Dr. Muhammad Al-Bishr
THERE are types of green tea that are said to taste better than others and result in positive health benefits. There is, however, often not very much difference between different types of green tea and if there is a difference then it is not commensurate with the high price of the tea. It seems that some consumers care only about paying more so that they can show off to others. They do not really care whether or not the tea is beneficial to their health.
There are types of white tea and green tea that are expensive and cost several thousand dollars for a kilogram. When I was working in China, I tried numerous types of green tea and learned many ways of preparing it. In China, each province has its own method of preparation, which brings joy to lovers of green tea. A Chinese friend gave me a box of green tea as a gift when I was there and told me that this type of tea grows on the top of a mountain and that it is completely different from other types. He even gave me a pot and cups and showed me the way I should prepare the tea. When I drank it, I noticed that it was no different than other types. I asked him how much a kilogram cost and to my surprise he said around $20,000.
Many people think that drinking a lot of green tea does not have any side effects and that it boosts the immune system. This is not true. Chemically speaking, green tea is composed of 20 to 30 percent tannic acid, which resists infections and microbes, and five percent caffeine, which is soothing. Some claim that flavored and scented tea helps one lose weight while some claim that green tea reduces the negative impact of nicotine. None of this has been proved scientifically. Drinking more green tea means you are consuming more tannic acid, which can affect abdominal secretions and result in indigestion.
The reason why Chinese people love green tea can be found in historical accounts that claim that a monk called Bodhidharma sailed from India to China in 525 CE. When he arrived, he sat down in front of a wall of a temple and did not move for nine years. During his meditation, he dosed off only once and closed his eyes for a short time. When he woke up, he was so angry that he sliced off his eyelids so that they would never close again and interrupt his meditation. The bloody eyelids fell on the ground and sprouted miraculously into tea plants. The monk chewed some of the leaves and suddenly felt more focused and alert. He then resumed his meditation and that is why the Chinese believe that green tea helps one focus more.
