Green tea leaves each individually rolled into tiny pellet shapes resembling gunpowder gives it the name; gunpowder tea or gunpowder green tea. The gunpowder green tea comes mainly from Zhejiang Province in China. Oolong gunpowder tea is another type of popular gunpowder tea, mainly from Taiwan.  The Chinese gunpowder tea is also called pearl tea as the tiny pellets resemble pearls.

Chinese gunpowder tea can be found as early as the Tang Dynasty period (618-907AD) in China and only introduced to Taiwan in the 19th century.

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The green tea leaves are first withered, then followed by the steaming process. Rolling the leaves are then carried out either by hand or machine. They are then left to dry.

Higher grades of gunpowder tea are rolled meticulously by hand. Rolling the leaves result in less breakage and damage to the leaves besides retaining more flavor and aroma and keeps better. You need less tea leaves to brew your cup of tea compared to other green teas. The little pellets unfurl poetically into whole tea leaves when steeped in hot water and can be quite a relaxing and beautiful sight to watch, especially as they sank slowly and gracefully to the bottom of the teapot.

So how do you choose good quality gunpowder tea?

To check for freshness, look for vibrant, dark green shiny pellets as this indicates the freshness of the tea leaves. The smaller the size of the pellet, the better the quality. The best gunpowder tea uses older tea leaves, are rolled tightly into small pellets and can keep longer than other green teas. A cup of good gunpowder tea is a dark, golden color.

How to brew gunpowder green tea

The method most commonly used to brew a cup of gunpowder tea is to use a teaspoonful of the pellets for every 150ml of boiled water which is between 70 °C (158 °F) to 80 °C (176 °F). A minute or two of steeping for the initial as well as second round is enough to brew a cup of tasty gunpowder tea. Of course, first warming the teapot or cup by rinsing with some hot water is recommended. Third and fourth steeping will still produce a tasty cup of gunpowder green tea.

Steeping too long results in a bitter tea due to the presence of tannins.

Gunpowder tea – taste

The taste can be described as smooth with a hint of smokiness, full-bodied and strong, a bit grassy with a slight bitter flavor and a rich aroma as well as a strong aftertaste. Or maybe drink it like the Moroccans do; add in mint and honey to your pot of brewed gunpowder tea to make the famous Moroccan Mint Tea with its sweeter flavor and uplifting aroma. Drinking it as iced tea on a hot afternoon can be so appealing and delightful. Just remember to add double the amount of tea leaves compared to hot tea.

Gunpowder Green Tea Benefits

Gunpowder tea being a green tea, has all the health benefits of green tea. With a high level of catechins, gunpowder tea benefits our cardiovascular system, regulate blood sugar and may help in the prevention of cancer. Studies also indicate that it may boosts our immune, fight free radicals and help us fight diseases caused by bacteria or viruses. The tea has also been known to benefit the skin.

Types Of Gunpowder Green tea

Pingshui ( Pinhead) gunpowder tea is the original and most common variety of gunpowder tea, grown in the Pingshui region of northern Zheijiang province, China. The pellets or ‘pearls’ are larger with a nice color and has a more aromatic infusion, with a light greenish golden liquid. Temple of Heaven is famous for their Pinhead  gunpowder tea.  Take a look here at the famous Temple of Heaven 1kg. special gunpowder green tea which is guaranteed authenticity.

If you prefer organic tea, then you will like Numi organic gunpowder green tea which is 100% organic certified green tea and is halal as well, making it suitable for Muslims.

Starwest Botanicals is also known for their pleasant taste and aromatic organic gunpowder green tea. Stash premium organic pinhead gunpowder green tea is made from the finest Chinese green tea.

Formosa gunpowder tea is grown in Taiwan near Keelung, consisting mainly of  fresh or roasted oolongs and thus has a unique flavor, a bit different from the ‘grassy’ green gunpowder tea.

Ceylon gunpowder tea, grown in Sri Lanka, usually at altitudes exceeding 1,800 metres (6,000 ft), has a rich flavor. However, Sri Lanka is a minor producer of the world’s green teas.

There are also several types of Chinese green teas which are commonly rolled into gunpowder pellets. These include Chunmee, Tieguanyin, Huang Guanyin, and Dong Ding, as well as premium jasmine pearl tea which is very popular.

Reading the Tea Shop Mystery would be the perfect way to relax over a cup of gunpowder green tea.

Twinings Earl Grey tea, the traditional English tea, is a scented black tea blended with bergamot orange, enriching it with an uplifting citrus flavor and aroma. The resulting refreshing pale gold, delicate scented tea is the world famous Earl Grey Tea, which is best drunk plain, with a little milk or just a slice of lemon.

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Great whether drunk as a morning wake-me-up tea, a soothing afternoon tea or a relaxing after-work evening tea, reading the interesting  Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs.

When expertly blended with the right amount of bergamot oil, not too strong nor too weak, it has a distinctive fragrant aroma and no bitter astringent aftertaste.

Twinings Earl Grey loose leaf tea comes packed in convenient sized attractive airtight tins that helps in keeping the tea leaves fresh.

