Blue Spider

Most orthodox teas are produced in China, Sri Lanka, Darjeeling and Assam. They represent about 31% of world tea production. An additional 25% is green and oolong tea. This means that about 55% or over one half of all tea produced is processed by the orthodox form of processing.

Therefore about 45% of teas are processed by the CTC (Crush, tear and curl) method of production. CTC describes the use of machinery that mechanically chops up both leaves, buds and stems without discrimination as to the quality of the end product. CTC produces tea that is finely ground and low in quality. All the leaves, buds and stems are ground down to an equal size, mostly dust and fannings, and are mainly used in tea bags filled with lower quality tea.

When the CTC method is used to produce lower quality bagged tea, usually only one infusion is possible.

Alternatively, the orthodox method oxidizes and prepares teas with a focus on the top quality leaves and buds that produce strong, robust flavor and are capable of multiple infusions. The highest quality tea leaves and buds are processed through the orthodox method whereas, the CTC method is associated with bagged tea of lesser quality.

The CTC method is highly efficient as opposed to the orthodox method that is very labor intensive. The CTC method is able to produce more tea at a lower cost and quality and the dust and fannings produced by CTC processing infuse very quickly because of the lower mass the small pieces allow. Furthermore CTC was a savior to the tea bag industry because the lower cost of producing inferior quality tea more than offset the price of the packaging of the tea bag. CTC therefore offset the higher packaging cost of tea bags with the lower quality tea produced by mechanizing the process.

Orthodox tea, on the other hand, avoids the tea bag cost but has higher processing cost - but the result is a higher quality, better tasting tea capable of supporting multiple infusions.

TEA IS ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY CONSUMED BEVERAGES IN THE WORLD!

Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of liquids is important to our overall health. Tea is a great beverage choice as it basically has no carbs, protein or fat. It is tasty, is a natural source of amino acid and antioxidant catechins. It is available in several forms and is tasty both as a hot drink or iced. Note that we are talking about true tea here. Herbal teas usually contain no actual tea leaves but infusions of fruit and/or herbs. Therefore, this article is not about herbal teas.

True tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis evergreen plant commonly known as the tea bush. The tea bush grows mainly in tropical and sub-tropical climates. This plant or tree prefers acidic soil and requires an annual rainfall of at least fifty inches. Camellia Sinensis plants can grow into trees but are usually kept cropped to about waist height to make cultivation easier. Only the leaves from the top 1-2 inches are picked. Many of the top-quality teas, such as darjeeling, are picked from plants grown at elevations of about 5,000 feet. This causes the plants to grow slower thus acquiring a better flavor.

There are four basic types of true tea common to us today. They are black, green, white and oolong. Each is unique but they all come from the same source. The difference occurs in the processing. Briefly, here is a description of each type and what makes it unique. Green tea leaves are unwilted and unoxidized. White tea leaves are wilted and unoxidized. Oolong tea leaves are wilted, bruised and partially oxidized. Black tea leaves are crushed and fully oxidized. Because of the oxidation process, white and green teas have a higher concentration of the antioxidant catechins.

Proper preparation also differs for each of the tea types. For black tea, boiling water should be used. Many of the active substances in black tea won’t develop at lower temperatures. This is the most common mistake made when brewing black tea! For optimum results, black tea should be brewed about 4 minutes and never longer than 5 minutes. Longer brewing will cause the tea to taste bitter.

Green tea should be brewed at a lower temperature, approximately 180-185 degrees which is below the boiling point. Hotter water will burn the green tea leaves causing a bitter taste. When brewing green tea, it is best to pre-warm the mug or teapot you will brew in. This will keep the tea from cooling immediately before it is fully steeped.

Oolong tea should be brewed at about the boiling point in a pre-warmed mug or pot. For oolong tea, it is best to use spring water. The minerals in the water tend to bring out more of the flavor in the tea. High-quality oolong tea leaves can be brewed several times. It actually improves with reuse. Many believe the third brewing actually produces the best tea.

To keep your teas fresh and flavorful, store them in a dry, dark, cool place inside an airtight container.

