Healthy tea
Spring is the time when nature all around us comes to life once more. The trees near my apartment are suddenly bright green. It is also the time when newly harvested will be sold again. The fresh flavour of a "first-picking" Japanese green tea is really something special.
Modern science is beginning to understand more about the health properties of tea. Green tea in particular, has ben found to contain antioxidants called cathechins, that help strengthen the immune system and aid in fighting free radicals. Citizens of Uji and Shizuoka, the areas in Japan where most green tea is harvested, have among the lowest cancer rates in the World.
In Asia, teas are seen as medicine. The understanding of the five elements (also called five phases) of wood, fire, earth, metal and water, as well as the yin-yang theory, can also be applied to food and drink, including tea. In fact, the understanding is really profound. The basic idea is to harmonize properties and tastes on the basis of yin and yang, as well as the five elements...
The glossy magazine Kateigaho has some nice article about tea in its Spring 2005 issue, with photographs by Tomoyasu Naruse and Kazuhiko Suzuki. I especially liked the article on Korean tea!
Please click here to read "The Chi of Asian Tea"
Did you know that while green tea from the leaves of Camelia sinensis are popular in Japan and China, the Koreans are instead fond of jujube, ginger, aloe vera, chestnut and so on. When I was in Seoul, I enjoyed mugworth tea, which was served with food. In spring, Koreans also prefer jindallae-hwachae (azalea blossom tea). Yes, now in mid-April it is really the season of lovely fresh green leaves and beautiful flowers.
Modern science is beginning to understand more about the health properties of tea. Green tea in particular, has ben found to contain antioxidants called cathechins, that help strengthen the immune system and aid in fighting free radicals. Citizens of Uji and Shizuoka, the areas in Japan where most green tea is harvested, have among the lowest cancer rates in the World.
In Asia, teas are seen as medicine. The understanding of the five elements (also called five phases) of wood, fire, earth, metal and water, as well as the yin-yang theory, can also be applied to food and drink, including tea. In fact, the understanding is really profound. The basic idea is to harmonize properties and tastes on the basis of yin and yang, as well as the five elements...
The glossy magazine Kateigaho has some nice article about tea in its Spring 2005 issue, with photographs by Tomoyasu Naruse and Kazuhiko Suzuki. I especially liked the article on Korean tea!
Please click here to read "The Chi of Asian Tea"
Did you know that while green tea from the leaves of Camelia sinensis are popular in Japan and China, the Koreans are instead fond of jujube, ginger, aloe vera, chestnut and so on. When I was in Seoul, I enjoyed mugworth tea, which was served with food. In spring, Koreans also prefer jindallae-hwachae (azalea blossom tea). Yes, now in mid-April it is really the season of lovely fresh green leaves and beautiful flowers.
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