Green Tea To-Go

All of my guests who have visited China notice the basics: delicious food, hospital people, beautiful landscapes, questionable hygiene, and ancient customs. One aspect of Chinese culture I often get asked about is tea culture. One specific part of the tea culture has been left untouched on AL.ME for years: Green Tea To-Go! So today I finally weigh in on an ancient custom that has been born through thousands of years of medical practice and remains a cornerstone in modern Chinese culture.

“Green Tea To-Go” is what I call the green tea containers which are ubiquitous among everyday Chinese (usually men). Bus drivers, office workers, teachers, and government officials can be seen carrying this simple hot beverage container with a strainer all day long. With all the benefits of (green) tea, it isn’t hard to grasp why they are so tea-crazy.  It has also become more obvious why they are so excited all the time. (Psst, they are high on green tea!)

For some, it is an addiction. They drink it at every breakfast, with lunch, and in the afternoon; They top off the bottle with steaming hot water every chance they get. It’s not hard to understand why… hot water is available everywhere, 24/7. You can top it off at your office, in the bus station, in the markets, and even in the police station! My recent visit to a PSB in Guangzhou proved that you can keep getting your fix practically anywhere! And when you’re surrounded by it, you’ll have difficulty shaking the habit. (i.e.:Dunkin’ Donuts lovers in much of the USA know what I’m talking about…)

Throughout my years in China I have also chosen to replace most of my coffee drinking with tea. I’m a product of my environment, for better or worse. Green Tea To-Go probably does more good than harm and should be considered as a reasonable way to cut-back on other drinking habits that we might develop over time.

Get some loose tea and a portable bottle, and then try it! Tell me how it goes

A popular request I get is related to the medicinal use of tea. I’m finally writing this article after discussing this topic with various Chinese friends who have nearly 20 years of experience in the tea business. After discussions with them and other trusted tea connoisseurs I’m ready to post on this topic. I suggest reading a previous post about understanding the world of tea in order to get more familiar with the major varieties of tea.

You’ll find that two major substances in tea do most of the leg work: epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and polyphenol. Remember: I’m not a doctor and the following is a collection of information told by friends, which I’ve cross-referenced with scientific studies.

Dieting: Pu’er Tea is known as the most effective of the major tea varieties for metabolizing fat, which is why it is often a major part of diet tea concoctions sold commercially. It isn’t a silver bullet to weight loss, but should be included as a supplement to your weight loss or dieting regimen. Pu’er Tea also has great benefits to combat heart disease, see below. Also see my overview and disambiguation of major teas here.

Cleansing and Digestion:  From a Chinese perspective, “cleansing” means the process of pulling oil from your intestines. It doesn’t mean you should have diarrhea, but a person eating an oily-food diet will have better cleansing results. The precursor to cleansing is actually an improvement in digestion. Hopefully this serves to clarify what “cleansing teas” on the market should actually do.

Cancer and Degenerative Diseases: The most useful time to consume tea for the purpose of combating cancer is before the cancer in question has arrived. Tea, Green Tea in particular, is more effective with digestive and urinary tract cancers, however, there is a long list of other cancers that have been inhibited with animal testing, including:”lung, forestomach, esophagus, duodenum, pancreas, liver, breast, colon, and skin cancers”[*]

The immune system gets a boost from what The Green Tea Book articulates as the “secret ingredient”of Green tea, which is its high content of polyphenol (a phytonutrient). For people who crave details, the reason polyphenols are effective combatants to potential cancers is due to their high amounts of antioxidants. Basically, antioxidants prevent free radicals from flipping out all over the body and kicking off chain-reaction scavenging for reactive cells.[*] (In a nut shell free radicals damage cells, which can cause a range of problems from aging to cancer.)

A 2007 study done in China shows that Alzheimers and Parkinson‘s patients could have benefits from the polyphenol of Green Tea, because it  “may protect neurons against the detrimental effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO)…” Basically, with enough pure green tea extract (EGCG), it could inhibit the death of neurons which causes these degeneration, leading to Alzheimers and Parkinson’s.

The following are specific studies that I’ve grouped here and linked to their respective sources.

Heart Disease: There is a “preventative effect…on coronary heart disease, high blood cholesterol , and high blood pressure…” according to a 2000 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Skin Damage: Topical applications of green tea extracts (EGCG) have protective effects on UVA- and UVB-induced skin damage (photoaging and carcinogenesis) [*]

Lung Cancer: “Among smokers, those who did not drink green tea at all were more than 12 times as likely to develop lung cancer than those who drank at least a cup a day.” (Read more in this BBC review of the study) Of course, quitting smoking makes more sense…

Stress: A study released in 2010 by University College London shows that black tea consumption after a stressful event can reduce levels of the stress hormone “cortisol”. [*]

Stroke: In 2009, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) conducted research which found that “drinking three or more cups of tea per day can reduce the risk of suffering a stroke by as much as 21 per cent.” [*]

Ginseng Root

Another popular root that is common in the Chinese diet, and many other Asian diets, is Ginseng. In fact, American Ginseng is one of the most popular in the world. I even see it in small local markets here in Zhuhai. I see it popularly used out here in soups, often with other Chinese herbs, chicken bones, Gou Ji berries, and Zao Zi. This kind of soup can be purchased warm and ready to eat at any Fujian style dumpling shop. (I’ll post a simple recipe for making this at home soon.)

