bad either.
7. Glutelin and albumin. These are proteins, whose content in green tea is in no way inferior to legumes.
8. Essential oils Green tea gives an extraordinary delicate aroma.

Despite the large number of useful properties, you should not treat green tea as a drink that quenches thirst.Do not exceed the use of 3-4 cups a day, and you will always be in good shape and good mood.

How to choose a suitable green tea for brewing

Some consumers complain about the tastelessness of green tea, that its taste resembles the taste of a knotweed plant. Perhaps the reason is really low-quality tea, but most often the unpleasant taste is due to improper brewing of the drink.

Tea brewed in different ways depending on the twisting of the piece. There are several types of twisting, among them:

• slightly twisted. Chayki flat and flattened.
• strongly twisted along the longitudinal axis (pearl). Chayki elongated and thin.
• strongly twisted along the transverse axis (Gunpowder).
• granulated. It has a mark on the CTS package (cut, tear, curl), which means “grinding, tearing, twisting”.

Connoisseurs and admirers of green tea scornfully treat granulated tea. This is due to the fact that tea leaves in the process of processing are not subjected to careful selection. The entire crop is ground with special rollers, after which the leaves are torn into small pieces and twisted. It turns out the powder consistency, which is collected in granules. Waste production of granulated tea is small, a maximum of 20%.However, when the tea leaf is torn, its structure is destroyed. The aroma and taste of the brewed drink is not as refined and rich as that of the large leaf tea. But there are some advantages: this tea is brewed in a few minutes, it is not picky about the conditions of preparation, it has a very rich taste, low price and high ability to invigorate and tone up. This is an ideal option for those who are in a hurry in the morning, and who need to quickly wake up and not bother with tea ceremonies.

If you want to get a soft taste from the drink, choose a weakly twisted type of tea. If you like a rich drink, choose strongly twisted teas. Gunpowder or “green pearl” has a bitter taste and sweet aroma with notes of tropical fruits. With improper brewing, its taste will scare away saturation and tartness. The specificity of brewing Gunpowder is this: pour a teaspoon of tea with 150 m of hot water (not boiling water) and let it brew for 1 minute. Drain, then refill the cup with the same amount of water and let it stand for no more than 3 minutes. Now the drink is ready to drink. Do not overdo it, otherwise you will get too rich and very bitter tea drink. In the process of welding tea balls unwind to a full leaf.You will surely be seduced by the smoky scent of Gunpowder.

Taiping Hou Kui tea is classified as loosely rolled. Chayinki have an elongated flat shape. Especially for their brewing, there are high kettles so that the tea leaves do not break. Brew tea is not too hot water and insist 3-5 minutes.

The white monkey variety is made from the first tea poeks and the two top leaves. They are dried on the street, with the result that in dry form, the tea leaves have a twisted shape that resembles a monkey's tail. Tea is brewed with non-boiling water, and it can be brewed several times in a row. The color of tea is light, almost lemon, and the taste and aroma is delicate, delicate, with floral notes.

Sencha is a popular variety of Japanese tea. During processing, the leaves are steamed and pressed into thin strips. Brewed tea with hot water for no more than 2 minutes.

Matcha tea has a powdered structure and brews it in a different way than regular leaf tea. 1-2 teaspoons of tea are whipped in a cup with a small amount of warm water, then water is added to the desired saturation of the drink. In order for tea not to get the taste of hay, do not keep it in an open package, but pour it into a glass jar with a lapped lid.

Houjicha variety is roasted during processing, so the leaves have a brown tint. It contains the minimum amount of caffeine, contributes to better digestion and breakdown of fats. It is brewed with boiling water for 30 seconds, not more.

What dishes are used for brewing tea

Many tea lovers are concerned about the question: in which container is it better to brew green tea?

Cast iron teapots are small in size and flattened. Inside the kettle is covered with enamel, which prevents oxidation and rust. The high thermoprotective properties of cast iron make it possible to retain heat better and distribute it evenly inside the teapot. Green tea can not be brewed with boiling water. Cast iron will take away the excess heat, and the temperature inside will be exactly what you need to get a tasty drink.

Ceramic teapots are made of high quality clay. The water in them does not cool for a long time, but he does not burn his hands. It is better to brew tea in a cast-iron kettle, and then pour it into a ceramic one, so that you can enjoy the tea-drinking process with the guests all evening.

Porcelain teapot has the same quality as the ceramic, only it is much lighter in weight and expensive.

A glass teapot with a metal strainer inside is common in Europe. The transparent walls of the kettle make it possible to observe the process of tea brewing. However, it is not suitable for expensive elite varieties, since the water cools rapidly, and the heat exchange inside is uneven.

The main thing in the process of brewing green tea is to remember that in no case does it brew with boiling water. Granulated teas are more democratic and less demanding, but they are not so sophisticated. Slightly twisted and strongly twisted teas are brewed in different ways. The most convenient utensils for brewing is a cast iron kettle. Before brewing, it is rinsed with boiling water, only then pour tea leaves according to the package instructions. Brewing time is also indicated by the manufacturer, because each variety has its own specifics. And do not get carried away with green tea, because it is to some extent a cure.

Video: how to brew green