Sencha is the most popular variety of green tea in Japan today. It is grown and harvested in the Land of the Rising Sun, and then exported throughout the world. Sencha is a tea that is made from tea leaves processed in a special way. They are steamed and then rolled into thin strips - “spider legs” (sencha), from which the product gets its name.

general information

The long, thin tea leaves of sencha actually look like the legs of spiders. Despite this unappetizing fact, sencha green tea, prepared according to all the rules, has a pleasant tart taste with a slight bitterness and peculiar “sea”, herbal and nutty aftertaste notes.

The color of a properly brewed drink should be soft green, but not yellow. Sencha is a tea that perfectly invigorates and refreshes in the summer. But the most important thing is that of all the types of green tea known today, this one has the largest number of beneficial properties.

Story

Since ancient times, it has been generally accepted in Japan that the tea grows in the Uji region. According to legend, the first tea bushes on this small plantation, the size of which is only about six hundred meters, were planted by a certain monk Koken back in the thirteenth century. Since then, for many centuries, tea collected in the area of ​​Uji was presented as a gift to the emperors of the Land of the Rising Sun.

In 1738, merchant Soen Nagatani came up with a method for processing tea leaves, for which Japanese sencha is still famous. Tea, distinguished by its delicate, refined taste, which could also be brewed in a teapot, from that time on became available not only to the nobility, but also to the common population. The technology for producing a product such as sencha continued to be improved, but the aroma and taste of this drink remain intact to this day.

Sencha (tea): properties

The list of beneficial qualities that Japanese sencha has is truly enormous. Regular consumption of this tea helps maintain oral hygiene. Thanks to the high content of fluoride compounds, sencha prevents the formation of caries and fights plaque, strengthens tooth enamel, and also perfectly freshens breath.

Catechins - strong antioxidants that make up green tea - help strengthen the body's immune system and actively fight viruses and inflammation.

Sencha is a tea that can qualitatively lower blood pressure, as well as the level of “bad” cholesterol. It is believed that this drink is useful for diabetes, as it stabilizes sugar levels. In addition, sencha is an excellent skin cleanser. This tea is also used to treat and prevent a number of cancer diseases, in particular leukemia.

Drinking this tea is also useful for those who regularly experience stress: it has a calming effect, but at the same time promotes clarity of thoughts. A bath prepared using a bag or tea will help you effectively relax after a hard day at work.

Brewing method

Sencha is a tea that is quite unpretentious in the preparation process. And although in Japan there is a whole ritual of brewing this drink (senchado), to enjoy its pleasant taste, you just need to follow a few simple steps.

It is recommended to brew sencha in a porcelain container, preferably light or white in color. The water for the drink should be heated to 85 degrees, and the tea leaves should be kept in it for no more than one and a half minutes. The last point is very important - the taste of overstayed Japanese sencha begins to taste bitter, and the color of the drink sharply becomes cloudy.

It is permissible to repeat the tea brewing process, but no more than three times in a row. In summer, this drink is usually served chilled.

Domestic use

There are quite a lot of non-trivial opportunities to use the beneficial properties of sencha in everyday life. So, the brewed tea leaves can serve quite well. If you first dry the brewed tea leaves and then pour them inside the shoes for several days, this will help rid them of the unpleasant odor and destroy many specific microorganisms and bacteria that appear in the shoes during their wearing. Well, and, of course, one cannot ignore the cosmetic effect that sencha has. Medium strength tea applied to cotton swabs can be used as a moisturizing and smoothing facial mask.

Sencha from Japan and China

The historical homeland of this type of tea is Japan. However, these days, Chinese sencha tea is becoming increasingly famous. How is it different from the traditional Japanese drink?

We can say that sencha tea grown in China is somewhat simpler and poorer in taste than its Japanese counterpart. In a drink prepared on its basis, bitterness appears quite clearly, which is barely perceptible in classic Japanese sencha. Experts agree that the tasting bouquet of Chinese tea is less varied and vibrant. However, the price of this variety differs from the Japanese one in a more favorable direction. However, the quality of Chinese sencha, which is conquering modern markets, is improving every year.

An interesting fact is that in the Celestial Empire it is believed that it was their people who actually invented sencha, and the insidious Japanese only stole the recipe. However, whatever the historical truth, one thing is certain: both varieties of tea - both Japanese and Chinese - have the right to exist and find their fans and connoisseurs.