Dried Ginseng Slices

Ginseng is also consumed by steeping some dried slices of it in hot water, like tea. I sometimes do this before going to bed in order to reduce “Qi” in the body. I also suggest this drink as a replacement for evening teas or coffee.

Here is some health-related information from Wikipedia, and sourced therein:
“Both American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) roots are taken orally as adaptogens [a product that increases the body's resistance to stress], aphrodisiacs [you can guess...], nourishing stimulants, and in the treatment of type II diabetes, as well as sexual dysfunction in men.

Other information: The English word ginseng derives from the Chinese term rénshēn (simplified: 人参; traditional: 人蔘), literally “man root” (referring to the root’s characteristic forked shape, resembling the legs of a man).”

One Plant: All (leaf) tea comes from the same species of plant. Just like apples all come from apple trees… Varieties exist among all species and those varieties include:  Green, Oolong, Black, White, Yellow,and Pu’er. Processing and growing techniques are other ways that teas get their distinctive colors, flavors, and characteristics. For specifics on processing, check out the image on the right. The following disambiguations are listed from lighter to darker tea varieties.

Green Tea Leaves

Green Tea- A highly popular tea variety in Asia and is produced mainly in China. It contains caffeine and often more so than coffee. Drinking green tea is associated with reduced heart disease and reduces cardiovascular risk factors. It also has some affect on reducing blood pressure, body fat, and cholesterol, but it certainly isn’t a magic bullet if you have these conditions. In 2009, it was cited that women who add more mushrooms to their diet and drink green tea regularly can seriously reduce occurrences of breast cancer[*]. It may also play a role in eye diseases, including glaucoma.
I find that green tea is the most delicious tea option; especially the special sub-variety called “Long Tan” (Henan Province) which can cost around $50/100g. The most famous brand of Green Tea is “Long Jing” (Zhejiang Province).

Oolong Tea

White Tea- This tea is allowed to wilt while being just slightly oxidized. It is made from younger leaves (and buds) than other teas, but contains about the same caffeine. Health benefits of White tea are similar to those previously mentioned, but perhaps due to lack of processing, contains more anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities than green tea.[*]

Yellow Tea- A less common tea which is only different based on the slower drying method employed to produce it.

Oolong Tea- Between Green and Black tea is Oolong tea which is only slightly oxidized (fermentation stops when leaves slightly change color). This is commonly found in Chinese Restaurants (especially those of Southern China, Cantonese style). I would say that “Tie Guan Yin” is perhaps the most famous sub-variety consumed in China. Many Oolong sub-varities can be found growing in Wuyi Cliff (Mtns.) in Fujian province, although other tea varieties are grown at Wuyi Mountain. Health benefits are practically the same as standard green teas, but the caffeine is slightly less.

Black Tea

Black Tea- Or “Crimson Tea” is more oxidized than Green, Oolong, and White tea. It’s production is led by companies like Lipton and Twinings, and is more popular in Western countries. As with less oxidized varieties, Black tea  has similar health benefits. I find that the flavor of this tea causes me to add sugar and other flavorings. To do so makes the tea no better for you than drinking coffee in the morning. It has probably remained popular in the West due to its longer shelf life.

Pu-er Tea Brick

Pu’er Tea- The best known post-fermented tea is Pu’er [pronounced "Pooh-R], which is even darker than Black tea. I find it to be the coffee of Tea, based purely on its color after steeping. It has become classified by a system similar to wine, which uses regions and year of production to judge quality. This tea is highly popular in Guangdong province after meals, but it is famously grown in Yunnan province. It is commonly said to help with digestion and weight loss. It isn’t a weight loss plan by itself, however, it aides cholesterol reduction and can speeds up metabolism. Recent studies tell about its “antimutagenic and antimicrobial” abilities.[*]

Remember: I’ve sourced some of the claims above, but a lot of medicinal food properties were provided by word of mouth. As a form of Chinese medicine for over 4000 years, (leaf) Tea is a long-standing pillar in the Asian lifestyle, which shouldn’t take a scientist to convince you of its very real benefits to your health.

Tea is a stimulant and if taken in the evening it is almost certain to keep you up at night. Eating and drinking healthy shouldn’t cause insomnia, so don’t watch your evening program with tea or coffee… try warm water instead.

More recently I’ve been creating my own stomach-soothing beverage. I buy fresh turmeric root at Whole Foods and wash it off really well. Then steep the root for a few minutes before filling the cup completely with hot water. To learn more about healthy, natural teas just visit this article: Learn to Brew 5 Fresh and Healthy Teas at Home