The History of Green Tea

Green tea’s first cup was brewed some five thousand years ago.  From then on its popularity grew and has become well known.  It comes second to water when it comes to fame.  It is believed to have originated and first cultivated in China.  A Chinese legend says that Emperor Shen Nung who was believed to be a “Divine Healer” was the first to brew this tea by accident.  They say that Emperor Shen Nung would always boil his drinking water because he believed people who do this have longer lives and better health.  So, one day while he was kneeling before his boiling water leaves of a nearby tree was blown into his pot.  He noticed the wonderful aroma and upon tasting it declared it to be heaven sent.

          This is how green tea was discovered and this is where the green tea’s journey began.  It was later introduced to Japan and to other countries in the Far East.  It was the Dutch who brought the tea to Europe and in 1650 to America.  The tea’s trade was then later on monopolized by the East India Company in 1721.  They were able to control all imported tea coming into the British Empire.  During this time, drinking tea has become a symbol of one’s social status.  Only the royalties and upper classes can afford to buy it.  It has even reached the high time price of $49/pound! 

To make two hundred tea bags you’ll only need a pound of tea.  Imagine how expensive that is.  In this period, tea carrying ships raced around the world.  It was always the first ship who reached the shores got the highest prices.  But thanks to the development of faster ships that made it possible for the supply of tea to become bountiful.  This caused the lowering of tea’s market prices and made this great beverage available to other sectors of society.

          So, what is so special about green tea?  The well-loved green tea comes from the leaves of Camellia sinensis.  A shrub whose leaves quickly dry and oxidize after picking.   In order to produce green teas, leaves have to be immediately dried after plucking to seal the goodness of the leaf.  This has to be done in order to prevent fermentation.  The Fermentation causes the leaves to turn progressively darker because chlorophyll is being broken down.  So for the leaves to retain their green color and all their natural beauty and goodness, fermentation has to be stopped.  This can be done by applying heat whether by pan frying, steaming or putting the leaves in an oven.  The outcome is very delicate tea leaves.  Green tea contains high levels of polyphenols believed to be very beneficial for health.  Due to green tea’s minimal oxidation, it has less caffeine compared with other kind of teas.

Green Teas