For years, green tea was consumed almost exclusively in Asia. For centuries, green tea has been used by Chinese herbalists to treat many health maladies from menstrual difficulties to headaches. In China and Japan, most people drink green tea all day long.
However, here in the Western world it has gained popularity only in the last few years. There are many ways to enjoy green tea, and many things to learn about it. There are several differences between green tea and other types of tea.
Processing Green tea comes from the same plant as black tea, but it is processed differently. Green tea, however, is not fermented like black tea.
Green tea leaves are laid out to wither for about 8 to 24 hours after plucking to allow most of the water to evaporate. Next, to prevent the oxidation (fermentation) process, the leaves are steamed or pan fried. Finally the leaves are rolled and then dried again, unlike black tea leaves, which are cut.
Flavor Because green tea is in a very natural state, it tastes more plant like than black tea. Most people describe green tea as having a somewhat grassy taste. It is green and somewhat pale in color, and can become bitter...