The health properties of tea are constantly in debate. Many believe drinking tea will help to prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. One thing we know for sure is that tea contains both antioxidant and amino acid properties. It also doesn’t add to our daily carb, protein or fat and calorie count when drank in it’s natural state without adding sugar, milk, etc. And it tastes good. If you aren’t currently a tea drinker, become one. It sure won’t hurt you and it just might be healthy for you.

With all the attention that tea has been receiving lately, many people are trying Rooibos or Red Tea for the first time. This delicious tea deserves our attention, because of its wonderful flavor and many health benefits.

Rooibos tea is not really a tea at all, but rather an herbal tisane from the plant Aspalathus linearis. Aspalathus linearis is a small bush that grows only in South Africa. While the name Rooibos means “red bush”, the leaves are green when picked and only become red when fermented. The resulting tea is remarkably red in color.

South Africans have been consuming Rooibos for medicinal and refreshment purposes for a long time, but it began to be cultivated specifically for tea after being discovered in 1904 by Benjamin Ginsberg. Ginsberg was a Russian immigrant who so enjoyed the tea that he began to cultivate and market it.

Because Rooibos is not a true tea, but a herb, it contains no caffeine and is low in tannin. Studies done in South Africa have documented health benefits, including:

Acts on the nervous system to ease irritability, headaches, nervous tension and insomnia. Relieves stomach cramps and colic in infants Used to treat hay fever, asthma and eczema Slows the aging process of skin when applied directly Improves the immune system function
Rooibos tea is prepared just like black tea, except the brewing time is longer. Bring water to a full boil, then brew for 6 - 8 minutes. In South Africa rooibos is served with milk and sugar, but elsewhere it is usually served plain.

Green Tea As A Weight Loss Aid

Are you looking for a refreshing, delicious beverage that will help you lose some extra weight? Well, search no further, because green tea is the perfect brew for you. Green tea, which originated in Asia, is enjoyed by millions of people around the world for its light, pleasing taste–and as many studies are proving, it has an added benefit of assisting in weight loss. Best of all, you can enjoy green tea, slim down, and not have to deprive yourself of food! Here’s how drinking green tea can make the pounds melt away:

Green tea is rich in catechins, which are chemical compounds found in plants. Catechins are instrumental in promoting the increase of thermogenesis, or the rate at which the human body generates heat. As a result, the consumption of green tea raises the body’s metabolism, and calories are burned faster and more efficiently. Catechins also increase levels of fat oxidation. Drink a few cups of green tea per day while eating a well-balanced diet, and you will naturally expend energy, burn fat, and shed excess weight. Green teas which are particularly high in catechins include powdered sencha and organic matcha.

Green tea also has positive effects on the levels of glucose in the body’s fat cells. When high amounts of sugars and simple carbohydrates are consumed, glucose and insulin increases in the blood, which leads to the body storing excess fat. Green tea contains helpful polysaccharides and catechins that inhibit the movement of glucose in the fat cells. Also, drinking green tea on a regular basis will cause the body’s rate of releasing carbohydrates to slow down, therefore maintaining a steady level of insulin in the blood. Fat is burned more quickly and weight is easier to lose!

Green tea contains a small amount of caffeine, which also has been shown to raise the metabolism. Caffeine has beneficial properties in green tea that can’t be found in drinking a cup of coffee. The reason for this is that in green tea, caffeine works alongside tannin to be absorbed at a slower rate, producing a calming effect. Extra weight will burn off without making you feel jittery and anxious. There’s more good news: the relaxing qualities of green tea will also prevent the body from producing too much cortisol (which can lead to weight gain) during times of stress.

Green tea has been shown to increase endurance during exercise. It is well known that weight loss programs are greatly enhanced by physical activity, and the properties of green tea will enable the body to utilize fat as an energy source while exercising. Green tea extract is popular among athletes and fitness trainers because it is a completely safe and natural source of energy and endurance. Drink a bottle of green tea before you head to the gym, and you will see great results!

