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Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)

By Gwen Nyhus Stewart

Almost five thousand years ago, the story of green tea begins in 2737 B.C. according to Chinese legend. Since then, the Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea, using it to treat everything from headaches, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, certain immune deficiencies, to depression. Today, research in both Asia and the West is providing evidence to support the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. Some of the benefits identified include: stimulates the central nervous system, lowers blood cholesterol; inhibits increase of blood pressure; inhibits increase of blood sugar; fights carcinogenic bacteria; antioxidant; kills influenza virus; reduces tumours; prevents halitosis; elevates spirits; and prevents tooth decay because of its high fluoride content. Tea contains vitamin A, B2, C, D, K, and P, plus a number of minerals in trace amounts.

Green tea is popular in the Middle East, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. In Latin, the name sinensis means Chinese. In recent years, green tea has become more known and consumed in the West, where traditionally black tea has been the tea of choice. After water, tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world.

How To Grow Green Tea

You can grow your own tea. Camellia sinensis is hardy and can be grown outdoors in Zone 7-9 (mid-west, south, and south-eastern U.S.A.) and can be grown in cold climates in a greenhouse or brought indoors during the winter months. It is an evergreen shrub that grows to a height of 50 feet (15.24 meters) or more in the wild but in cultivation, this shrub grows 3-6 feet (1-2 meters) and can be pruned back if it grows too tall. Camellia sinensis has a strong taproot and should not be harvested until it is three years old.

Tea shrubs are often grown as ornamental plants and will bloom in the fall with small white blossoms that have a lovely scent. The flowers are yellow-white, 1-11/2 in. (2.5-3.25 cm) in diameter, with 7 to 8 petals. Seeds and plants are available. Plants are raised from cuttings obtained from a mother bush, carefully rooted, and cared for in a nursery until they are 1-2 years of age. (Seeds can be purchase through Richter’s Herbs.)

Plants, Seeds, More!

The leaves are 1-1/2 in. (4-15 cm) long and 1 in. (2-5 cm) broad. The young, light green leaves are preferably harvested for tea production; they have short white hairs on the underside. Older leaves are deeper green. The chemical composition that comprises tea qualities are different depending on the age of the tea leaves. The harvesting process, called ‘plucking’ by hand picking the tip (bud) and the first two to three leaves, is done every one to two weeks.

This plant likes well-drained and sandy soil that is on the acidic side. When planting, add a generous amount of humus such as leaf mould, peat moss, or compost to the soil. Be careful not to plant too deeply; the base of the stem should be slightly higher than the surrounding soil. To retain moisture and minimize alternate freezing and thawing in the winter, add mulch 2-4 in. (5-10 cm) deep around the shrub. Water a new plant thoroughly once a week during its first season, unless there has been at least 1 in. (2.5 cm) of rain. Watering may also be necessary during mild spells if the winter has been a dry one.

Camellia sinensis is not a heavy feeder: fertiliser may be used sparingly in early spring and a second light application in June. Use fertilizer for acid loving plants diluted to 1/2 the strength recommended on the label. Prune plants heavily in early spring to restore the vigour of older plants, to control size or leggy growth, and to remove weak or dead branches. The plant is grown commercially in full sun, but many growers recommend giving it open, high shade such as that found under tall pines trees.

Growing tea plants in a pot requires the same conditions as noted above. Use a commercial potting mix with sphagnum moss or a fast draining soil mix of sand, bark shavings, sphagnum peat moss, and soil. The root hairs are very fine, so the plant cannot be allowed to dry out completely. Increase watering when the plant is actively growing and when the plant is in bloom. Re-pot when the plant becomes pot-bound or if the plant is contained in the pot size you want, trim the roots, replace the soil, and return to pot.

How To Harvest and Process Tea Leaves

Growing tea is only half the battle. Once your tea plant is growing well, you'll need to harvest and process your tea leaves. Black, green, and oolong tea are all harvested from this species, but are processed differently to attain different levels of oxidation.

Green Tea

1. Pluck the bud and top three or four leaves at the tip of the branch.

2. Blot the leaves dry and let dry in the shade for a few hours.

3. Steam the leaves in a vegetable steamer on your stove for less than 1 minute or for a different flavour, roast in a hot pan (cast iron skillet) for a few minutes to stop the oxidizing process. This process is called “sha quing” which means ‘killing out’ in Chinese.