Twinings Earl Grey Tea – Features

Twinings reformulated their Earl Grey tea in April 2011, and rebranded it as The Earl Grey Tea. With more bergamot and lemon added resulting in a stronger citrus flavor, however, it was not so well received by consumers who prefer the old traditional Earl Grey flavor. Thus, the old tea blend was brought back and renamed Earl Grey Classic and sold alongside the newer blend.

Traditional Earl Grey is a black tea blend but it is now possible to buy oolong, white and green Earl Grey tea blends for a more modern tea experience. Buy Twinings Earl Grey green tea, a delicate blend of green tea leaves with bergamot, if you prefer green tea, a traditional tea with a modern feel and taste.

So enjoy your morning, afternoon or evening rituals over a cup of Twinings Earl Grey Tea.

A teapot is an important accessory in the steeping of tea leaves, be it in the form of tea bags or loose tea leaves. Teapot with infuser or strainer helps in separating the tea leaves when pouring out the tea into the tea cup.

Types Of Teapots
What Is The Best Teapot?

Teapot comes in various designs, shapes, sizes and materials. You have the cast iron teapot, exquisite bone china teapots, artistic ceramic teapots, glass teapots for those who love to watch the tea leaves unfurl and the traditional, fine quality Yixing teapots, beautiful handcrafted clay teapots, all designed to enhance the flavor of your perfect cup of tea. To some people, teapots can be said to be the centerpiece of the whole tea drinking experience.

For the lone drinker, you can go for the teapot for one person. The tea-for-one set is just nice for that daily morning cup of tea. Normally 14 ounces or below, these cute teapots can be stack on top of the tea cups and make wonderful gifts. However, if you prefer teapot with infuser or strainer for your loose leaf tea, then you need a bigger size pot. A tea warmer will make sure your tea stays warm for longer hours.

Yixing teapots
The famous fine quality Yixing clay teapots or Purple sand Zisha teapots are so named because these teapots are made from Yixing clay, found in Yixing town in Jiangsu province, China. These teapots have been found to be in use as early as the 10th century in ancient China. Thicker and more porous Yixing tea pots are best use for brewing oolong and black teas, as well as aged pu erh tea. However for brewing green or white tea, for best results, temperature of water is best cooled down to about 85 degrees Celsius before making tea in the finer, thinner clay teapots.

The distinctive features of the much prized Yixing Zisha teapot lies in its ability to retain heat very well thus keeping the tea hotter for a longer period of time, reduce oxidation, enhances plus retains and absorbs the aroma, color and flavor from every infusion, and maintains the freshness of the tealeaves during long drinking tea sessions. This is due to its superior dual-porous structure and mineral composition of these reddish brown Zisha teapots.

It is recommended that these Yixing clay tea pots are washed with fresh water and then air-dried after use. Do not use soap or detergent. This is because after prolonged use, the pot will develop a coating that retains the flavor and color of the tea. In fact serious tea connoisseurs will keep a separate teapot for each different type of tea so as to maintain the true flavor of the particular type of tea, which gets better flavored after long usage.

There are also Yixing teacups whereby you brew the tea directly in the cup itself.

Beautiful Yixing teapots are indeed one of the best teapots for brewing tea.

Cast iron teapots
A cast iron teapot is traditionally used to brew tea or even boil water such as the handmade Tetsubin teapot from Japan. Cast iron distribute heat evenly throughout the teapot and this results in better tea flavor. Modern cast iron tea pots are enameled on the inside to prevent rust and oxidation and has mesh strainer or tea infuser for brewing loose leaf tea.

A Japanese tetsubin teapot is actually a Japanese cast iron tea pot with enameled interior, a solid cast iron exterior with beautiful, intricate designs such as butterflies, ornamental Japanese Koi fish and beautiful cherry blossoms. A stainless steel mesh infuser provided makes it easy to brew a pot of loose leaf tea. However, always remember not to use it as a stovetop kettle (unless indicated) as this can damage the enamel lining. For stovetop use, try the tetsubin kettle instead.

A set of fine quality Bone China teapot is just great for brewing the perfect pot of fragrance tea for the traditional vintage English afternoon tea party. Bone china teapots are known for their elegance and durability and patterned to the formal finished look, especially of beautiful flowers.

The traditional beautifully-designed and handcrafted fine bone china tea set for one, consisting of a saucer, a cup and a cover or lid, can be used to brew as well as to serve tea. A simple yet elegant way to enjoy your cup of tea, the traditional Chinese gaiwan tea set way.

Ceramic teapots
Glazed ceramic teapots are popular as high-fired ceramic is nonreactive and won’t affect the taste of the tea. It also retains heat well and is easy to keep clean. Besides, ceramic tea pots come in many attractive colors, patterns and designs and are more affordable. Making tea in a ceramic teapot can be a very fun and enjoyable experience.

Glass teapots
Using the more modern glass teapot is a very beautiful way to serve tea to your guests. Being transparent, the strength of the tea and the quality as well as type of tea is visible to your guests. A glass teapot is a great and fun way to serve blooming tea as you can watch the tea flower slowly unfurl and bloom in all its glory.

