What is green tea? Green tea does not come from a different plant than "real" tea. In fact, all true teas, including green tea, come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The difference between green tea the beverage and other real tea beverages, besides the green color, is the way tea leaves are processed before brewing. Processing green tea Tea leaves are typically processed in some form before they are used for brewing into tea beverages. For most teas other than green tea, tea leaves are fermented. For green tea, tea leaves are steamed. This causes less oxidation of tea leaves than fermentation does. As a result, green tea has its unique green tint and it contains higher levels of antioxidants than other teas. Green tea's popularity Green tea has been most popular in the Middle East and parts of Asia, including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, India and Thailand. In fact, there are numerous varieties of green tea alone enjoyed in these parts of the world. In the Western world, black tea has been the traditional favorite of tea drinkers. But green tea is also becoming popular there. Brewing green tea Because green tea is a little different from darker teas, it is brewed a little differently than other teas. The principal difference is the temperature of the water. Darker teas are usually brewed with boiling water. Green tea is brewed with water that is slightly cooler than boiling, but still hot. If you wish to brew green tea yourself, make sure to follow the directions offered by the manufacturer of the green tea you purchased. In the absence of directions, pour cold water into a teapot or saucepan. Place it on a stove, set to high heat, and bring the water to a boil. When the water begins to boil, remove it from the source of heat. Let it sit two to three minutes, and only then pour it over the green tea. Let the tea steep for as long as three minutes, then either remove the tea bag, or the loose tea leaves. Your green tea is now ready for you to enjoy. Green tea's supposed health benefits Green tea has long been believed to impart a number of health benefits to those who drink it. It has been said to help with everything from curing or preventing diseases (including cancer and AIDS), to burning fat, to reducing cholesterol and more. Modern medicine has produced a number of studies on green tea's health effects, but these have been inconclusive, with some reports claiming green tea helps with a number of health issues, while other reports claiming that green tea does not have any particular health benefits. What we do know about green tea is that it contains a number of antioxidants, and it contains caffeine, although in lesser amounts than coffee, many sodas and darker teas. But while green tea's health benefits are debatable, there's no reason why this should prevent those who like green tea from enjoying a cup of their favorite beverage.
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