What's Brewing?

In 2732 b.c. tea was discovered. According to legend, an early Chinese emperor created it accidentally after he declared that all drinking water had to be boiled. While at a rest stop on a trip, dried tea leaves from a nearby bush accidentally blew into a pot of boiling water creating the first cup of tea and as they say the rest is history. Tea became very popular in the 1600’s and played an important role in American culture and customs. Just prior to the Revolutionary War, Bostonians marked history by throwing cases of tea overboard into Boston Harbor to protest a British tax on tea. It wasn’t much of a celebration but this infamous event became known as the Boston Tea Party. In modern times herbalists and holistic practitioners use tea as a basis for good health. It also quenches your thirst and relaxes your body.

There are three main types of tea: green, oolong and black. All three are produced from the small leaf China tea plant Camellia sinensis or Thea sinensis. Although this shrub (sinensis genus) has been cultivated since ancient times in China it is currently grown in Japan, India and Sri Lanka. This hardy evergreen bush contains whitish, mildly fragrant flowers and the fruit (seed used for germination) is a pod containing three hard-shelled nuts. The plants thrive best in protected well-drained, near-tropical localities. The bush matures and leaves can be picked two to three years after seeds have been planted and the shrub may yield for 25 to 50 years. The leading tea producing country is India, though areas of the country began cultivation as late as 1836.

The difference among the teas comes from the way the tea is processed. Green tea is the least processed and closest to the tea plant in its natural state. After harvesting the leaves are immediately placed into firing machines to steam and then pan fried in a wok. In the final step, the leaves are dried by firing whereby the natural fragrances and flavors are stabilized; the leaves keep their green color. The resulting tea leaves will maintain a high level of nutrients and minerals. Black tea leaves are fermented (exposed to air causing oxidation) for 12 to 24 hours and have a stronger flavor. Oolong is partially fermented making it more processed than green tea but less than black tea. During the fermentation process some of the healing properties of the tea are lost.

Scientific research conducted in recent years has linked the existence of antioxidants, found abundantly in natural foods and especially in Green tea, with a reduction in the harmful effects of free radicals on the human body. The level of antioxidant activity in green tea has been found to be higher than in any other nutritional component. Green tea also contains vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin B2, vitamin D, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, sodium, nickel and more. These ingredients, when combined with antioxidants, contribute to healthy properties and benefits that include preventing cancer and heart disease, reinforcing the immune system, preventing digestive disorders, reducing cholesterol levels, blood pressure, as well as stimulating blood circulation, curbing the effects of aging by keeping skin healthy and young looking. Green tea contains a natural form of fluoride and can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacterium that causes dental plaque.

Japanese green teas have the most variety and subtleties of flavor. Experimenting with all of the choices is akin to a fine wine connoisseur’s experience. Most health food stores and tea boutiques will have good varieties for you to sample. Sencha is a good everyday green tea with a pleasant sweet taste. Hojicha is a Japanese green tea that has been rendered brown by roasting the leaves on charcoal. It is popular for its rich nutty and earthy mesquite taste. Green tea blended with roasted partially puffed rice is called Genmaicha and has a wonderful toasty flavor along with an aromatic and fragrant brew. It is important to use water below the boiling point and to carefully watch the infusion time to avoid bitterness. Each variety brews for different periods of time (from 3 to 20 minutes) so follow the instructions that come with the tea you decide to purchase.

Oolong teas comprise the semi-fermented family. Although the tea community often uses the word fermented, it refers to a process involving enzyme and oxidation action that occurs within the leaf. To stimulate this action, the leaves are bruised in various methods, the most common of which is rolling. Oolong leaves are rolled by hand or in a rotating drum. They usually exhibit a distinctive red fermented edge, while the inner portion of the leaf remains green in color. Oolong teas offer the greatest range of flavor from a light floral green style to the sweet richness of the dark styles.

Black teas are the most popular form of tea in the USA. All I can tell you is they are better for your body than coffee; they are available in decaf varieties and enjoy them if you like. Though I personally prefer herbal brews over black teas, because of their distinct flavor and natural decaffeinated properties, Earl Grey is one of the most flavorful and popular fermented teas. Earl Grey is a mixture of black tea and bergamot oil. Some of the other more popular black teas are English Breakfast Tea, Darjeeling, and Orange Pekoe.

Black, green and oolong teas are made from the leaves of the shrub. Known by the name Bancha or Kukicha in Japan; twig tea is made from the stems and twigs of the tea bush. The stems and twigs are picked at the end of the summer or fall when the caffeine has naturally receded from the tea plant. Bancha means, “late growing tea.” Also known as red leaf tea this is the most popular twig tea in the West. Unlike black, green or oolong teas, which are acidic, twig tea is alkaline.

Twig tea is very good for digestion, serves as a buffer for acids in stomach, and has many medicinal uses.

There are also brewing herbs that are most popularly known as herbal teas. They are not tea in the traditional sense but the brew of the flowers, stems, leaves and roots of different plants. For thousands of years, herbal teas have been thought to possess special healing powers in addition to their pleasing taste. Herbal teas are still brewed and used as home remedies for common ailments. For colds and flu anise, chamomile, or lemon balm are good choices while lavender, marjoram, mint, and wintergreen are a great natural headache reliever.

When brewing your herbal tea, remember to leave a cup aside. When taking your evening bath, pour the extra tea into your warm bath to relieve tension in those aching muscles. For a soothing bath use catnip, chamomile, lemon balm, linden flowers, marjoram, rose, rosemary, thyme, valerian or wintergreen. For an aromatic bath make a brew of lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, mint, rose, rosemary and scented geranium. For a stimulating bath use basil, calendula, fennel, lavender, marjoram, mint, rosemary, sage or thyme.

All tea is low in caffeine. For those not overly sensitive to stimulants, tea has just enough caffeine to elevate the mood and improve blood circulation. Black tea has on average 40mg of caffeine per 6 oz cup, oolong tea 25mg, and green tea (the roasting process lowers the caffeine content) 15mg. Whereas a 6 oz cup of drip coffee has 80mg of caffeine and 2 oz of espresso packs 90mg! Herbal teas (as they are not true teas) are naturally caffeine free. Further, tea is not as harsh on the system as coffee.

Tea has been available for thousands of years. Practitioners and lay people alike have come to benefit from this simple pleasure in life. Whether brewing tea or herbs the healing properties are effective. Zen Masters say: learn to love the ordinary, enjoy your cup of tea.

Rose Payne is the founder and Director of High Level Wellness a holistic health and nutrition center in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She is an AADP certified Holistic Nutrition Counselor and National Educator with a private practice that offers assistance countrywide. She is also the Director of the Immersion Graduate Program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. Her passion is helping clients transform their lives through the power of nutrition. You can contact Rose at info@high-level-wellness-online.com

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