Glass, being non-porous, will not affect the taste of the tea as it will not absorb and retain any tea flavor on its surface. Rinsing in warm water is enough to keep your glass teapot clean for the next tea drinking session. Have a complete fascinating tea experience from brewing to sipping your tea with the glass teapot set.

Another type of traditional teapot is the Brown Betty teapot first made in Britain around 1695. It has a roundish  shape, with a manganese brown glaze known as Rockingham glaze. Due to its unique round design, there is more room for the tea leaves to move around to release its flavor, thus resulting in a more flavorful tea with less bitterness in taste. Made from red clay which retains heat and keeps the tea hot for a longer period of time, relaxing over a warm cup of Earl Grey tea made in a Brown Betty teapot is indeed an enjoyable moment.

Most teapots are used for steeping tea and should not be used to boil water. For that, you need a tea kettle. Boil the water in the tea kettle, then pour into the tea pot to brew tea.

Other tea accessories include teapot warmer, teacups and saucers, tea tins, tea mug, trivets and coasters.

Relaxing and savoring a cup of healthy tea in pleasant surroundings helps to remove stress and strain of daily life, giving us inner calm and peace and many shared happy moments. Buy your best teapot set and start drinking tea to enhance your health and longevity.

DoMatcha green tea is a premium ceremonial grade organic matcha green tea powder, made from one unopened bud and top 2 best green tea leaves, plucked from shade grown tea bushes in the first flush of spring. Originating from Uji and Kyoto, the premier

matcha tea producing areas in Japan, Domatcha organic green tea is of premium quality.

For those who prefer a more astringent flavor compared to the sweeter first harvest, the Domatcha organic matcha 2nd harvest  in August consists of more matured leaves and make the best green tea lattes, blender drinks, frappes and smoothies

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The matcha tea powder comes in a sealed foil bag, which is then placed in a sealed tin. This prevents oxidation, keeps it fresh, maintains its intense aroma and brilliant green color. Being organic means no residual chemicals from pesticides, herbicides or fungicides in your cup of healthy matcha tea.

The DoMatcha green tea powder is best kept in a cool dry place or refrigerated to maintain its freshness.

Ingredients
100% Japanese Matcha Green Tea

DoMatcha Green Tea Powder – Product Features

Dragon Pearl Jasmine tea from Harney & sons come packaged as loose tea or in individually wrapped, triangular shaped silken sachets filled with the whole leaf tea. Fresh jasmine flowers added to

tea leaves gave it a refreshing fragrant aroma as well as  a smooth, delicate and sweet floral taste.

Dragon Pearls are made from the best tea leaves consisting of the top two tea leaves and the bud plucked in the first harvesting season of the year. Scented with the jasmine blossoms and then hand rolled into small dragon pearls by artisans, this high quality flowering tea  is prized for its wonderful intense aroma and delicate taste.

Ingredients
Jasmine, Green and White Tea

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Dragon Pearl Jasmine Tea – Great Features

This green tea gift set from Tea Beyond consists of one Teapot-Duo and one pack of Grade A-Duo blooming tea. Made from heat resistance glass, the Teapot Duo looks eye-catching and unique with a stainless steel handle and stainless filter conveniently located at the spout.

Perfect for brewing a pot of flowering tea as you are able to watch the tea leaves and dried flowers unfurl into a beautiful flower when you pour boiling water over them. Pouring is easy and hassle-free due to its non-dripping feature. There is no wastage and messy spill to wipe.

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The green tea pack consists of premium grade hand-plucked Silver needle green tea with freshly dried flowers. Grade A-Duo includes J.T. (Peony) and K.T.(Lily and Marigold).

Green Tea Gift Set – Special features

Beautifully packed and wrapped in a green satin ribbon, this tea gift set makes a memorable gift.

Whether enjoyed at home or in the office, or entertaining a friend, having a cup of the delicious fragrant blooming flower tea is a great way to relax and unwind. Delicate in taste, intoxicating in aroma and a calming, magical presentation, full of goodness and green tea benefits in each sip, the Tea Beyond green tea gift set is indeed a gift to be cherished.

Here is a review of the green tea gift set by a happy customer

I bought this for my sister. It was so much fun to try some of the tea out with her, It bloomed into a gorgeous flower! We kept adding water and it still tasted good! Beautiful little tea pot for any type of tea (J.Moore)
View original review here

Jasmine Green Tea

Think of drinking tea as an exquisite elegant art, think of Tea Forte, their delicious tea blends and their beautiful silken tea infuser. The exquisitely and beautifully handcrafted tea infuser’s unique design can accommodate the swelling of the loose tea as it steeps. Thus the better quality whole leaf tea in tea bags can be enjoyed instead of just the lower grade tea dust in the tea bags. Loose leaf tea has more robust tea flavors.

Using only the highest grade, leaves, healthful herbs, fruits and flowers which are 100% natural, each cup of tea is bursting with its own characteristic tea flavor. These popular fresh flavors reflect a worldwide trend of tea drinkers for a more exotic taste and healthier lifestyle.

The aesthetically pleasing silken tea infuser comes with a delicate green leaf handle for holding as you brew. As a beautiful complement to these unique infusers, they have the infuser-sized ceramic tea trays, teacups and teapots made from glass or ceramics, a wooden presentation case that makes a beautiful gift, and serving trays.