Much healthier than black. There are a great many types and varieties of this drink. But the healthiest of them is considered to be the most popular tea in Japan - sencha. Let's take a closer look at this exotic drink.

What kind of tea is this

Important!After opening the package, the tea is best consumed within 2-4 months.

Green tea strongly absorbs foreign odors. In addition, in an open container it oxidizes, the color becomes brownish instead of green, but the worst thing is that sencha loses its medicinal properties.

The most suitable for storage is a tin container - in addition to moisture and air, it protects the tea leaves from light. If you have a glass container for storage, then you need to keep it in a place protected from sunlight.

How to brew and drink

To reveal the full bouquet of taste and aroma, you need to know how to properly sencha. One serving can be re-brewed two or three times, but it tastes best the first time it is brewed. It is better to use porcelain dishes for cooking. One teaspoon is poured into 200 ml of water.
After adding water, the drink must be stirred; foam should appear in the process. If it does not form, it means that the water was not at the recommended temperature or was too hard. For sencha, water quality plays a very important role.

Sencha tea is considered the most popular drink in the Land of the Rising Sun. Translated, this means “tea decoction.” Connoisseurs of tea traditions note its refreshing aroma, harmonious combination of astringency and sweetness in taste and characteristic tea aftertaste. Is this drink healthy? How should it be brewed? We'll tell you about this.

No matter what the tea is called, tea leaves for any variety are taken from the Sinensis tea tree. The conditions for growing trees and the method of processing matter.

Sencha tea was first produced in the 9th century. Back then it was only available to members of royal families. But as can be seen from chronicle sources, even earlier Buddhist monks drank this drink. It is officially believed that the method of steaming tea was invented by Soen Nagatani.

Sencha tea is made from tea leaves grown in open plantations. They should grow in bright sunshine. Most often, the leaves are collected in early spring. The leaves of the upper shoots are most valued. Leaves that are collected later have a harsh aftertaste and slight astringency.

Tea raw materials must be steamed after collection. This will prevent oxidation. Steaming lasts only a minute, but you can’t do without this step. Steaming is the main feature of Japanese tea, and differs from Chinese teas, where roasting of tea leaves is used.

After steam treatment, the leaves are slightly dried and then placed in a special machine, where they will pass through rollers. The leaves curl and begin to resemble needles in appearance. While in the roller machine, the juices of the leaves are released and the tea aroma intensifies.

Then the leaves undergo final drying. The finished tea is packaged and packaged.

Tea leaves collected from tea trees grown in Uji are highly prized in Japan. This type of tea is believed to be the most beneficial for health. The variety that grows on the island of Kyushu is no less valuable. True tea connoisseurs believe that this tea is sweeter than teas obtained from plantations in other provinces of Japan.

Beneficial properties of sencha tea

Sencha, like any green tea, has many positive qualities. This is due to the rich composition of tea leaves.

• Strengthens the body's immune system thanks to a large amount of vitamin C.
• The antioxidants contained in green tea prevent bacteria and viruses from developing in the body. They affect metabolism, helping to lose weight. Therefore, sencha green tea can be used during a diet. It’s better to drink this drink in the morning, without sugar.
• Tea contains caffeine, if you drink a cup of sencha in the morning, it will invigorate you, no worse than a cup of double espresso. It is recommended to use this tea for those who want to find an alternative to a coffee drink.
• Sencha improves concentration, helps cope with stressful situations, and relieve nervous tension. This drink is useful for those who often experience emotional stress. You can not only drink sencha tea regularly, but also take a shower by attaching a bag of tea leaves to it. It will soak, giving its refreshing aroma.
• The tea contains fluoride, which means that you can rinse your mouth with tea if stomatitis occurs or an unpleasant odor appears. Tea reduces the risk of tooth decay by destroying pathogenic bacteria in the mouth. Surprisingly, green tea has long been used to whiten teeth. At the same time, it acts very gently on the enamel.
• Green tea helps lower sugar levels, which is beneficial for diabetics.
• The drink is recommended for cholesterol removal and cell regeneration. It rejuvenates the body, preventing it from aging.
• Hypotonic people can drink this tea, as it normalizes blood pressure, as well as water-lipid balance.

Can sencha tea cause harm?

