Sencha is a green tea from Japan. It is prepared without grinding the tea leaves. Smooth taste of green Sencha tea is enjoyed by tens of millions of people in Japan every day.
What distinguishes Sencha from Chinese green tea is the method used to prepare tea leaves. While Chinese green teas are first pan-fried, Sencha is first steamed for 15-45 seconds to prevent oxidation of the tea leaves. After steaming, the leaves are rolled, shaped, and dried. Final step involves frying the tea leaves to add flavour and enhance life of Sencha tea.
Sencha is very popular in Japan and the refreshing drink is enjoyed all through the year. Its usually drunk hot during winters and is chilled before consumption during the hotter months.
Sencha tea leaves impart a bright lime yellow-green colour to the water they are boiled in.
Japanese Sencha tea has a long history behind it. Buddhist monks first brought the tea seeds to Japan in 805 AD. Zen priest Eisai was responsible for initiating large tea gardens in the Uji area near Kyoto. In 1738 Soen Nagatani perfected the manufacturing process for Sencha and it finally came unto its own. According to some experts – around 75% of all tea produced in Japan today is Japanese Sencha tea.
Japanese Sencha tea blends well with foods like curry, garlic, light Mexican foods, chicken, turkey, fish, sea food, and desserts like cakes, pies, and pastries.
Like other green teas, green Sencha is credited with numerous health benefits. It is said to be specially beneficial for the brain. The refreshing drink clears the mind, detoxes the body and has a calming effect on the nerves.
Steamed Green Sencha alongwith Wuyi Cliff Oolong and Puerh Tea will soon be launched in a unique tea blend. Tava Tea – The # 1 rated weight loss tea will be available in a few weeks.
Sources : Wikipedia and Green Tea Health News
Edited 29.07.2010 :
Tava Tea has been launched and the pre-order special is no longer valid. You can order Tava Tea now.
Gut Bacteria Lactobacillus Gasseri can help you lose unwanted flab without exercising! A Japanese research team lead by Yukio Kadooka conducted a study on 87 overweight volunteers and found gut bacteria is an effective flab cutter.
The team gave the volunteers 100 grams of fermented milk, twice a day, while the participants continued with their normal diets. After 12 weeks, the volunteers lost an average of 1 kg, while their counterparts showed no change in weight.
According to Yukio Kadooka, “The bacteria may cause weight loss by inhibiting fat absorption in the intestine.”
Last year, Jeremy Nicholson of Imperial College London conducted a similar experiment on mice and found that Lactobacillus Gasseri was effective in decreasing the amount of fat absorbed by the gut.
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Source : TOI
A nationwide study conducted in China has more than doubled the number of Diabetes patients in that country. The figure released in 2009 was 43.2 million, while the new study claims the number is 92.4 million. According to the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine more than half of Diabetes cases in China have not been diagnosed.
Top five nations in terms of Diabetes patients are :
* China – 92.4 million
* India – 50.8 million
* US – 26.8 million
* Russia – 9.6 million
* Brazil – 7.6 million
The study was carried out by the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing and increases the global tally from 285 million to 334.2 million.
Major causes for the rapid increase of Diabetes sufferers in China include – urbanisation, changing food habits, reduced physical activity, and an aging population.
Diabetes is under reported in India too and according to experts a similar study is required to get the correct figures.
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Source : TOI
Also See : Diabetes Atlas
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