Drinking tea from Tea Forte is so refined, so zen, such a pleasure in life. Satisfying our senses of sight, hear, feel and taste, relaxing over a cup of tea from Tea Forte could not have been more enjoyable. Enjoy the ultimate tea experience with Tea Forte tea!

The pouch of deliciously healthy tea is robust, flavorful and intense enough for a few more brewing. In between brewing, rest them on Tea Forte’s customized holders to catch any drips— ceramic tea trays that showcase the tea in all its glory.

Inviting your friends over for a relaxing afternoon of tea drinking will surely leave behind many pleasant memories.

Oprah Winfrey is one of their many distinguished customers.

Tea Forte – Loose Tea Blends

Tea Forte Herbals Ribbon Box

The tea box comes wrapped in an elegant box with a satin ribbon filled with 20 silken infusers. A value-for-money package, it has  the perfect amount of tea for entertaining or for personal enjoyment. Present your friends and loved ones with these beautiful, healthy and memorable gifts.

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Tea Forte Loose Tea Canister

For those who prefer to brew their loose leaf tea in a teapot, then the tea canister would be a nice choice. The beautifully designed tea canisters are double lidded for freshness and holds approximately thirty-five servings of one teaspoon per cup. Just store at room temperature.

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Drinking tea is a healthy practice as tea leaves are rich in health-giving antioxidants, catechins and polyphenols. The main types of tea are black tea, oolong tea, green tea, white tea and the post-fermented pu erh tea. All the different types of tea are processed from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis tea plant.

Black Tea Benefits

Although green tea possesses more catechins, health benefits of black tea are just as amazing. Here are some of the benefits of drinking tea. Theaflavins formed during enzymatic oxidation of tea leaves in black tea help reduce LDL cholesterol in our blood, thus minimizing risk of strokes and heart attacks. Studies indicate a significant lower risk in those who drank 4 cups daily.

Studies done by cancer researchers in UCLA School Of Public Health, United States, found that flavonoids in tea reduce risk of developing lung cancer and inhibit spread of tumor cells.

Theanine, an amino acid in black tea, has been found to boost our immune system by improving the disease fighting capacity of gamma delta T cells.

Lowering of stress hormones cortisol can also be obtained by drinking 3-4 cups daily. Studies indicated less cortisol hormones in black tea drinkers after a stressful event. Theanine stimulates the brain’s production of alpha waves thus after a cup of tea, you feel relaxed and calm.

Black tea has undergone the most oxidation compared to the other teas. Traditionally known as red tea in China due to the red color of the tea liquid, the black color of the oxidized black tea leaves gives it the name black tea. Black tea can retain its flavor for many years compared to just 6 months to one year of the green tea.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM),  the fermented teas are said to be hot in nature. Thus it is good to drink black tea when you are experiencing excessive coldness of the body. Black teas are also good for the digestive system. Drink it for its anti-diarrhea properties or if you wish to relieve menstrual cramps.

Generally, black teas are given the names of the places where they are produced and often have their own distinct characteristic as well as flavors.

Types Of Black Tea

 Black Tea – Some of the best black teas (not blended)

From the Fujian Province in China comes the 3 famous Gongfu red teas. The best of them is the Tanyang Gongfu tea.

Another well known Fujian tea is the Zhengshan xiaozhong (lapsang souchong tea) from Mount Wuyi. This type of tea has a strong smoky flavor from the burning pine over which it is smoke-dried. The Yin Junmei or Silver Steed Eyebrow tea is a higher grade Lapsang Souchong tea. The first few brews of the high grade lapsang souchong has a distinct dried longan fruity taste.

Jin Junmei or the Golden Steed Eyebrow is one of the highest grade red teas in China. It is produced in the Fujian province.

A famous tea from the Anhui Province in China is the Keemun tea. Keemun black tea has a fruity aroma with delicate traces of pine, dried plum and flowery taste. Tea liquid color is golden orange with a sweet and delicate aroma and no astringent taste. The Keemun Hao Ya is said to be the best grade Keemun tea. This black tea is sometimes used  a black tea blend for the more expensive grade of English Breakfast Tea.

Dian Hong Yunnan Black tea from Yunnan is a high quality gourmet tea. It has more fine leaf buds, or “golden tips” compared to other black Chinese teas in its dried tea. The best grade is Yunnan Pure Gold that only has golden leaf buds and a fine red color for its tea liquor with a sweet taste. Poor quality Dian Hong has a bitter taste and has few golden leaf buds. Yunnan Gold Tea is Adagio’s premium black tea from Yunnan. It has a sweet, peppery taste with luscious soft leaves.

Assam tea got its name from the lowlands of the Assam region in India where it is produced. It has a full bodied and strong taste, a distinctively malty tea.

Darjeeling tea is another famous high quality delicate black tea from India. This thin bodied, floral and fruity tea is one of the most expensive black tea with a most unique flavor. Only about ten  million kg of Darjeeling Tea is produced annually by the Darjeeling district thus making it very exclusive and expensive.

