This shoud suit you to a “tea”
Monday, May 14th, 2007As you study teas on the supermarket shelf, you may be surprised to
know that all teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant, a
warm-weather evergreen. How fresh leaves are processed and their
length of contact with oxygen determine the resulting type of tea.
Oxidation gives the leaves their distinctive color. Green tea is
not oxidized. The leaves are steamed, rolled, and dried. Black tea
is oxidized for two to four hours, and Oolong tea falls somewhere
in between.
According to the Tea Association of the USA, herbal teas aren’t
from the Camellia sinensis plant and are not linked with research
on the health benefits of traditional teas.
Tea is one of the most healthful beverages. It’s fat-free and
calorie-free. Tea is rich in flavonoids and powerful antioxidants
that help to prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease and
cancer, as shown in studies at the Antioxidants Research Laboratory
of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at
Tufts University. Green and black teas have the most antioxidants.
The American Dietetic Association notes that a certain number of
flavonoids in tea are lost during the decaffeination process, so
decaffeinated teas are somewhat less beneficial than regular brews.
How to make tea
From Kevin Hickey of the English Tea Store
Hickey says loose tea brewed in a teapot makes the best-tasting
tea. He recommends one teaspoon of loose tea per person plus one
for the pot.
* Use freshly drawn water. Water loses oxygen when it stands and
that keeps the full flavor of the tea from being released.
* Warm the pot first. It helps to maintain the brewing temperature
long enough to extract more flavor from the tea.
* Use boiling water to make the tea. Water that is “off the boil”
does not allow the tea to brew properly.
* Brew for 3 to 5 minutes. Shorter times will not reveal the full
flavor and quality of the tea. Longer brewing will result in a
bitter-tasting tea as tannin will start to be extracted from the
tea leaves.
* Stir the tea in the pot once or twice while it is brewing.
* For tea bags, the same brewing directions apply.
* In a cup, brew 1 to 2 minutes.