• Due to the high amount of caffeine, drinking tea can be harmful for those who suffer from high blood pressure, tachycardia and heart problems. Of course, we are not talking about a small cup of drink. Problems will only arise if you overuse tea.
• If a person has not previously drunk caffeinated drinks, you need to be especially careful. Individual intolerance is possible. If nausea or dizziness occurs, you should stop taking the drink.
• It is not recommended to drink more than 2 cups per day for ladies who are in an interesting position. Consuming more will result in folic acid absorption and difficulty in iron absorption. And during pregnancy this will not lead to anything good. It’s even better to ask a doctor for advice so as not to harm the baby.

How to brew Japanese sencha tea

It is necessary to prepare a kettle, pour boiling water into it and immediately drain it. Then pour boiling water (400 ml) into it again. After 3 minutes, you can add 2 teaspoons of sencha tea leaves to the water. This time is necessary for the water to cool. The kettle is closed with a lid; it is not recommended to stir the infusion.

Important! The water temperature for preparing sencha tea should be no higher than 70 degrees.

After a minute, the tea is ready, it is poured into small cups gradually, making several pours so that the tea in each cup is of equal consistency. You need to pour out all the drink from the kettle, then you can pour water into it again, and the tea will be brewed again.

When drinking sencha in hot weather, you can add a few ice cubes to each cup. This will result in a refreshing drink.

How to choose green sencha tea

It is better to purchase real sencha tea in Japan. But this is not realistic for everyone, so it’s worth checking out a specialized tea store or looking for a supplier on the Internet. What should you pay attention to when purchasing? The tea must be produced in Japan. If it is made in China, the tea leaves have been roasted rather than steamed and it is a completely different type of tea. Traditional Japanese sencha tea, obtained by short steaming, has a deep flavor and infusion color.

The tea leaves should be stored in an airtight container. There is a special container for storage, it is made of porcelain or ceramics, and is closed with special clasps on the sides, which ensures an airtight closure of the lid. It is better to place the container with tea in a cool place, so it will last for six months. In the refrigerator, provided the correct temperature is maintained, sencha can be stored for up to a year without losing its aroma and taste.

If you want to get at least a little taste of Japanese tea culture, we recommend trying this delicious and delicious one. It’s not for nothing that 80% of the population of the land of the rising sun chooses it.

Nov 28, 2017

Japan is a country with the most unusual and unique traditions that are of constant interest to Europeans. One of these traditions is the real tea ceremony (it was discussed in the article).

The Japanese have a special attitude towards tea, but they consider the traditional drink to be the most popular green tea sencha or sencha.

They drink it at least 6-7 times a day, because no one doubts the medicinal properties of the drink.

Sencha is considered the most popular variety of all green tea grown in Japan. The secret of the drink lies in a special method of collecting and steaming tea leaves.

The translation of the word sencha (accent on the second syllable) means “spider legs”, and the tea got its name because of the long leaves that were dried and twisted in a special way.

Senta is usually divided into two varieties:

• highest (elite);
• first (cheap).

These varieties are not very different in their qualities. Both types of tea have a very unusual bitter taste, with a slight sweet aftertaste and a herbal, spicy aroma.

In expensive varieties, the unique smell and taste of tea is felt more strongly.

Interestingly, even in the most elite tea at the bottom of the box A small amount of tea dust can always be detected. This is not a disadvantage. Simply, due to the special processing technology, the leaves become very brittle and fragile.

This sediment when brewing tea, on the contrary, gives the finished drink nobility and sophistication.

Some consumers claim that they bought authentic Chinese sencha tea and did not like the taste.

It's important to know that Sencha is a uniquely Japanese drink.. Recently they began to grow it in China, but its taste is significantly different, it is more bitter and strong, with a dull aroma.

Story

Until the 16th and 17th centuries, only two varieties of green tea were grown in Japan: matcha and bancha. Read also about the benefits and harms of green tea for men and women in the article.

The most expensive and valuable tea was matcha, which was a powder made from dried leaves. This drink was available only to the emperor and his entourage. We have a separate publication about us.

Bancha was made from the leaves of the latest harvest, and was drunk mainly by ordinary people and the poor.

It was not until 1738 that the tea merchant Nagatani invented a completely new method of processing tea leaves.

If previously green tea leaves were simply dried and crushed, then from now on they began to steam and twist in a special way. This is how the unusual drink sencha was born.

The best sencha tea is grown only in one prefecture of Japan, in the small town of Uji. It was here, back in the 13th century, that the first tea plantation, with an area of ​​only 600 square meters, was planted by a Buddhist monk. m.