In addition to all of its weight loss properties, green tea can lower cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure, and help to prevent some cancers. There is no downside to this wonderful brew–it is beneficial to anyone’s diet! You can get a sample of green tea [http://couponredeemer.com/greentea] weight loss supplements online.

Throughout the world there are only four actual kinds of tea that come from actual tea leaves, and those are; white, green, oolong and red or black. There are numerous variations that individuals throughout the years have created so that there is some variety to the tea menu.

For example, individuals have been known to come up with their own kinds of herbal teas from bush or tree leaves which in reality are not related in any way to the one true tea tree, which is those of the camellia sinensis. One specific variation is known as the cocoa tea, which is further elaborated on here in this article.

Where did Cocoa Tea Actually Come from?

Being a regional delight, cocoa tea came from and was initially made popular in Soufriere St. Lucia, in the West Indies in the Caribbean. Cocoa tea promptly came into existence back in a time when an entire meal may have consisted of a drink accompanied by some extra filling parts.

So the result of this drink was to fit such a need. Citizens of Soufriere St. Lucia, at approximately the time of cocoa tea’s inception, essentially needed to create or find foods which were efficient, economical and which were created to feed all members of their family properly. Cocoa tea was therefore essentially made up as a breakfast delicacy that fit this bill.

What Precisely is Cocoa Tea?

Cocoa tea is in truth not actually a tea at all and in fact does not even incorporate any tea at all. It is cited as a tea nevertheless because a cinnamon stick and bay leaf are steeped in boiling water in a similar way which an individual would steep genuine tea leaves in order to create regular tea.

In addition to the traditionally utilized bay leaves and cinnamon , the conventional cocoa tea recipe likewise includes that of cream or milk, as well as sugar, water, nutmeg, cornstarch vanilla. Today, cocoa tea might be served on a side of bread. In a previous era, however, flour dumplings were boiled inside the drink in order to make it a complete meal.

Thus as you can see, cocoa tea is not actually a tea, not even truly in the loosest sense. Nor is cocoa tea even thought of as a meal in a beverage like the locals people at first claimed it started as. Cocoa tea, while still served as a breakfast meal, may quite easily be treated as a dessert treat or even perhaps a pleasurable snack.

It may likewise be unbelievably filling if served with bread or even in the conventional way with dumplings floating inside. However, for the most part it is just an gratifying, albeit rich and sugary, local delight that a person will run across particularly if voyaging through Soufriere St. Lucia in the Caribbean.

Chocolate was once considered a pleasure food but now science has uncovered evidence that it may also be a heart-healthy food, too. Cocoa contains flavonoids called procyanidins & epicatechins. Flavonoids are part of a group of antioxidants known as polyphenols. Polyphenols are found in tea, red wine, and a myriad of fruits and vegetables. However, research shows that chocolate and cocoa rank the highest above all antioxidant foods. The highest levels of antioxidants are found in pure cocoa powder, which is the lowest in fat and calories.

The next best is dark chocolate containing 60-70% cocoa. Mary B Engler PhD, a researcher at the Department of Physiological Nursing, Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology, University of California, concludes through her studies that cardiovascular health is linked to oxidative stress. Therefore, the antioxidant properties in dietary flavonoids have stirred much interest in scientific research. Flavonoids are being considered to play a potential role in fighting against cardiovascular disease at the cellular level. Mounting evidence from these research studies suggest that cocoa-derived products may help to improve vasodilation and maintain healthy blood pressure.It s believed that antioxidants in chocolate may play a potential role in:

Helping to support cardiovascular health. Helping to support healthy blood pressure and insulin levels. Helping to support healthy arterial blood flow. Helping people with chronic fatigue syndrome Helping to support healthy cholesterol levels. Helping to support healthy brain function. People who are often depressed find that chocolate sometimes benefits their mood. Chocolate interacts with the natural serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain.