Ceylon black tea from Sri Lanka is strong and yet light with traces of crisp citrus in its aroma and flavor.

Some of the more famous black tea blends include Earl Grey tea, Irish Breakfast, Masala Chai and English Breakfast Tea.

Black Tea – Tea processing

Black tea is processed either by  hand  or by machines. The higher grade teas are all processed by hand.

The tea leaves are processed by first withering (reducing moisture by spreading the leaves out on troughs), then comes the rolling stage.

After the initial heavy rolling by hand or machine, the leaves are then oxidized or fermented as it is sometimes called. The oxidation process is either done in batches on the floor of a cool and humid room or in a conveyor bed with air flow. The temperature and humidity is strictly controlled as these will determine the flavor and aroma as well as the quality of the resulting tea.

Next step would be to dry the tea leaves. Drying stops the oxidation process.

The final process is sorting the leaves according to their sizes such as whole leaf, brokens, fannings or dust. Whole leaf tea belongs to the best grade especially if the leaf tips are still intact. Fannings and dust grades are normally used in tea bags.

They are now ready for packing and distribution.

Black Tea – Brewing Time

For every 180 ml of water, put in about 2.25 gms of tea or a teaspoon of black tea for every 6 oz. cup for the perfect brew. For the large leaf teas such as oolong tea and Souchongs, you can add a little more tea leaves. Freshly boiled water should be used unlike green tea, white tea or jasmine tea which needs a lower temperature water (about 85 degrees Celsius). The recommended brewing time is about 3-4 minutes for delicate tea such as Darjeeling as well as tea brewed from crushed and broken fragments of tea leaves. Whole leaf teas need a slightly longer time of 4-5 minutes for a full flavor. Tea that is steeped for too long results in a bitter taste. With each subsequent infusion, the length of steeping time can be increased by approximately 30-60 seconds. Good quality tea can be infused again up to at least 5 times.

Black Tea – Storage

Do not expose the tea leaves to moisture and light. It is best kept at room temperature in an air-tight container. A better way would be to store the bulk in a bigger tea container, keep a smaller amount in a small container for daily use. A beautiful compartmentalized bamboo tea storage box for keeping tea bags would make a useful as well as decorative piece on the kitchen shelf. Pu erh tea is an exception. You do not need to store it in air tight containers. Store it in a clean and cool place with air-flow and make sure that there are no strong odors around. Glazed ceramic containers are ideal for storing pu erh tea as they age.

Black Tea – Caffeine content

About 40-50 mg of caffeine is found in a cup of tea whereas a cup of coffee has roughly double that amount.

For whole leaf tea, less caffeine is extracted into the cup of tea when compared to a cup of crushed and broken leaves tea. Pouring away the first steeping will reduce the amount of caffeine drunk with your cup of tea, but flavor will also be affected thus the second steeping will be less strong and less flavorful than the first.

Black tea – calories

Taken plain without the addition of milk or sugar, a cup of black tea has negligible calories.

Rishi tea is famous for its quality organic and Fair Trade Certified loose leaf teas. Its organic Pu erh tea is no exception. Sourced from the ethic minorities of Yunnan’s remote mountain villages who have been cultivating tea for more than 1300 years. These ancient trees are as planted by their ancestors in 696  AD.

Is pu erh tea healthy? Is pu erh tea good for you?

Pu erh tea benefits us in many ways. This is a healthy tea.

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Features of Rishi Tea Organic Pu erh TuoCha Loose Tea

Pu er, puer or pu erh tea has long been known as a healthy tea. Puerh tea can be divided into 2 categories, the raw (sheng) or green pu erh and ripened (shou) or cooked black pu erh.

Puer tea leaves are harvested from the large leaf tea shrubs in southern Yunnan in China. The green tea leaves are then dried under the sun. Next step would be to fry the wilted leaves in a large wok to stop further enzymatic oxidation. Then the dried tea leaves are rolled and shaped into strands for further drying under the sun. The resulting dried leaves are called maocha.

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Only the best maocha leaves are selected to be processed into pu erh tea.

Raw pu erh is just a type of compressed maocha with no further processing. It is stored and aged before consuming. The longer it is aged, the more complex are its flavors and aromas. Raw pu erh leaves unfurl when brewed.

Cooked pu erh, on the other hand, needs a warm and humid environment for  further bacterial and fungal fermentation. The final fermentation, which can last up to a year, will determine the quality of this ripened compressed pu erh tea.

Aged loose leaf pu erh is actually maocha which is aged without compressing.

Tea cakes or tea bricks are common compressed tea shapes although you have such exotic shapes as the gold melon or mushroom. You just chipped off a little bit to be brewed and store the rest of the brick for later use.

Pu Erh Tea Benefits

The pu erh tea has slightly warming properties, with a sweet and mellow taste. According to the traditional Chinese medicine, pu erh tea benefits our bodies in numerous ways.

•  lower blood cholesterol
• reduce fat
• aid digestion
• detoxify the body
• inhibits dampness and warm the stomach
• inhibit growth of bacteria
• reduce the effects of alcohol
• improve mental alertness
• fight free radicals and improve blood circulation

Best Pu erh Tea – Features

Green tea leaves harvested in spring produced the best flavors. Aging the tea also improves the flavor. In fact, puerh tea is the only tea that improves with aging.

