What’s in fashion today? First, a healthy lifestyle. Secondly, everything is exotic and oriental. On this wave, green tea gained immense popularity. Although back in Soviet times, this product was considered nothing more than a surrogate substitute for black tea, which was in short supply at that time.
In principle, all black and green teas are made from the same plant, the so-called Camellia sinensis. The differences between them lie in the way the leaves are collected and processed. Unlike black “colleague”, green tea is not fermented, and therefore retains active substances unchanged.
In the East, most of all is green tea. Every year, 18 Chinese provinces export tens of thousands of tons of this product. It is believed that it was in this country that the tradition of drinking green tea was born. According to legend, once shepherds noticed that goats that ate tender green leaves from certain plants are distinguished by excellent health and increased endurance. Then the shepherds began to grow these shrubs and trees and prepare decoctions from their leaves. Over time, tea plantations began to be cultivated in India, Japan, Ceylon, and Indonesia.

Tender, young tea leaves are known to contain tannin. This is a special substance that gives the finished drink a slightly bitter aftertaste. There are varieties of tea in which such bitterness is deliberately left. However, most often with the help of special technology, the tannin content is artificially reduced. It is this substance that has a tonic effect on our body, helps fight fatigue, stimulates physical and mental performance.
However, the benefits of green tea do not end there. In addition to tannin, it contains over three hundred different substances. These are proteins, and carbohydrates, and trace elements, and many vitamins, as well as about 4% caffeine and 20-25% tannins. The beneficial properties of tea are determined precisely by a unique combination of valuable substances invented by nature.

But that’s not all. The most important component of green tea is flavonoids and other organic compounds. The most active of these are polyphenols, such as catechins. They make up about 40% of the weight of dried tea leaves. It is generally accepted that many of the beneficial properties of the drink are determined precisely by the presence of polyphenols. In combination with theophylline, caffeine, pantothenic and nicotinic acids, these substances have a stimulating and tonic effect on the human body, normalizing the work of the heart, improving the condition of the walls of blood vessels, nourishing the brain, and maintaining normal blood clotting.
Green tea also helps regulate blood pressure. Due to the tonic effect of caffeine, blood pressure immediately rises after drinking the drink. However, after a fairly short period of time, the vascular tone returns to normal and the pressure decreases. As a rule, healthy people do not notice this, and for those suffering from hypertension, such beneficial properties of tea are important. At the same time, people with low blood pressure may feel uncomfortable.
According to studies, green tea is a very effective means of preventing cardiovascular diseases. It helps lower cholesterol levels, boost immunity, and even fight plaque-causing bacteria.

In addition, recent medical studies have proven another valuable property of green tea – its antimicrobial and antiviral activity. In short, small green tea leaves can work wonders.
However, we, Europeans, unfortunately, brew green tea incorrectly, and therefore lose a significant part of the useful properties of the drink. There are several ways to brew it. The common thing is that the kettle must be well heated and dried. For 250 ml of water, it is better to take 1 tsp. tea. In this case, soft water is preferable, without a large amount of minerals. Чем вода мягче, тем лучше вкус большинства сортов зеленого tea. If you have hard water, it is good to use a filter when brewing tea.

Вот один из способов приготовления зеленого tea. Moisten dry tea leaves with boiling water, hold for 1-2 minutes, then fill the teapot halfway with boiling water. After another 2-3 minutes, add boiling water, leaving about 1 cm to the edge of the teapot, and soak for another 4-5 minutes.
There is another way, the secret of which is that boiling water should come into contact with tea leaves for no more than 20 seconds. To do this, take 2 liter containers, one of them is a teapot with a spout. 1 tsp tea in a glass of water, put in a kettle and pour boiling water. This must be done in 10 seconds, after which pour the water immediately through the spout into another container, also trying to keep within 10 seconds. Tea brewed in this way acquires a delicious taste and rich amber hue. They drink it without sugar, so as not to spoil the aromatic bouquet.

Green tea in the East is not only a drink, but, first of all, a centuries-old tradition, a ceremony that allows people to set off beneficial properties, get a charge of vivacity and find peace of mind. The very names of classic green teas are reminiscent of exquisite oriental tales: “Swirling Snow” and “Golden Villi”, “Cloudy Fog from Meng Ding Mountain” and “Fleecy Peaks of Huang Shan Mountain”, “Emerald Spring Spirals” and “Precious Flame from Yunnan” and many other.