Over time, unique tea began to be grown in many areas of the country, and the largest number of plantations is located in Shizuoka Prefecture, on the island of Honshu.

Green tea is harvested about 3-4 times a year, but most leaves collected at the end of April or beginning of May are valued. The drink made from them is very soft and delicate, with a strong nutty taste and bright aroma.

Althaus Sencha Senpai tea, popular all over the world, is made from the leaves of the April harvest.

Senta is grown in places sheltered from direct sunlight. This is done not only to improve the taste of the drink.

This method of growing enriches tea leaves with amino acids, reduces the amount of tannin, which allows you to soften the bitterness and add sweetness to the finished tea.

The collected leaves are steamed in a special way, using seaweed for this procedure. This gives sencha a unique, distinctive aroma of the sea and a bright green color.

And only after processing, the tea leaves are thinly rolled, dried well and packaged.

Scientists who have conducted numerous studies have proven that regular use of sencha can not only get rid of excess weight, strengthen the immune system.

Antioxidants contained in the leaves prevent the formation and growth of cancer cells and stabilize blood sugar levels.

It is necessary to drink sencha tea without added sugar, preferably in the morning, instead of coffee.

Despite the minimal amount of tannin and caffeine, The drink is a great tonic and invigorating, increases performance and eliminates drowsiness, and its benefits are obvious.

Beneficial substances and vitamins contained in sencha:

Sencha also helps in the fight against stress.. To calm down after a hard day, you can add some freshly brewed tea to a warm bath.

In addition, daily consumption of the drink helps to launch the process of cell regeneration, improves the structure of hair and skin, and prolongs youth.

Application

Sencha tea includes a huge amount of vitamins and microelements, such as phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iodine, potassium, fluorine and copper.

Interestingly, quite a few areas of application for the drink have been invented. For example, old tea leaves are an excellent fertilizer for home flowers, and the remaining leaves can be dried and poured inside shoes or boots. This procedure will remove the unpleasant odor from your shoes in just a few days.

Making tea is not difficult even for an inexperienced person. No special knowledge or skills are required here. It's important to remember that Any green tea should not be brewed with boiling water.

The water should be warm, with a temperature of about 80°C. Before pouring the leaves into the teapot, thoroughly heat it over steam or pour boiling water over it.

Dry raw materials are taken at the rate of 1 teaspoon (teaspoon) per glass of hot water and mix thoroughly. The correct preparation can be judged by the appearance of a small amount of foam on the surface of the drink.

The tea is brewed for no more than 1.5 minutes, after which it is poured into cups, and water is added to the teapot. The same tea leaves can be filled with water up to 2-3 times, after which the drink loses its taste.

Before adding the next portion of water to the tea leaves, all the tea from the teapot must be drained so that the leaves dry out slightly.

You should drink sencha without sugar, but it goes well with any dishes of Japanese and European cuisine, baked goods. In summer, tea can be drunk chilled.

There is also milk sencha produced in China. Its peculiarity is the addition of milk essence to the finished tea leaves. This gives the drink a soft taste of baked milk and a slight sweetness.

Brew Japanese sencha tea at home:

When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the packaging labeling. If it says “first flush”, then this means that the tea leaves were collected in the first harvest, in April-May. This tea has a brighter and richer taste and rich aroma.

All other varieties will be marked “second flush”, which implies a second harvest.

You should definitely pay attention to the color of the dry leaves. They should have an even green color, without spots or foreign inclusions.

If you buy loose tea, it is important to ensure that it is not too wet or too dry.

When you squeeze the leaf with your fingers, it should quickly regain its shape and not crumble. The amount of tea dust in one package should not exceed 5% of the total volume.

In this publication we have collected the most famous aphorisms and sayings of famous people. Find out more now!

Useful properties and contraindications of soluble chicory, doctors' reviews about the drink can be found in the material.

Popular brands

There are quite a lot of companies producing real Senta green tea.

But the most popular and best-selling brands are:

• "Greenfield Japanese Sencha"— elite green tea from leaves of the first harvest, with a strong aroma and bright taste;
• “Althaus Sencha Senpai” is available in bags, 2 g each, 20 pieces per package;
• Newby is an inexpensive Chinese sencha tea;
• “Riston Sencha Paradise” is a sencha with blackberries, orange zest, rose petals and vanilla aroma;
• Caffenick produces green tea of ​​the first category, large leaf;
• Gutenberg is a company that sells high-quality Chinese teas, including first flush green sencha;
• Lipton is one of the most widespread tea brands, producing sencha in bags, with the addition of rose petals and lychee aroma;
• "Teaco Shu Xiang Lu" - Chinese large-leaf sencha, without additives.