When buying pu erh tea, check to make sure that there are no twigs or molds on the compressed leaves. The tea leaf should appeared whole and dried but definitely not powdery. The tea cake should have a fragrant smell. The tea liquor should be a dark reddish color.

The best tea leaves are those harvested from the wild, old tea trees. These have a camphor flavor, most probably due to the presence of camphor trees growing amongst these old tea trees in Yunnan.

Adding dried flowers such as osmanthus or chrysanthemum to the puer tea results in a light fragrant and refreshing taste. Chrysanthemum pu erh tea is a popular scented tea in Chinese restaurants.

Pu erh Tea Caffeine

Caffeine in puerh  tea is much less compared to other teas.

Storage

Best stored in a cool dry place away from strong odor and moisture. It is not necessary to store in air-tight containers.

Brewing pu erh tea in a Yixing zisha (purple clay) teapot brings out the best flavor of the tea. Pu erh tea  is also well known as weight loss tea, health tea, slimming tea, diet tea or beauty tea. The Chinese love to drink pu erh tea after a heavy meal as it helps to break down fats and aids digestion.

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Health Benefits Of Drinking Tea

The Chinese are tea-loving people. They have been drinking tea since ancient times. They drink tea during breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner. There are the ubiquitous black tea, green tea, white tea and the flower and herbal tea drank for medicinal purposes. White tea has the least caffeine of all tea and has the most antioxidants. Preparing tea is simple and long-term consumption improves health, prevents disease and strengthens the body. Below are some examples of flower and herbal teas and their health giving properties.

1. Hawthorn Fruit And Chrysanthemum Tea

Put ten dried chrysanthemums, twenty grams of hawthorn fruit and fifteen grams Chinese wolfberries into a pot of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and boil for five minutes. Drink while warm. Hawthorn fruit is a sweet fruit and aids digestion, dispels bruises, clears phlegm. Chrysanthemum has cooling properties. Chrysanthemum flower is bitter sweet, dispels heat from body, relieves headache, clears fever, benefits the eyes, helps in viral infections and regulates blood pressure. Wolfberries are sweet in nature and act as tonic for liver and kidney, nourish blood and improve vision.

2. Corn Silk Tea
Steep a tablespoon of dried corn silk in a cup of boiling water for ten minutes. Strain and drink. Corn silk is used to treat diabetes and also helps to lower high blood pressure. It is a mild but effective diuretic.

3. Mugwort Tea
Infuse and drink one to three times a day. Good for regulating menstruation, helps in menstrual pain. Expels coldness from body especially uterus.

4. Ginger And Red Dates Tea
This tea has warming properties and is usually drunk in winter. You need forty grams of fresh ginger root (crushed) and twenty dried Chinese red dates (remove seeds). Boil them in two litres of water for about half an hour. Sugar may be added if desired. Better to drink while hot. Ginger aids digestion and improves blood circulation. Ginger also dispels cold and strengthens the stomach and intestines. Also good for pregnant ladies suffering from morning sickness. Red dates nourish the blood, moisten the skin and slow down ageing.

5. Red Rose Tea – Rose Petal Tea

 Rose petal tea stimulates blood circulation and is good for complexion. Good for regulating menstruation. It relieves stuffiness in the chest, has calming effect on the nerves and helps in depression. Put one teaspoon of dried rose petals into a mug. Pour boiling water into the mug. Cover and steep for ten minutes. Drink immediately.

Black sesame Tea
Pour boiling water into a mug containing half a teaspoon of green tea leaves and one teaspoon of roasted black sesame seeds powder. Cover and steep for five minutes. Besides nourishing blood, it soothes the liver and kidneys. Regular consumption delays appearance of grey hairs.

7. Barley Tea
Pour hot water into a cup filled with four teaspoon of roasted barley. Cover and steep for ten minutes. It has cooling properties and helps in indigestion. Used for fluid retention and arthritic conditions.

8. Perilla (Shiso) Leaves And Ginger Tea
Pour boiling water into a mug containing five grams of perilla leaves and two to three slices ginger. Cover and steep for ten minutes. Helps in sweating, good for coughs and cold.

9.Mulberry Leaves And Chrysanthemum Tea
Pour boiling water into a mug of mulberry leaves and dried chrysanthemum flowers. Cover and steep. Used to treat first signs of influenza, cough and tired eyes. Also helps in conjunctivitis.

10. Ginger And Mint Tea
Pour boiling water into a mug containing five fresh mint leaves and three to four slices ginger root. Steep for five minutes. Add sugar if desired. Good for nausea or a bloated stomach.

Reap the health benefits of drinking tea, whether flowering tea or herbal tea or the popular black and green tea.

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How do you differentiate premium tea from lower grade tea? Should you consider buying green tea powder or loose leaf green tea? What about organic tea?  What is the best tea?

Here are some rules to follow to buy the best tea.

