0items
Items:
0,00 Kč
Total:
Green teas are generally described as ‘unoxidised’ or ‘unfermented’ teas and no chemical change occurs during their manufacture. Therefore, they contain many important antioxidants – polyphenols, which destroy loose radicals in the human body. Loose radicals are particles that cause cells to age and encourage various diseases, so prove very harmful to the immune system. The polyphenols contained in green tea are capable of neutralising these and they can reduce or avoid any adverse processes in the body at the same time.
Furthermore, in Chinese and Indian medicine, green tea has traditionally been used for its invigorating and diuretic properties, and has aided in healing injuries and improving heart function. It is an aid used to combat tympanites, and during digestion it regulates the body’s temperature and blood sugar level. In addition, it generally has a beneficial effect on mental health.
Processing differs from country to country, but manufacturing essentially involves withering, to allow some of the content to evaporate, or steaming, to strip the leaves of enzymes. Withering entails the following: as soon as they are brought to the factory, the leaves are spread out on cool floors or rattan sacking in the open sunshine or in warm rooms for one or two hours, depending on the ambient temperature. In order to prevent oxidation and to keep the tea fresh, this is followed by rolling, firing and drying.
The inhabitants of China cannot imagine life without tea. Due to the location and favourable climate, a wealth of tea varieties is grown within the country.
In the past, local people came up with a special way of drinking tea, in addition to inspiring art associated with Chinese tea culture. This comprises preparing the tea and steeping it, right through to making special tea utensils for the purpose. The ritual is known as Cha daoThe Way of Tea. This original Chinese tea ceremony itself went on to inform the more famous Japanese variation that later evolved. or
It was around 2,000 years ago that people began to grow tea in China, and this product together with Chinese silk and porcelain were traded worldwide. Tea arrived in Japan thanks to Buddhist monks during the 6th century, spreading to Europe and the USA in the 17thth centuries. and 18
What is specific about Chinese teas is that they are not sold under the names of tea gardens, like teas from Darjeeling or Assam. They are often given very original names, ones evoking the appearance of the tea, a special growing method utilised or other qualities. To illustrate, Chun Mee means ‘Precious Eyebrows’, Lung Ching means ‘Dragon’s Well’, and so on. The first of these has been so-named due to the shape of the tea, reminding one of an eyebrow, whilst the latter derives from a village on the bank of Xi Hu lake, the place where this famous tea comes from.
Japan and China rule supreme as the world’s oldest tea nations. With a history harking back 1,200 years, tea still remains an inseparable part of everyday life in Japan. A prime example of this is the ancient tea ceremony, which has been passed down from generation to generation in its original form since the 16th century.
A Japanese speciality when growing tea is shading. Ten to twenty-one days before harvest time, the tea plants are covered via special sheets, resulting in significant chemical changes in the leaf. This causes a rise in the amount of catechins, caffeine, theanines, amino acids and leaf colourings, meaning the leaf is darker in colour, thinner and larger, whilst also being is sweeter when infused. There is no bitterness in the infusion of shaded teas, and it is possible to infuse them up to four times. However, shaded teas can only be harvested once a year as the process seriously weakens tea plants.
The choice of Japanese teas is sure to gratify every tea lover, ranging from standard teas such as Sencha and Bancha, as well as Genmaicha, which contains roasted rice, through to the shaded tea varieties - Kabusecha and Gyokuro, as cherished by real tea connoisseurs. Another noteworthy type is Matcha, a milled tea, which contains 10-15 times more nutrients than leaf tea and is chiefly reserved for use in the tea ceremony.
