There's lots of blends and types of green teas that can be purchased, but which one is the best for your health?
Here we work down the five most effective.
Before I commence, I would like to explain that the antioxidant/nutrient level of almost any tea is also dependent on the planting environments as well as the time at which the tea is normally gathered.
And whilst these variables are sometimes the ones that ultimately determine the 'type' of tea it is classed as, there nonetheless continues to be some extent of difference in nutrient/antioxidant concentrations in the numerous types of teas - depending on the quality of the tea .
5. Longjing
Longjing is actually a hugely famous Chinese green tea, and the form of leaf you will often get in supermarket and some mainstream blends of green tea.
Made up of vitamin C, amino acids, along with a strong content level of catechins, this variety of tea also has further more incarnations - meaning the level of previously mentioned nutrients and vitamins can actually change from type-to-type of LongJing.
Bai Longjing (albeit officially not a genuine LongJing tea), is said to be the one LongJing to contain the most amino acid content.
4. Kukicha
Kukicha green tea is essentially a by-product of sencha or gyokuro tea (see no. 2) - made up of stems, stalks and also twigs.
It is because of its simple, unrefined formula that it has become a popular staple in the 'macrobiotic diet' which precisely avoids the intake of refined or processed foodstuffs.
3. Schincha
Schincha is a Japanese green tea that simply means 'new tea' i.e. the first, tender new leaves of the plant which develop in early Springtime.
Because these leaves are picked so early, they consist of concentrated nutrients that the tea plant has held on to through the entire winter months.
Even though it carries a high vitamin and amino acid content, catechin content is pretty low (which has been found to have cancer-fighting qualities). So, onto our number 2 ranked green tea for health properties.
2. Gyokuro
Gyokuro is actually shade-grown for approximately the final twenty days of cultivation - letting the crops to fill with a strong content level of amino acids and natural vitamins.
Along with the health rewards, Gyokuro also features a distinct scent and sweet flavour shared by our number 1 positioning tea.
1. Matcha
Matcha is harvested in a really similar fashion to Gyokuro. The major variation comes about through the refinement of the tea.
Matcha is ground up on ancient stone-mills whilst Gyokuro is left to look like a typical green tea (dried leaves). Consequently, with matcha, you actually ingest the tea leaves themselves.
And because the development technique makes it possible for these leaves to fill with a content level of amino acids and vitamins, you receive the primary benefit of this with a volume of potency equalled by no other green tea.
So, there it is, our top 5 green teas based on their particular health attributes.
For more information visit Health Benefits of Green Tea or for more information on our number one tea Matcha Green Tea.
Posted under green tea

