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Know How Green Tea Is Processed: Why is ‘Green’ Tea Green?

Green tea is one of the oldest forms of tea.  The main reason why this type of tea is green is because of how the fermentation process is stopped before it can even begin.  It is the heat during this process that destroys the natural enzymes, preventing the oxidation of the polyphenols, with the flavanols preserved, thus giving tea that particular taste.

There is a difference between how Green Teas from China and Japan are processed, giving them some distinct characteristics.

With Chinese green tea, the fermentation process is stopped either by applying warm air to the tea leaves or by exposing the leaves to some sunlight.  To stabilize the fragrance and the flavor of the tea leaves, these are pan fired, which can change the leaves’ color to a certain degree.

The Chinese way of pan firing could be done in various methods.  For one, the leaves are turned and tossed in the pan.  The variety in the process from region to region would affect the tea’s outcome.  In China, tea processing is still largely by hand.

For green tea from Japan, the enzymes called oxidase is destroyed through steam application, which stops the fermentation process.  For the higher quality green tea, the tea leaves are rolled, twisted, then dried.  To give it a nutty flavor, Hojicha is roasted.

Gyokuro tea is the highest quality green tea from Japan.  With this particular green tea, the tea leaves are dried after steaming, rolled, and then twisted.  The Gyokuro tea plants are helped to make that very green color by forcing it to produce more chlorophyll by covering the plant for three weeks.  The Gyokuro leaves are picked once in a year.

http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/know-how-green-tea-is-processed-why-is-green-tea-green-2965497.html