Basic Introduction to Fuding Green Tea
Green tea is a precious and noble beverage. Drinking green tea is a spiritual enjoyment, an aesthetic and artistic act, a method for self-cultivation.
There are many sayings both ancient and modern about the various benefits of green tea for body and mind. Liu Zhenliang's “Ten Virtues” from the Tang Dynasty in China provides a relatively comprehensive account. He summarized the benefits of Drinking Tea as follows: tasting with tea, nourishing the body with tea, dispelling foul odors with tea, preventing disease with tea, cultivating vitality with tea, dissipating depression with tea, promoting propriety and humanity with tea, expressing respect with tea, refining the heart with tea, and practicing the Way with tea.
In addition to the usual nutritional components found in other teas, Fuding green tea contains essential active enzymes. Medical studies at home and abroad have proven that long-term consumption of Fuding green tea can significantly increase lipase activity in the body, promote the metabolism of fat, effectively control insulin secretion, delay the absorption of glucose in the intestines, decompose excess sugar in the blood, and promote blood sugar balance. Fuding green tea is rich in various amino acids, has a cool nature, and possesses heat-clearing and detoxifying effects. It also contains abundant vitamins, which are beneficial to human health and can boost the immune system.
Purchasing Tips
(1) Appearance: Different types of green tea have distinct appearances. Eyebrow tea (Meicha) has even, neat, and smooth strands; bead tea (Zhu Cha) has tightly compacted, round beads that are heavy and solid; oven-dried green tea (Hongqing) and Mao Feng have tightly twisted strands covered in white down.
(2) Color: Premium eyebrow tea presents a green color with a Silver-gray luster; pearl tea has a deep green color with a dark sheen; stir-fried green tea is bright and verdant; oven-dried green tea displays a green hue with a tender yellow tinge; melon seed tea (Guapian) is emerald green.
(3) Aroma: There is a fresh fragrance; Tun Green tea has a chestnut aroma; Shu Green tea has a floral fragrance; Steamed green tea has a nori-like aroma.
(4) Infusion color: The infusion is clear, bright, and transparent with a greenish hue.
(5) Flavor: The tea soup is rich, full-bodied, and refreshing, with a sweet aftertaste.
(6) Leaf base: Bright, tender, thick, and soft, presenting a tender green color with white down on the back of the leaves.
Nutritional Value
Green tea, known in China as the “national drink,” has been confirmed by modern scientific research to contain biochemical components closely related to human health. Green tea not only has effects such as invigoration, mental clarity, heat dissipation, detoxification, digestion, phlegm reduction, fat reduction, calming the mind, irritability relief, alcohol sobering, thirst quenching, fire reduction, vision improvement, dysentery cessation, and dampness elimination but also has pharmacological effects on modern diseases such as radiation sickness, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
Product Characteristics
Green tea is tea that has not undergone fermentation. It retains the natural substances of fresh leaves and contains a high amount of bioactive compounds like polyphenols, catechins, chlorophyll, caffeine, amino acids, and vitamins. These natural nutrients in green tea have special effects against aging, cancer, bacteria, and inflammation, which are unmatched by other types of tea. Green tea is made from suitable new shoots of tea plants and goes through typical processes such as fixation, rolling, and drying. Its dry leaves, brewed tea, and infused leaves all feature a predominance of green tones, hence the name “green tea.” Freshly picked leaves are first subjected to high-temperature fixation to kill off various oxidizing enzymes, preserving the green color of the tea. They are then rolled and dried. Clear broth and green leaves are common features of green tea quality.
Differentiating Authenticity
The quality of green tea varies considerably, and authenticity can be determined based on the appearance of the tea, the infusion, and the infused leaves.
Fresh green tea versus old green tea: Fresh green tea has a vibrant, lustrous green appearance and a strong tea fragrance. The infusion is bright green, with a fresh aroma like grass, flowers, or roasted chestnuts, and a sweet, full-bodied taste. The infused leaves are fresh, bright green, and glossy.
Old green tea has a dull, dark yellow appearance without luster and a low, flat aroma. When you blow warm air onto it, the moist parts turn yellow and feel dry. The infusion is deep yellow, and while the taste may be full-bodied, it lacks freshness. The infused leaves are old and lack brightness.
Spring tea, summer tea, and autumn tea: Spring tea has plump buds and leaves, a dark green color, and a lustrous appearance. The infusion is concentrated, sweet, and refreshing, with a strong aroma. The infused leaves are soft and bright.
Summer tea has coarser, looser strands, a mixed color, and clearly visible woody leaf buds. The infusion tastes astringent, and the infused leaves are hard with exposed veins and some greenish-yellow leaves.
Autumn tea has finer, more delicate strands with more silvery down, is lighter and greener in color. The infusion is light in color, with a mild, sweet taste, a light aroma, and soft infused leaves that are mostly greenish-yellow single leaves.
High-mountain green tea versus plain green tea: High-mountain green tea has heavier, thicker strands, a vivid green color, and a glossy appearance. The infusion is bright green, with a lasting aroma, a rich, full-bodied taste, and bright, soft infused leaves.
Plain green tea has thinner, wiry, lighter strands, a yellow-green color. The infusion is light in color, with a mild aroma and a harmonious taste. The infused leaves are harder and show exposed veins.