4. Spread the leaves on a baking sheet and dry in the oven set at 250° F (120° C) for 20 minutes. This step removes any moisture to stop any fermentation and so the leaves won’t mould.

5. Store the dried leaves in an air-tight container.

Oolong Tea

1. Pluck the bud and top three or four leaves at the tip of the branch.

2. Spread over a cleared area of flat ground on a towel to keep the leaves from contact with the earth. Wilt the shoots under the sun for 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the temperature.

3. Bring the leaves inside and let them sit at room temperature for a few hours, stirring the leaves every hour. The leaf edge will turn red as they begin to dry and the moisture content will be reduced to 20%. This process produces the unique aroma, flavour, and colouring in oolong teas as it causes the biochemical reactions and enzymatic processes in the leaf.

4. After the leaves have withered, spread on a baking sheet, and dry in the oven set at 250° F (120° C) for 20 minutes.

5. Store the dried tea leaves in an air-tight container.

Black Tea

1. Pluck the bud and top three or four leaves at the tip of the branch.

2. On racks, dry the leaves for 10–20 hours to allow any surface water to dry and bring down the internal moisture of the leaf to 60–70% of the original moisture. This makes the leaf more pliable for the next step.

3. Roll several leaves between your hands and crush them until the leaves start to darken and turn red. Repeat this process until all the leaves are bruised and they turn a bright copper penny colour.

4. Place thin layers of leaves on a tray in a shady, cool location for 2-3 days to allow the leaves to ferment.

5. Dry in the oven set at 250° F (120° C) for 20 minutes. This step removes all the water, stops the fermentation process, and seals in the flavour.

6. Store the dried tea leaves in an air-tight container.

How To Brew A Cup Of Green Tea

Do not boil the water; rather just bring it to below the boiling point. Boiling your water and pouring it over any tea, makes the tea bitter. This is especially true for green tea.

1 tea bag or 1-2 tsp. (5-10 mL) of tea*

Fill a tea kettle with cold water and bring to just below the boiling point. After unplugging the kettle, pour water over the tea, and let steep for up to 3 minutes. If using a tea bag, remove as soon as the tea is strong enough.

Allow the tea to cool for 3 more minutes before drinking.

*1-2 tsp. depending on the variety of green tea you are brewing.

How Much Green Tea Should You Drink A Day

In investigating the natural health properties associated with drinking green tea, the researchers have as many answers to this question as there are researchers. In the research I reviewed, the number of cups drank per day ranged from two to ten cups. Given the evidence, it is probably safe to plan on drinking four to five cups daily for the heath benefits. If you really like green tea, drink more: but whether or not you'll derive added health benefits remains to be determined by further research.

Ideas & Options

Ø Eliminate odours in the refrigerator by placing used tea leaves or old tea bags on saucers.

Ø Burn green tea for incense.

Ø Gargling with green tea fights bad breath, kills bacteria, and makes teeth strong and effective against cavities and gingivitis. Use leftover cooled tea.

Ø Old tea leaves can be placed in a thin cotton bag, tied securely, and used in a hot bath. Used tea bags work as well.

Ø Green tea ice cream can be made using your favourite vanilla ice cream and 1 tsp. (5 mL) green tea powder. Soften the ice cream thoroughly. Mix the green tea powder into the softened ice cream and put it back into the refrigerator to harden for a few minutes.

Ø Don’t throw out left over tea, cool and use it to water your plants.

Ø Refresh tired eyes with old unused or used tea bags (wet and cool enough). Place on your eyes to soothe.

Ø Absorb odours in the cat litter box with re-used brewed leaves, dried, and scattered in the box.

Ø Put leftover green tea leaves directly into the pot of your favorite houseplant or even garden plants. Let the green leaves rot naturally into the dirt, regenerating them better than any commercial plant food you can buy.

Remember:

"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." - Ancient Chinese Proverb

"Tea tempers the spirit, harmonizes the mind, dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens the thought and prevents drowsiness." - Lu Yu

"Nobody can teach you how to make the perfect cup of tea. It just happens over time. Wearing cashmere helps, of course." - Jill Dupleix

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