Green tea

Green teas are picked and steamed so that enzymes in the leaf cannot work and no oxidation takes place. This prevents the fermentation process, so that the leaf does not turn brown. The colour of the brewed tea is green to yellow. Its taste is slightly bitter. It is drunk without milk and may be sweetened with honey. Green tea is drunk mainly in China and Japan, and is generally considered a speciality tea in other parts of the world. It is growing in popularity in the UK.

 The consumption of green tea has recently received a boost as it seems that drinking two or three cups of green tea regularly can help protect against cancer. This may be associated with the bioflavonoids that are present in green tea. It may be that these substances inhibit certain enzymes in actively dividing cancer cells. There are also claims that drinking green tea helps lower blood cholesterol levels and the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3125469.stm ).

However, green tea may not be without it risks for some people. It has been suggested that there may be an increased chance of birth defects, such as spina bifida and anencephaly, if large amounts of green tea are drunk by women around the time of conception and during early pregnancy.

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