Polyphenols makes this possible  How can tea be a wonder beverage?  It is all due to the 
high levels of polyphenols found in both green and white teas.  Polyphenols are one 
of natures most powerful anti oxidants.   Polyphenols are a class of phytochemicals 
found in high concentrations in green tea, and have been associated with heart 
disease and cancer prevention. The slight astringent, bitter taste of green tea 
is attributed to polyphenols.

Catechins - Catechins are a category of polyphenols. In green tea, catechins are 
present in significant quantities, more specifically; epicatechin (EC), 
epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). 
EGCG makes up about 10-50% of the total catechin content and appears to be 
the most powerful of the catechins – with antioxidant activity about 25-100 times 
more potent than vitamins C and E. A cup of green tea may provide 10-40mg of 
polyphenols and has antioxidant activity greater than a serving of broccoli, 
spinach, carrots or strawberries

Tannins - A group of simple and complex phenol, polyphenol, and flavonoid compounds, 
bound with starches, and often so amorphous that they are classified as tannins simply because at some point in degradation they are astringent and contain variations on  gallic acid. Produced by plants, tannins are generally protective substances found  in the outer and inner tissues. All of the tannins are relatively resistant to digestion or fermentation, and either decrease the ability of animals to easily consume the living plant, or, as in deciduous trees, cause shed parts of the plant to decay so slowly that there is little likelihood of infection to the living tree from rotting dead material 
around its base. All tannins act as astringents, shrinking tissues and contracting 
structural proteins in the skin and mucosa.

Green teas contain 6 times the level of anti oxidants than black teas, Japanese green tea 
contains the highest level of anti oxidants in the green tea family, and white tea due to 
it’s minimal processing contains the most polyphenols of all the non standardized teas

Green Tea   Camellia Leaves are spread out on floors or racks and allowed to wither 
for a few hours. The leaves are then heated to remove moisture and to stop the oxidation 
process. The next step is to dry  until a small amount of moisture remains. Green teas have 
long been enjoyed for their health-giving qualities  as well as their unique and often subtle 
flavor. amusingly the aroma and taste can be quite different from one another. The color of 
the liquor can range from a bright jade green to a pale yellow and is best when drink without any additions.  

Names of Green Tea
China Green Tea
Dragonwell/ Lung Ching - Extra Fine Green Tea - large bag
Dragonwell/ Lung Ching - Superior Green Tea - small bag
Foojoy China Green Tea - Decaffeinated
Golden Bamboo Green Tea - large bag
Gunpowder Green Tea
Heavenly Snow Lotus Green Tea - large bag

How to Brew Tea

Herbal Teas:   (Infusions)   

STEP 1: Start with cold water.

TEA

When the word tea is mention what comes to mind?   Black Tea?   Green Tea?   Oolong Tea?   Herbal Tea?  Medicinal Tea?   All green, black and oolong teas come from thea sinensis, an evergreen shrub.   The kind of tea produced is defined by the method in which the leaves are processed.  Green tea is the 
first tender leaves of spring that are picked, partially dried, rolled, steamed, crushed and dried again with hot air. Oolong tea leaves have been allowed to semi ferment for an hour.   Black teas are slightly dried, rolled on tile and fermented for 3 hours to strengthen the bouquet and flavor, yet reduce the bitterness.   Names like oolong, black or jasmine tea refer to how the tea was processed.   Names such as Assam, Darjeeling, or Ceylon refer to the country or region when the tea was grown.   Names such as pekoe, orange pekoe refer to the leaf size. 

Tea is enjoyed by people all over the world.   Whether the it is green tea, that is brewed perfectly 
before the taste of the tea turns bitter, or the rich aroma of the black tea that has been steeped to 
the precise color of  golden brown to insure that the taste is superior, and luxurious.  Herbals teas 
are renown for their medicinal properties as well as their fragrance.

Tea is versatile and the taste can be changed simply by adding milk, honey, Stevia, or a slice of lemon peel to the tea.

Black Tea

Black Tea leaves contain a number of unique compounds in significantly high levels. Included among them are flavonoids and phytochemicals. Flavonoids have long been know to have anti-oxidant properties which prevent cell damage thought to contribute to more than 50 diseases. Flavonoids also appear to inhibit the formation of blood clots, thus reducing the risk of stroke, and help prevent oxidation of low-density
lipoprotein (the "bad" cholesterol), which can damage arteries. Both black and green tea may help prevent certain kinds of cancer, including breast, colon and lung cancer by detoxifying cancer-causing agents. Black tea may  take up to ten separate steps to process, black tea is fully fermented leaves and is also referred to as red tea for the dark reddish color of their brew. The leaves start out whole but are usually broken or torn during processing. Taste can range from slightly fruity to pungently smoky and are sometimes taken with milk, sugar, lemon or other additives.

• Carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, has antioxidant and protective properties.
• Thiamin (vitamin B1) and riboflavin (vitamin B2) are both essential for releasing energy from food.
• Nicotinic acid and pantothenic acid are necessary for the release of energy from fat and carbohydrate.
• Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is essential for a healthy immune system.
• Vitamin B6 is involved in the metabolism of proteins
• Black tea also affects the bacterial enzyme glucosyltranferase which is responsible for converting sugars into the sticky matrix material that plaque uses to adhere to teeth

Oolong

Oolong   Combining elements of green and black tea processes, Oolong tea is semi-fermented, that is, moisture are kept within the leaves for a longer period of time than the green tea leaves. After wilting, the usually larger, older leaves are carefully rolled around on rattan trays in order to "bruise" their outer edge.
The black outer and green inner parts of the leaf give this tea its characteristic qualities. The flavor is usually a light brown and can sometimes reveal a slight fruity taste. Some high grade Oolong leaves can even be brewed up to 10 times without fading in flavor

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Olympia WA   98501