Each type of drink has its own taste profile, and it depends not only on the manufacturing company, but also on the type of tea.

There are only two such varieties:

• Fukamushi;
• Asamushi.

Fukamushi is a strongly steamed green sencha tea, bright green in color, with a pleasant sweetish aftertaste.

Asamushi is a tea of ​​the first harvest, from the top leaves. Steam treatment is superficial, not deep. This is the most popular and beloved variety in Japan.

In order not to spoil the unique taste and aroma of the drink, tea leaves must be stored correctly.

It is known that tea tends to quickly absorb foreign odors and oxidize. Therefore it's better place it in a tightly closed tin jar.

This storage method will not only protect the senta leaves from high humidity and light, but will also preserve the taste of the finished tea.

After opening the original packaging, tea can be stored for 2-3 months, no more.

Potential harm and contraindications

Excessive consumption of sencha tea, like any other product, can cause significant harm to the body. It is important to take into account the presence of individual intolerance and the possibility of allergic reactions.

People suffering from high or low blood pressure should not abuse the drink (especially at night).

The invigorating effect can play a negative role and lead to insomnia, cause tachycardia and increased sweating.

Children under three years of age should also not drink this drink.

Sencha is a popular participant in traditional Japanese tea parties. This tea has a pleasant sweet taste, is easy and quick to brew, and contains a lot of vitamin C. It warms you up in the cold and quenches your thirst in hot weather. What other secrets does this samurai drink keep?

Sencha tea or a drink popular among the pragmatic Japanese

In Japan, functional things are valued. But not only the internal content is valued in the country of the samurai, the external form should also please the eye. This also applies to tea, so Japanese green sencha tea not only gives an infusion of a beautiful color with a pleasant taste, but also has beneficial properties for the body.

Japanese sencha tea is a green variety and makes up the bulk of the country's tea production. It is exported to the USA and Europe and used to create more complex types of green teas. This is an everyday drink that is drunk after a meal, at home, in a restaurant, alone or while snacking on sweets.

The harvest of Japanese green sencha tea begins in April - the first harvest is considered the most valuable, maximally filled with microelements. Trees are shaded from the sun - this reduces the tannin content in the raw material, giving the infusion softness and enhanced aroma. The leaves are collected before August; the later they are picked, the rougher the aftertaste and the less intense the aroma of the finished infusion.

The main difference between Japanese sencha and other teas is the processing method. The leaves are not fried, they are steamed and then rolled into thin tubes. According to the description, these tubes look like pine needles or spider legs. They crumble easily, so the presence of dust and crumbs in the tea leaves is considered normal.

The smell and taste of Japanese sencha tea are fresh and sweet. The sweetness is not cloying, but soft, velvety, with nutty undertones, leaving a long, silky aftertaste.

How to cook and drink

• Japanese sencha tea is brewed with water at a temperature of 80-85 degrees. Take 1 tsp per mug. tea leaves Infusion time is strictly less than 1 minute.
• Leaves are poured into the teapot, filled with water, and everything is mixed with a spoon. If foam appears on the surface, this is the main sign of proper Japanese sencha. If there is no foam, then the water was too hot or hard, or poor quality raw materials were used.
• Japanese green sencha tea is poured into cups all at once; it acquires bitterness from aging for a long time. The finished drink is not diluted with boiling water. It is permissible to use one serving 2-3 times, but the first one differs from the subsequent ones in the strength of taste and smell. They drink tea from white porcelain or transparent cups to enjoy the soft green color of the infusion.

Beneficial features

• Japanese sweet tea is fraught with benefits for the body. The tannin and caffeine content is lower than in Chinese teas, so sencha has a milder effect. The drink is rich in vitamins (especially C and group B), iodine, amino acids, increases resistance to infections, and speeds up recovery. Increases skin elasticity and smoothness.
• Sencha is an antioxidant - it slows down the aging process, reduces the risk of tumors and heart diseases. Reduces cholesterol levels and cleanses blood vessels. Relieves fatigue, tones, when hot it warms, and when cold it refreshes and quickly quenches thirst.

Now you know what sencha tea is. In one cup it combines the sweet taste, attractive color of the infusion and light invigorating properties without addiction.