Welcome to Green Tea Experience !

Green Tea Experience is your one stop information center. It's your guide to the wonders of green tea. Here you can learn how tea is cultivated, brewed and how each cup can taste different from the last. Because we at Green Tea Experience aren't trying to sell you anything, our content is free of any hype or unsubstantiated claims. We are also aware that there are hundreds of different types of teas available and we've made it our job to help you find which tea is right for you. To do this, Green Tea Experience will provide you with all the information we can on a particular tea. While this page gives a brief overview, other pages will include deeper insights on each aspect of green tea.

There are many kinds of tea, each with its own unique characteristics.  What makes green tea so special is the proven health benefits. Of cause the taste and the aroma are also unique. It has been proven that drinking green tea can lower cholesterol levels, reduce the possibilities of developing cancer, increase metabolic rates and be helpful in a variety of other conditions and illnesses.

But have you ever wondered whether you are really making the most out of your cup of Green Tea? Have you ever wondered which plant green tea comes from? Is it from a different plant than other teas? What is the correct temperature for green tea brewing? What are the chemical compounds in green tea that account for health benefits? What are the reasons behind quality and price variation? Etc. Even though you might think these are irrelevant questions, getting to know to them will help you make the most out of your cup of green tea. Our mission is to make you knowledgeable so that your next green tea experience will be healthier and tastier.

All the “true teas” are made from the leaves of “Camellia sinensis” plant. A quick look at the history of green tea takes us to China where it was used for medicinal purposes 4000 years ago. According to legends the history goes back to 5000 years. It is believed that "tea" originated as “green tea” although green tea got popularized in the western countries in recent past.

Tea is classified into three predominant types according to the way tea leaves are processed. The three types are green, black and oolong. There are four basic stages of tea processing: initial drying (withering), rolling, oxidizing (fermenting) and final drying. Green teas do not go through the oxidizing process. Because of this they generally have a “grassy” flavor and retain many of the health benefits found in the leaves.

Raw tea leaves contain more than 700 different chemical compounds. A group of chemicals generally referred as to “Antioxidants” is the most important with regard to health benefits. “Polyphenols” are the main type of antioxidant present in green tea and “Catechins” are a well known sub group of polyphenols. During the oxidizing process these compounds get oxidized and will not be available in the tea leaves afterwards. Since green tea skips the oxidizing process, it keeps those vital chemicals intact to be released when brewing.

Scientific research in both Asia and the West is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea and evidence is adding up day by day. The only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is related to the fact that it contains caffeine. But green tea contains less caffeine than coffee. Apart from that green tea is regarded very safe as a daily drink.

Not all green teas have the same flavor or aroma. The unique characteristics of “end tea" depend on the altitude of the tea plantation, climate conditions, agricultural practices of tea growing, the maturity of the leaves and the process of converting fresh leaves into green tea. This simply means that the taste of Chinese “aaa” green tea can be different from the Japanese “aaa”. These differences can also apply to teas from the same country. This is why its important to be knowledgeable on the different types of green tea and their characteristics.

If you would like to enjoy the health benefits of green tea but you don't enjoy the taste, stop by your local super market. Today there are many kinds of green tea supplements available as pills, powders or creams. Supplements usually contain green tea ingredients in a condensed form. This means that the health benefits of 3-5 cups of tea can easily be achieved by a single pill. Because of this fact, green tea’s usage in the fields of weight loss and skin care is increasing with each year.

Today there are so many green tea end products and brands that you can choose from according to your health, aroma & taste preferences. The back ground knowledge on green tea will definitely be helpful in selecting the right product for you. Finally, you should know how to prepare a great tasting cup of green tea without killing the best qualities of the great leaf.