Many brew green tea in exactly the same way as black tea. Only the teapot boiled - and we are ready to start tea drinking, but this is fundamentally wrong. What rules need to be followed so that this drink fully reveals the depth of its taste, at what temperature do you make green tea?
Country Symbol
It is green tea that is the drink that the Chinese consider to be their property. Around the world, such a thing as the Chinese tea ceremony is known. In order to completely repeat this most interesting, but at the same time unusually complex ritual, one will have to delve into the culture, traditions and character of the whole country.
For more than 4 thousand years, Chinese people have been using green tea to treat various diseases, to relieve fatigue, and just to cheer up. Well-known philosophers did seek tea for inspiration in their thoughts. But for European countries it has become available relatively recently. But even there it became no less popular than in China, India or Japan - in places where the main tea plantations are located, and people are used to drinking this drink daily.
Benefit
Modern research has long proven the benefits that green tea has on the body. But for the layman, some facts can be a real discovery. For example, this particular kind of tea has in its composition the amount of carotene, almost six times the content of this substance in carrots. And there are more vitamins C and P in it than even in citrus fruits.
At the same time, do not forget that the amount of caffeine in green tea is higher than in coffee. Therefore, it has the right to be called an invigorating drink. Calorie content tends to zero, which means that during the diet, drinking this drink is not prohibited. One cup contains less than 10 kcal. It is also an excellent antioxidant and is able to fight cancer cells in the human body.
Varieties
At what temperature to brew green tea is directly related to which variety you prefer. Among the variety, there are several of the most popular:
- "Gunpowder" - tea leaves twisted to a rounded shape, having a pronounced aroma and significant astringency.
- "Gekuro" - tea collected at the beginning of spring. Bushes of this variety are planted in the shade, which gives the drink a milder taste without any bitterness.
- "Sencha" - the leaves of this tea resemble small needles. Unlike other varieties that are fried, it is steamed.
- "Tuocha" - this particular drink will be a great helper during the diet. It suppresses hunger and helps break down fat cells.
- "Mao Feng" is a tea with subtle fruity notes that helps restore strength. It is perfect for preparing a cold drink.
- "King Ding" - unlike its predecessor, the taste of this tea is very rich and tart. It is customary to serve it in China during various celebrations.
The temperature for brewing various varieties is no less different than their properties, which means that it is also worthwhile to take time to study it. Otherwise, you can spoil the noble and aromatic drink. And in this matter, at what temperature to brew green tea, again will depend on the variety that you prefer.
Brewing temperature
Any variety, if it can be classified as green, requires brewing at a temperature not exceeding 90 degrees. Of course, spring water should be the best choice. But in city conditions it is usually very difficult to get it.
In this case, it is better to use filtered or tap water, but settled water. If you return to the question of what temperature of water to brew green tea, then there is a great way to determine this very temperature. Boil the kettle and open its lid. When you can hold your palm over it without burning, you can assume that such water will be ideal for almost any kind of green tea. But if you are a lover of white varieties, then you need to brew a drink at all at 80 degrees and not more.
Other subtleties
There are many other secrets of perfect tea. Water temperature is just one of them. It turns out that a warm kettle is no less important. If you leave the drink after brewing in a cold, unheated teapot, then the tea will cool very quickly and lose all its taste, for which, in fact, the whole tea drinking procedure is started. But to sweeten the drink, it is not customary to use sugar, even cane sugar. And this is due not only to the loss of taste of the tea itself. Sugar can lead to metabolic disorders. It’s best to add a small amount of honey or even dried fruit.
There are many lovers of iced tea. If you relate specifically to such people, then it is worth remembering that drinking still-cooled tea with ice cubes is very harmful for tooth enamel. Therefore, it is worth letting the drink rest in the refrigerator for several hours. A great addition to this refreshing tea is fruit juice. Which variety to add depends on your personal preferences and imagination.
Tea Party Utensils
What tea to brew at what temperature, you have already received recommendations. But what do you need to know about dishes?
Red clay sets often become real works of art, but this does not mean at all that other dishes are not suitable.
The most important property that utensils for brewing tea should have is the long-term preservation of heat. For example, in Japan it was customary to make teapots from enameled cast iron. But glassware, although it looks very impressive, is completely unable to maintain the high temperature of the drink. Such teapots will come in handy if you purchased tea that blooms in the form of a flower in contact with hot water.
Perhaps the use of earthenware dishes. And for office workers whose lunch break is strictly limited, such a convenient thing as a French press is best suited. It will allow you to quickly brew tea and pour it into cups, instantly separating from the tea leaves. As you can see, it’s not enough to know at what temperature to brew green tea. It is necessary to consider a huge number of little things.
Harm to the body
Even such a safe drink at first glance as green tea should be consumed with great care. Firstly, in no case should you drink it on an empty stomach. This can lead to gastritis or even a stomach ulcer. And a very hot drink can damage the digestive system and adversely affect its condition. Problems with pressure and pregnancy are also direct contraindications for drinking tea, especially if you like a strong drink. If you are not sure whether you can enjoy this or that product, then it is best to consult a doctor with this question.
So, if your family takes root in the tradition of brewing tea correctly and leisurely enjoying its aroma and taste, then this will be an excellent occasion to gather in the evenings and spend time together.