Green Tea is one of the main types of tea in China, belonging to the category of non-fermented teas. It is made from fresh tea leaves through processes such as fixation, rolling, and drying. Notable varieties of green tea include Biluochun, Zhaopo tea, West Lake Longjing, Lushan Cloud Mist, Dawu green tea, and Jingu Luhao, among others.
Green Tea Production Process
The processing of green tea can be simply divided into three steps: fixation, rolling, and drying, with the key step being fixation.
Fresh leaves undergo fixation, which deactivates enzymes, allowing the various chemical components within to undergo physical and chemical changes primarily due to heat, forming the characteristic qualities of green tea.
1. Fixation
During withering and fixation, the internal moisture of the leaves evaporates, and the enzymatic activity is destroyed, preventing further oxidation. This allows for the evaporation of low-boiling-point aromatic compounds while preserving high-boiling-point aromatics, locking in the intrinsic aroma of the tea. As the temperature rises, high-boiling-point aromatic substances become more prominent. This process also evaporates moisture from the leaves, making them softer and preparing them for rolling.
Shaking fixation involves lifting the leaves to facilitate moisture loss and the release of grassy odors, allowing a fresh aroma to emerge and preventing yellowing of the leaves.
Covered fixation involves covering the leaves without shaking, allowing steam to remain briefly inside the leaves. This rapidly increases leaf temperature, completely destroying enzyme activity and promoting the hydrolysis and conversion of relevant substances, ensuring uniform fixation of the buds and leaves and avoiding red stems and red leaves.
Methods of fixation include traditional pan fixation, steaming, and modern drum fixation.
2. Rolling
Rolling shapes the leaves, reducing their volume and highlighting their characteristics, and also causes cell sap to seep out onto the surface, enhancing the concentration of the brew's flavor.
Depending on the tenderness of the fresh leaves, green tea rolling can be hot or cold. Tender leaves are rolled cold, while older leaves are rolled hot, and the rolling can be done in stages.
The degree of cell breakage during rolling affects the flavor and durability of the infusion when brewing green tea.
3. Drying
Drying serves to shape and fix the quality of the tea, and develop its aroma.
The drying process for green tea typically involves initial oven drying followed by pan drying.
Drying methods include oven drying, pan drying, and sun drying, which can be used according to specific requirements.
After rolling, the moisture content of the leaves remains high. If directly pan-dried, they would easily clump together in the pan and stick to the walls. Therefore, the leaves need to be oven-dried first to reduce their moisture content to a level suitable for pan frying.
How to Brew Green Tea Best
1. Warm the cup by placing a glass cup in a tea washer and filling it with boiling water to clean it; 2. Rinse the tea by adding 3-5 grams of green tea to the glass cup using a teaspoon, then pour in water at 80-85°C and stir quickly before discarding the water after 3 seconds; 3. Brew the tea by refilling the glass cup with hot water and waiting patiently for 1-2 minutes before drinking.
1. Warm the Cup
Before brewing green tea, place the glass cup in a tea washer and fill it with boiling water to clean it. Alternatively, place the glass cup in a glass tea washer, fill it with water, and place it on an electric tea stove to boil, sterilizing it at high temperatures.
2. Rinse the Tea
Remove the glass cup and add 3-5 grams of green tea using a teaspoon. Pour in water at 80-85°C, stir the tea quickly, and discard the water after 3 seconds to rinse away any impurities.
3. Brew the Tea
Refill the glass cup with hot water and wait patiently for 1-2 minutes before drinking. If you prefer a cooler beverage, you can let the green tea cool and add lemon to make lemon green tea.
How Much Green Tea Is Appropriate Per Day
It is appropriate to Drink 10-15 grams of green tea per day.
Green tea contains various nutrients like polyphenols, amino acids, and flavonoids, which can help promote digestion, improve Alertness, and relieve fatigue. To avoid overstimulating the central nervous system and causing issues like difficulty concentrating or shortened sleep, it is recommended to consume 10-15 grams of green tea throughout the day in several portions, using 3-5 grams at a time and 250-500 ml of hot water for each infusion. This generally does not lead to excessive stimulation and disrupt normal sleep patterns.
Additionally, it is not recommended to drink too much green tea in the evening. For individuals with poor digestive function, it is also advised to avoid drinking very strong green tea.