Combine these health benefits with Green Tea, also known for its powerful antioxidants, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate or EGCG. EGCG is believed to have DNA repairing properties and is thought to play an important part in supporting the body’s immune system. Numerous studies have pointed to free radicals as a potential factor in heart disease, allergies, arthritis and cancer.Now combine the potency of chocolate and tea with resveratrol. Resveratrol is a phytoalexin (anti-fungal and anti-batcterial chemical) produced naturally by grapes and other plants in response to fungal infection. Resveratarol is found abundantly in the skin of red grapes. Studies have strongly suggested that the properties in Resveratrol may support the body in the fight against numerous health issues. Current guidelines for the American people advise a diet rich in fruits and vegetables which will include a variety of flavonoids from different natural sources.

The combination of chocolate, tea and resveratrol results in a highly potent health drink. Every cup of CocoPure Chocolate Tea yields 4000 mg of concentrated cocoa with elevated levels of flavonoids that offer a powerhouse of antioxidants to help the body protect itself from free radical damage. CocoPure is different because it does not contain any of the artificial fillers. CocoPure gives you the required resveratrol to give cardio-benefits. It is also fortified with green tea extracts and soluble fibers to help you receive all-round protective health.

What is green tea?

All tea plants belong to the same species-Camellia sinensis, a perennial evergreen shrub. Due to the varied conditions under which tea plants are grown (different altitudes, climate, soils) this produces a wide range of distinctive leaves and flavors. The way the leaves are processed also produce different types of tea - including black tea, green tea and oolong tea.

Tea plants produce a berry, have lots of foliage, and also have a flower like a camellia. The smallest and youngest leaves are harvested by hand, usually every 1 - 2 weeks depending on the altitude where the tea plants are growing. Generally the lower the altitude the faster the plant grows.

Tea plants grow in warm climates. The best teas, however, are produced by plants grown at higher altitudes where the leaves mature more slowly and yield a richer flavor. Depending upon the altitude, a new tea plant may take from 2 1/2 to 5 years to be ready for commercial picking, but once productive, it can provide tea leaves for close to a 100 years.

Green tea is the least processed and thus provides the most antioxidant polyphenols, notably a catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is believed to be responsible for most of the health benefits linked to drinking green tea. Black and oolong tea is produced from tea leaves that have been fermented and then dried, whereas green tea is steamed and then the leaves are dried. The steaming process is the best for retaining all the goodness within the leaves.

How to Make a Good Cup of Green Tea.

The flavor of tea is enhanced with good quality water, although you should not use distilled water, as tea needs the minerals that are present in water to bring out the tea’s flavors. After boiling the water it should be let stand for 2 - 3 minutes before being added to the tea. The tea should then be left to brew for a further 3 - 4 minutes. Green tea is generally taken without milk or sugar being added.

The Health Benefits of Green Tea Include:

Promotes good heart health

Lowers cholesterol

Reduces heart attacks

Aids in weight loss

Prevents skin damage

Improves circulation

Helps with good digestive health

Soothes stress

Is antibacterial

Helps protect against diabetes

And strengthens bones

Avoid Green Tea if you have kidney disease, a weak heart, an overactive thyroid, a susceptibility to spasms, or a tendency to anxiety or panic attacks.

If you have ever eaten in a Thai or perhaps a Vietnamese restaurant, then you have probably seen an interesting orange colored beverage in a tall glass go by with a waiter or waitress you’ve often wondered just what kind of drink this might be. You’re pretty sure it’s a Thai drink…. after all, you are in a Thai restaurant! But, just what is it made of?

What you have seen is called Thai Iced tea. Surprise! It doesn’t look much like any tea that you are probably used to seeing. But, it is tea! It’s just prepared in a different way that you may not have heard of before. It looks intriguing, and it tastes wonderful, and is very welcome on a hot summer day, or whenever you are eating hot, spicy food.

Normally, Thai restaurants are not too giving when it comes to their recipes. But, the recipe for Thai Iced tea wasn’t too hard to come by. It is such a staple Thai beverage that almost anyone who knows their Thai food can tell you how to prepare it.

The type of tea that is used in Thai restaurants is called Lapsang Suchong and it can be found on the internet. You can also use any good quality black loose tea and end up with the same results. You will need around 2/3 cup of black tea leaves to make two glasses of Thai Iced tea.

You’ll also need 1 and 2/3 cup of good-tasting water, preferably purified,