Sencha tea is a popular Japanese green tea with a slightly sweet and astringent taste, and is believed to have health benefits such as weight loss, anti-aging effects, and prevention of heart disease and cancer. The tea is made by steaming and rolling the leaves, and is rich in antioxidants and catechins. It may also help regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and speed up metabolism. However, its effects on cancer treatment are conflicting and should be consulted with a physician.
Sencha tea is a Japanese green tea – the most widely produced and consumed in the country. Its popularity comes not only from its taste, which is slightly sweet and astringent, but also from its purported health benefits. Tea is a rich source of antioxidants, and claims of health benefits include weight loss, anti-aging effects, and even the prevention of heart disease and cancer.
Japanese plantations produce the sencha leaves, with each region producing a distinct flavor of tea leaves. The leaves are harvested in April and May and the first new tea leaves are particularly sweet. Sencha tea leaves are steamed for a few seconds before being rolled and dried. Finally, when the drying process is complete, the leaves are fried as a preservation measure.
Steaming makes Japanese teas like Sencha tea distinct from Chinese green teas and gives Japanese teas a more grassy, vegetal flavor. Steamed tea leaves produce a greener tea than roasted leaves, as they are for Chinese teas. The steaming process also helps prevent oxidation and gives the tea a longer shelf life.
The tea is made by decoction, using whole leaves to steep the hot water. The temperature of the water will have a strong effect on the taste, with boiling water bringing out the astringent flavor the most. For a sweeter, sweeter cup, the water should be boiled and then allowed to cool for two minutes before brewing the tea.
The health benefits and medicinal uses have not been proven, but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence and health claims. As a rich source of antioxidants, Sencha tea could offer a number of health benefits as well. Green tea contains catechins, a powerful antioxidant that is more effective than vitamins C or E. Antioxidants are believed to reduce the signs of aging and reduce the risk of heart disease.
The antioxidants found in green tea could also have applications in fighting cancer. The studies are encouraging, but there are some conflicting results. The effects of some chemotherapy and cancer treatments, however, may be reduced by green tea and a physician should be consulted before consuming sencha tea during treatment.
Green tea might also help regulate blood sugar, which can help prevent diabetes. It may have a cholesterol blocking effect and may help the body remove blood cholesterol as well. The polyphenols found in Sencha tea might speed up the metabolism, and dieters have turned to this tea to aid in weight loss for this reason. These teas also contain theanine, an amino acid believed to help with relaxation.
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