1. Appearance – Loose tea leaves come in various shapes. There are flats, needles, strips, granules, pearl shapes, powder, flakes and cakes or bricks shapes. The tea leaves of the best tea feel tender to the touch and are hairy. Good quality gunpowder tea uses older tea leaves and the rolled pellets of tea leaves are well-tightened and curled with shining dark green color. The finest quality teas have the tea leaf tips still intact. The better the quality, the less the impurities such as tea stalks, dry and withered fragments.

2. Moisture content – Premium tea leaves have low moisture content, meaning that the dried leaves break easily with just a slight press of the fingers. If leaves are too damp, the brewed tea does not have a good taste or aroma.

3. Tea color – The main tea colors are red, green, yellow, white, black. The best Longjing (Dragon Well) tea, Xihu Longjing, is slightly yellow in color whereas the lower quality ones are greenish in color.

4. Aroma -  Premium tea has a wonderful aroma with no stale or strange smell.

5. Tea liquor – A cup of brewed premium tea looks bright and clear whereas a cup of low grade tea will be dark and turbid. A cup of good quality oolong tea should be golden yellow in color, white tea has a light apricot hue while green tea looks yellowish green. The cup of best black tea is bright red in color, thus called red tea by the Chinese.

6. Tea leaves – Fresh tea leaves which have undergone fine processing will gradually open up through a few infusions, imparting a rich flavor to the tea. Old leaves on the other hand, open out too quickly after hot water is poured over it and resulting tea has a plain taste. Subsequent infusions have no aroma or taste. You might even detect a strange smell coming from the tea.
The best oolong tea can be brewed multiple times from the same leaves and still taste great, improving with each infusion.

7. Taste - Premium green tea tastes slightly bitter with an aftertaste. Premium black teas are on the sweet side and low grade ones have an astringent taste.

8. High grade tea – High grade unfermented tea such as Silver Needle or Maojian tea, have a fairly large number of buds. Premium Tie Guan Yin tea have soft, fleshy leaves which open up showing red rims with extremely smooth surface. High grade white tea consists of the whitish buds of the tea plant whereas lower grade ones will have some leaves as well.

9. Green tea powder or loose leaf green tea – A cup of tea made from green tea powder will have the entire nutrients of the whole tea leaf dissolved inside the tea. A cup of tea steeped from loose leaf tea leaves will just have the water-soluble nutrients of the tea leaf.

Examples of premium teas from China include Xihu Longjing (Dragon Well from West Lake), Anxi Tie Guan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy from Anxi) and the world famous Pu erh tea from Yunnan. Sencha tea and Royal Matcha green tea are famous Japanese green tea. The high grade Darjeeling tea is a very famous tea from West Bengal, India.

Enjoying a cup of the best tea you can buy is one of life’s many little joys, calming, relaxing and yet so full of life.

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What are the health benefits of drinking tea? Is drinking tea good for you? Do the different types of tea have the same benefits? Can you drink tea while pregnant? Let us check out the answers.

Numerous studies have been carried out proving the health benefits of drinking tea, long known by our ancestors as a healthy beverage. Tea, especially green tea, is shown to promote good health, protecting the heart against cardiovascular diseases, controlling high blood pressure, preventing dental cavities, boosting immune system, delaying aging, promoting weight loss, aiding digestion and may prevent cancer. There is evidence that green tea may help in preventing Alzheimer’s disease as well as mental degeneration.

Modern scientific studies confirmed tea has a very low caloric and fat content. Besides being rich in protein, vitamins and essential oils, tea leaves are a rich natural source of polyphenols with its antioxidant properties, that gives protection against disease and promoting good health. Among the better researched polyphenols include epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and catechin (C).

Let us take a closer look at the many health benefits of drinking tea.

Polyphenols, the main active ingredient in tea, is able to help in lessening the risk of strokes and heart attacks. It protects the blood vessels that flow to the heart and brain. The different types of tea contain varying amounts of flavonoids and polyphenols. Drinking tea is the best source of catechins, a class of flavonoids, in the human diet. Green tea has a higher amount of polyphenols compared to black tea due to the way they are processed. Green tea has minimal processing, thus resulting in a higher level of polyphenols and flavonoids with its antioxidant properties, followed by oolong tea and black tea. Drinking tea helps in lowering total cholesterol levels as well as blood pressure and prevents blood clots or thrombosis, benefiting the heart.

Studies conducted found that antioxidant function peaked within thirty minutes of drinking green tea and fifty minutes for the black tea. Green tea extract added to the drinking water of animals was found to have resulted in an increase of various antioxidant enzymes in their blood.

Laboratory research has shown green tea might help in reducing inflammation due to arthritis and help in slowing cartilage breakdown. The high content of polyphenols in tea gives it its anti-inflammatory properties. The duration of radiation-induced skin damage under-going radiotherapy, was found to be reduced among tea drinkers.

Experiments using green tea leaves on cancer cells have found that the leaves are rich in EGCG, a compound that is able to inhibit the enzyme that promotes the growth of cancer cells, besides being able to kill the cancer cells without harming the healthy cells. Studies done in China and Japan indicate that green tea may prevent oral cancers. Studies have also showed green tea may prevent skin cancers.

