Green Tea: An Ancient Health Supplement

In recent years, Western Scientific research has confirmed what the Chinese have known for many centuries: drinking green tea is not only a pleasant habit but is also good for your health as well. The invigorating and mind clearing effects of drinking tea were recognized in texts as far back as 200 BC In the Tang Dynasty (approximately 600-900 AD), many of the health benefits which are being confirmed through clinical experiments today, such as aiding digestion and disease prevention, were already common knowledge.

The good news keeps pouring in: green tea has so many healthy attributes that it would be at home in a pharmacy. Green tea has been shown to exhibit tumor and carcinogen inhibiting properties and statistical observation of tea drinking populations are consistent with these observations. By providing mild stimulation to the heart and blood vessels, helping to maintain blood vessel elasticity and inhibiting absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract, drinking green tea offers great potential as part of a cardio or hypertension program. Green tea is a source of vitamins C, B1, B2, K, P, niacin, folic acid, manganese and potassium. Its germicidal capabilities are such that it may substitute for iodine in a pinch. As the Chinese ancients observed, tea can aid the digestive process. They did not know the exact mechanism for this at the time; the tannins and volatile oils in tea stimulate peristalsis in the intestines and help to emulsify fats in the digestive tract. Of course the best option is to avoid smoking or excessive drinking, but it is comforting to know that tea can provide protection from the toxic effects of alcohol and nicotine in the bloodstream. Of all the beneficial effects ascribed to tea, the one receiving the most press these days is its anti-oxidant function. Anti-oxidants help to clean up "free radicals", highly reactive molecular residue that can damage healthy cells and increased intake should be a part of any anti-aging program.

Tea is a bit like wine - geography, weather, particular variety and processing vary, the result being that there are hundreds of products to choose from. Basically however they all fall into three rough categories. Green tea is fresh picked and directly dried. The best green teas are dried by hand in large woks over a fire so that the expert processors can tell by feel when the leaf is just right. The other main types are Oolong and Black teas. These two are distinguished by the degree of processing and in particular, the extent of oxidation. This oxidation is often referred to as fermenting, but this is not really accurate. The oxidation agent is an enzyme that is released when the leaves are bruised by a rolling process. Oolong is only mildly processed while the Black teas are allowed to under go a more extensive conversion.

As any morning coffee drinker will confirm, there is a place for hot drinks even in the summer. In fact, in the Chinese medical model, tea is classified as having "cooling" characteristics and can help beat the heat.

I didn't become a tea drinker until my 20's. As a student in China in 1982, more often than not it was the only thing available to drink. I remember one scene in particular, a visit to a monastery outside of Nanjing. It was 100+ degrees and after the bus trip (no aircon of course) I was pretty desperate for something to drink. The monks very courteously set out steaming, handle-less cups of tea for us. I don't believe they meant it to be the torture that it was, but it was quite some time before it cooled enough to allow intimate contact; the Chinese version of "water water everywhere but not a drop to drink".

That situation was a bit extreme of course. Proper tea preparation actually calls for sub-boiling temperature water, and a pre-condition for enjoying the cooling and other benefits of green tea is that you can actually drink it.

Even Green tea has not managed to avoid the well-meaning food engineers who insist on reducing everything to convenient pill form. While intake of green tea extract offers many of the benefits noted above, the plant consists of some three hundred twenty different chemical constituents and one may wonder whether such processing may capture the full potential of the plant. Absent definitive studies comparing the activity of the two forms, this is to some extent, speculation. What is certain, however, is that the social and cultural benefits associated with the practice of drinking tea are unavailable to the pill-takers.

The social aspects of tea drinking are no doubt as great a contributor to a healthy lifestyle as its "nutriceutical" value. In cultures around the world, tea provides the backdrop for all types of social gatherings. Serving tea is a way of expressing politeness and respect. It is a simple pleasure that can bridge class and cultural divides. The mere presence of tea introduces an element of civility that carries into discourse and relations. Workers in office building and in the fields alike keep a cup of loose-leaf tea refreshed throughout the day.

Proper preparation of the tea can enhance its health value and the drinking experience. This process is recognized by many as the "tea ceremony", though it does not have to be as complicated as that might imply. The preferred pot is a small, unglazed stoneware vessel, just big enough to hold one or two cups of tea. The best of these have come from Yixing since the 1500's. The amount of tea leaves used is a matter of personal taste, but a roughly a teaspoon full is common. Boiling water (or better, after slightly cooling down from full boil) is poured over, swished around and poured out. The next pour is a keeper; after a minute or so, pour a round of tea. It is said that the first pour is best for its aroma and certainly the tendency is to enjoy the fragrant steam a bit before setting to. The second pour is the tastiest. Good tea is good for a third and maybe fourth pour. There are a variety of specialized trays, funnels, canisters etc. which may add to tea drinking convenience and enjoyment. Since much artistic craft goes into their design many people enjoy collecting these unique items as a hobby.

A note on storage: your loose-leaf teas should be stored in a sealed container, out of the sunlight and excessively high temperatures.

Remarkably, it is only relatively recently that Western medical thinking is giving much play to the medicinal value of foods and the positive health impact of social interaction. This more holistic approach is very characteristic of the Chinese medical system and the practice of drinking green tea is a wonderful way to enjoy these benefits.

- By Dan Welsh of Meridians Eastern Health Alternatives
June 2000, Ridgefield Press