A lot of people like green tea. And, of course, everyone at least once heard that green tea is extremely healthy. However, not many people know what properties this wonderful drink has.
Green tea has been known to people for over 4000 years. An ancient Chinese legend says that in the era of creation, the great ruler of the Sun and the founder of medicine and the art of agriculture, Yan Di ordered his followers to boil water in the boiler, and when the water boiled, a few windy leaves were brought into the boiler by a gust of wind. The water turned a pleasant green color and acquired a wonderful aroma and taste.
Scientists attribute the discovery of green tea to the great healer of ancient China, Shen Nun. It was he who first describes the beneficial properties of green tea in the pages of his treatise "Trunks and Herbs". However, up to the era of the Three Kingdoms (about 220 AD), green tea was used exclusively in various religious and temple ceremonies. And only in the middle of the third century AD began to take shape the tradition of collective tea drinking, and the drink itself began to firmly enter the life of ordinary Chinese.
At one time, the Japanese also appreciated the beneficial properties of green tea. Tea came to them at the end of the first millennium, and it was they who developed the traditional tea ceremony.
At all times, healers, and then scientists, recognized the truly amazing properties of this drink. It was believed that it relieves fatigue, strengthens eyesight, and Taoists even included green tea in their elixir of immortality.
The beneficial properties of green tea are directly dependent on the beneficial substances found in tea leaves. One of the most important and useful substances that is contained in tea is catechin, a natural antioxidant. This substance binds free radicals, which means it removes excess cholesterol from the body. That is why green tea has a positive effect on the heart and blood vessels. In addition, it significantly slows down the aging process. It is also believed that antioxidants inhibit the development of cancer cells. Thanks to catechin, green tea improves digestion, reduces pressure.
Green tea contains thiamine, or vitamin B1. This substance normalizes sugar metabolism, and also contributes to the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. No less useful is vitamin B2, riboflavin. It accelerates the formation of antibodies, which means it boosts immunity. He plays a significant role in the process of enrichment of cells with oxygen, and vitamin B2 is very important for the appearance of the skin, hair and nails.
Since the beneficial properties of green tea depend on its composition, the method of processing tea leaves is of great importance. So, in India and China, the leaves are fried in an oven, as a result of which a large often of useful substances from the leaves disappears. Such tea turns out to be less useful, and less tasty, since the same substances are responsible for the color and taste of tea as for its benefit. In turn, in Japan, tea leaves are treated with hot steam, which allows you to save all the taste, aroma and all its benefits in tea. That is why, when buying green, it is so important to pay attention to the country of manufacture.
Few people know how green and black tea are distinguished. They are made from the leaves of the same plant. The difference is only in the way the leaves are processed. Tea leaves are picked and dried slightly to remove excess moisture, and then steamed. Green tea is made in this way. Its chemical composition is practically no different from the composition of fresh leaves. Making black tea involves another step - fermentation. In the fermentation process, catechin is converted to compounds such as thiaflavin and tiarubigin.
Green tea is often consumed in combination with other plants, for example, green tea with ginger is very popular. It is believed that in this combination this drink invigorates very well and perfectly quenches thirst, especially in the summer heat.