According to an article by the American Institute For Cancer Research, in laboratory studies, green tea has been shown to slow or completely prevent cancer development in colon, liver, breast and prostate cells. Other studies involving green tea have shown similar protective effects in tissues of the lung, skin and digestive tract.

According to Dr Mervat Kassem from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Alexandria University in Egypt, green tea enhanced the bacteria-killing activity of the antibiotics. “For example the killing effect of chloramphenicol was 99.99% better when taken with green tea than when taken on its own in some circumstances.” This means that taking antibiotics and drinking green tea together will have better end results.

Studies done in Japan has indicated that drinking tea, especially green tea, on a daily basis can help slow down memory failing in older adults. Japan is a nation famous for their  healthy centenarians.

What does green tea and weight loss have in common? Drinking tea helps to speed up our metabolic rate and our body is able to burn fat at a faster rate. The Chinese love their tea after a heavy meal.

Green tea that has citrus added to it, is better able to protect the catechins from digestive degradation and thus has a better chance for peak absorption. Our body is able to absorb 80 percent of tea’s catechins if lemon juice was added to the tea.

Thus, drinking tea benefits us in many ways. But is drinking too much tea harmful?

Green tea side effects

Tea contains oxalate and in excess, can lead to kidney stones or it will bind with any free calcium in your body. However, oxalate found in tea has a low bioavailability and you have to drink a large amount of tea before kidney stones are formed.

Tea does contain theanine and caffeine but there is only one third of the caffeine in a cup of green tea compared to a cup of coffee. Limit to 2-3 cups of green tea before lunch so as not to to interrupt your sleep at night. Otherwise, you can steep the leaves in hot water for a minute, pour away this water and re-steep for another 3-5 minutes. This will help to decaffeinate your tea a bit.

Best Teas To Brew

For reaping the maximum tea benefits and flavor, drink loose leaf tea. Tea bags normally are packed with a lower grade tea. High quality tea is brewed using the tender tea leaves consisting of two leaves and a bud, which also happens to have 3 times the polyphenols content compared to older leaves. Whether drunk hot or cold, it does not affect the antioxidant content.

Can young children and pregnant women also reap the health benefits of drinking tea?

Infants, young children, those suffering from insomnia should avoid drinking tea. This is because of the caffeine content which may cause restlessness or having a good night’s sleep. Tea consumption for breastfeeding and pregnant women should be in limited amounts and try the decaffeinated tea instead. For the rest of us, experts recommend 3-4 cups of tea daily to reap the health benefits of drinking tea.

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Numi Organic Tea Flowering Tea Gift Set In Bamboo Chest.

Buy Numi Flowering tea gift set at Amazon sale (Best Price) (Numi flowering tea with glass teapot.)

Packaged in an exotic hand-made dark mahogany bamboo case, this Numi Flowering Tea Gift Set is filled with six bouquets of tea leaves that blossom into a myriad of flavors from sweet and subtle to rich and bold. Numi flowering tea or blooming tea leaves blossom into beautiful flowers when hot water is poured into the custom-made glass teapot. The stylish glass teapot included is ideal to observe the flowering tea petals unfold.

Organically grown and hand-picked to maintain quality, the premium white tender tea buds, top two green tea leaves, and golden-tipped black tea are hand sewn into bundles or rosettes with cotton thread by artisans in various regions of China.

Now available on Amazon at  a discount of  36% off the retail price. Click here to buy Numi flowering tea gift set.

Flowering Tea Bins or tea chest, make unforgettable and cherished tea gift sets.

The gift set includes six varieties of flowering teas:

• Dragon Lily: White Tea with orange Lily petals and osmanthus flowers has a velvety apricot flavor.
• Jasmine Lovers: White Tea leaves and string of jasmine flowers releases honey nectar taste.
• Lavender Dream: White Tea leaves and crisp, aromatic Lavender flowers compliment a tangy Hibiscus flower.
• Shooting Star: Green Tea and pink Amaranth bulbs have a buttery fragrance with fruity notes.
• Sunset Oolong: Oolong Tea leaves and Lily flower have nutty richness highlighted by peach
• Golden Jasmine: Golden-tipped Black Tea scented with delicate jasmine imparts hints of chocolate.

Have fun trying out the 6 different varieties of the flowering tea, each with its unique flavor and aroma. Truly tea which delights the senses.

Some great features of Numi Flowering Tea

• Place one Flowering Tea in a durable glass teapot  without the strainer.
• Pour hot water over the tea.  Do not take your eyes away from the fascinating sight as the tea leaves slowly open up into the shape of a beautiful flower.
• Steep for 2-3 minutes to your desired strength. May be re-steeped another 2-3 more times resulting in a slightly weaker tea.

Here is a review by a satisfied customer of the Numi Flowering Tea Gift Set.

I received this charming flowering tea set as a gift and am totally pleased with every aspect. The clear glass teapot is the perfect vessel through which to see the tea flowers open. The whole process is a peaceful, Zen-like experience. I’ve tried three of the teas so far, and each has been aromatic, gentle tasting, I will purchase several of these sets as gifts for some of my tea-sipping friends, and will also enjoy serving these flowering teas to my guests. ( Gail.R)

View original review here.

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