Did you know that the leaves of Camellia Sinensis contain as many as 200 bioactive compounds? These green tea ingredients are responsible for the many health benefits this type of tea offers its consumers.

The chemical composition of the leaves coming from this plant differs, depending on numerous factors from location and harvesting time to processing methods – hence the many different tea varieties coming from the same plant: black, green, white tea, oolong, sencha, gyrokuro, etc. So, what does green tea contain?

1. Polyphenols

They are natural compounds present in various plant foods that contribute to the beneficial effects of vegetables and fruit. Powerful antioxidants, they are a source of [read more...]

Matcha Tea is Green Tea’s big brother. Made from the same plant Camellia Sinensis, only the shade-grown leaves are used to produce matcha tea. Before the harvest the tea bushes are covered to avoid sun light for up to several weeks; this turns the leaves a darker shade of green and stimulates amino acid production in the leaves making the resulting tea a bit sweeter. Once picked the leaves are dried, when they crumble the veins and stems are removed and the rest is finely ground into the bright green, fine powder known as matcha.

How To Prepare It

Matcha Tea can be prepared in two ways: thick and thin. [read more...]

Pregnancy is a stage in a woman’s life when she stops thinking about herself and starts putting the interests of her baby before hers. Since green tea has become such a popular drink with so many proven health benefits, soon-to-be mothers are starting to wander whether green tea and pregnancy can go together; whether this drink is safe for the baby, or it’s better to stop drinking it altogether for the all-important nine months.

During pregnancy, health and nutrition rules change dramatically, and what used to be beneficial for a healthy woman may be harmful for an expecting mother. If we take a look at the two important ingredients of [read more...]