In previous articles, we have already noted that tea is the most consumed beverage in the world after water.

Among the entire variety of tea leaves and tea varieties, the most common choice is definitely green tea - not only because of its rich composition, but also because of its numerous benefits for our health and beauty.

In this article, we will direct your attention to the history of green tea, its benefits and method of preparation - for all those priceless moments of delight for the soul!

Green tea - history, benefits, preparation method

History of Green Tea

In the early 9th century, green tea was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks from its birthplace, China. Over the centuries, it has also been common in South Korea. Today, it is still grown in India and Nepal. For this reason, the inhabitants of all these countries are famous for better health, longevity, youth and beauty.

Initially, green tea was only available to the upper class and used as medicine. In the late 12th century, the famous priest Ensai began using Matcha green tea for religious purposes in Japan. He is the author of the first book dedicated to tea, which focuses on the beneficial effects of this drink on health and its medicinal benefits.

Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea helps in dealing with various allergies, regulates blood sugar and lowers cholesterol, supports brain function, improves vision and oral health, takes care of your skin and burns excess fat, and last but not least - helps in a longer and happier life.

Due to the fact that green tea has an extremely high content of antioxidants, it can slow down the aging of collagen, preventing wrinkles, as well as making you a winner in the fight against hair loss. The catechins in green tea block the so-called DHT - the main cause of hair loss, and so the important element EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), in turn, promotes hair growth by stimulating hair cells.

How to prepare Green Tea

The standard way to prepare green tea is as follows:

Boil water in a suitable teapot . Do not overboil the water. The ideal brewing temperature is between 70°C and 80°C, which ensures that the bioactive compounds in the green tea leaves remain intact.

1. Pull the kettle from the heat.
2. Place the tea leaves or tea bag in the teapot.
3. Let it soak for about 1–3 minutes.
4. Once the tea is brewed, pour a small amount of tea evenly into each cup to evenly distribute its nutritional power. Add a few drops of lemon juice or honey, if desired.
   
   
   

A curious fact is that the stems and twigs of the most popular Japanese green tea Sencha are used to make a special green Japanese tea Kukicha , which contains 2 times more vitamin C than oranges and 6 times more calcium than fresh cow's milk.

You can see our Top 10 Green Tea suggestions here.