Green Tea

[sammyyummy]

Ive started green tea to cut down my soda intake and would like to maximize its health benefits. Online resources have been pretty confusing with conflicting information. So Id appreciate your input.

Apparently there are different types of teas and the ones from a Japanese store sell Sencha and Matcha tea. Which one is a better choice as far as health benefits are concerned - sencha or matcha?

I usually prepare green tea by the pot but the tea I produce is far from being green. My green tea is of the red brown color. I use sencha tea bags, I wait for the water to boil in the kettle, turn the heat off and plop the sencha green tea bag to steep for a good thirty minutes till the water cools to a comfortable temp. my green tea however is of reddish brown color, not green like the picture on the box. (Japanese instructions btw, no english translatation)

Is this the right way to prepare green tea?
Does my manner of making green tea reducing the beneficial phenols I get from the tea?
Also, I read somewhere that excessive heat releases so called tanins from green tea which is allegedly not good? is this true ? (again online info is conflicting)

Since I prepare green tea by the pot, I store the excess in amber colored bottles. Does this reduce the beneficial elements I get from drinking freshly steeped tea?

Please help. Thanks

 

[sixthson]

You shouldn't boil water for green tea since it is more delicate and 30 minutes is too long to brew it. Bring the water to near boiling and brew for 5 minutes. Drink and enjoy.

 

[Aymotin]

The exact water temperature depends on the tea you are drinking, but generally water for green tea shouldn´t be boiled since the "nice parts" disolve at low temperatures and the "not nice parts" disolve at higher temperatures. Tannin disolves at around 80°C and will make the tea bitter.

30 minutes is way to long and most likely the cause for the red-brown colour. If I forget my tea somewhere it turns into this colour too.

There are different ways to repare green tea, but generally you don´t let it in the water for more than 3 minutes.

I drink chinese green tea and prepare it as I saw it in Xishuangbanna.
The water is boiled and than cooled until 60°C. The tea is placed in a metal filter and the water is poured over it into the can. The first can is than dumbed, this is just for washing the tea. The second can is prepared in the same way and the tea left in for a maximum of 3 minutes depending on your taste. I like it light, so I pour the water over it, dip it into the can for about 20 seconds and than take it out. The tea is than of a bright green, feels smooth in the mouth and is very aromatic. If you leave it in longer in hotter water it will become bitter.

Oh, the tea in the metal filter is used up to 7 times with this preparation. You have to dip it into the can for a bit longer every time to maintain the same aroma.

in amber colored bottles. Does this reduce the beneficial elements I get from drinking freshly steeped tea?

Not exactly sure about the scientific part but cool green tea with a bit of honey is found both in Japan and China as a refreshing drink. But it should stay green, when it gets red-brownish its old and has been sitting in the fresh air for to long.

 

[Passiveboy]

i drink green tea and i love it as for what Aymotin said 3 mins and no more i use proper loose green tea in a pot for 1 left for 3 mins and you can usually get another couple of cups out of that

 

[Nishin]

Matcha

Sencha

 

[Telstra]

Any sweet drink is not good for you if you are carrying plenty of weight.

 

[OPHELIA_HARDIN]

I usually prepare green tea by the pot but the tea I produce is far from being green. My green tea is of the red brown color.

I would hazard a guess that if you have a lot of iron in your water the acid in the tea is forming some sort of precipitate causing the reddish-brown color.