GREEN TEA LEAVES

Online Sale of Green Tea

If you are looking for the best quality green tea online, Terza Luna has selected loose-leaf green tea from the best producers in the world, offering you the opportunity to purchase exquisite green tea online at the right price. In our shop of loose-leaf tea, you will find, for sale online, pure organic green tea or flavored green tea of various varieties, from renowned Japanese green teas, to Chinese and Vietnamese green teas, and a careful selection of exquisite green teas like the rare Gyokuro tea.

Organic Loose-Leaf Green Tea

Green tea (綠茶 in Chinese and 緑茶 in Japanese) is a variant of tea obtained from the collection and processing of the leaves of Camellia Sinensis. It is a tea of Chinese origin, very popular throughout the East, especially in Japan, where it has been consumed and produced for centuries. In the West, where black tea is typically consumed, green tea has gained popularity only in recent years. Green tea leaves do not undergo an oxidation process, unlike black tea, which is why its leaves retain the characteristic green color, which also remains in the infusion.

Green Tea or Black Tea?

Many wonder what the differences between green tea and black tea are: the two most consumed types of tea in the world come from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis, whose leaves are harvested at different times of the year for the production of different tea variants, and sometimes grown in the shade to slow down maturation and increase the concentration of substances in the leaves. The difference between green tea and black tea lies in the processing; green tea is not fermented, and for this reason, it retains its green color, unlike black tea, which undergoes oxidation.

Processing of Green Tea

The processing that leads to loose-leaf green tea skips the fermentation step. After harvesting, green tea leaves are exposed to the sun, and then passed to steam at 100°C. These two phases are followed by drying processes, which evaporate most of the water in the loose-leaf green tea, and rolling and folding (the shape varies depending on the type of tea). After drying, some variants of loose-leaf green tea are roasted, as is the case with Hojicha and Kukicha.

How to Prepare a Cup of Loose-Leaf Green Tea?

It is important to note that each variety of tea has its preparation rules regarding infusion time, water temperature, and the number of possible infusions, so each variety of loose-leaf green tea will differ in the preparation processes. However, you can follow general rules to prepare green tea in the best way, the first of which is to use loose-leaf tea: to choose your favorite, consult our section for the online sale of green tea. Once you have chosen your organic loose-leaf green tea, for the preparation of a cup of green tea, you will need:

• 2/3 g. of Loose Green Tea
• 200 ml of water
• Infuser or filter

To prepare your cup of tea using green tea leaves, you will need to:

• Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan and wait for it to cool down: for green teas, it is very important not to use boiling water, as these teas are more delicate and high temperatures tend to cook the leaves and disperse the aromas and components, highlighting instead the bitter taste.
• Pour the water into the cup where there are green tea leaves, or into the teapot, not directly onto the leaves but onto the walls of the container.
• Let it steep according to the instructions of the type of tea.

As already indicated, each loose leaf green tea will have specific infusion times and temperatures, but we can generalize for all green teas with indicative instructions:

• Temperature: 70°-80°
• Steeping Time: 2-3 minutes

Green Tea Properties

Since ancient times, in the East, green tea has been appreciated for its countless properties and health benefits, and used by traditional medicine in China, Japan, and Thailand for various purposes, such as controlling blood sugar levels, digestion, and cardiovascular health.

Many of the traditional uses attributed to beneficial effects on the body have not been proven, however, the beneficial properties of green tea in the action of the catechins of the flavonoids and polyphenols contained in it have been recognized.

Antioxidant Properties

Among the catechins present in green tea, the most important is EGCG, to which the antioxidant properties of tea are attributed: green tea indeed has a great antioxidant power and helps fight free radicals and reduce cellular damage, thus slowing down aging.

Cardiovascular System Protection

The catechins present in green tea also have beneficial properties on the cardiovascular system, studies of which have been conducted starting from the evidence of a lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases in Asia. A study from the Ohsaki University has shown that a high consumption of tea resulted in a reduced probability of mortality due to cardiovascular diseases, while studies have shown that green tea extracts help prevent hypertension and thus reduce blood pressure.

Digestion and Metabolism

Green tea also has important properties for digestion, reducing the risk of gallstones. Many argue that consuming green tea is also useful for weight loss: in reality, there are not enough studies to prove this theory, as weight loss is a complex process due to various factors, however, green tea has thermogenic properties and a hypotriglyceridemic effect.

Skin Protection

According to a study by Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, green tea can help protect the skin from the harmful effects of UV rays. The effect is also due to the catechins, present in large quantities in loose leaf green tea.

Contraindications: When Not to Drink Green Tea?

Despite its many properties, loose leaf green tea should be consumed with caution, without ever overdoing it. Green tea, in fact, contains caffeine, or theine, albeit in a lower amount compared to coffee or black tea (read more in our article on teas with less theine!), a substance that makes it a tonic and that in large quantities could have negative effects on the nervous system. Furthermore, the polyphenols contained in green tea leaves could cause oxidative stress, which is why the consumption of green tea during pregnancy is not recommended.

Types of Green Tea

Green tea is a variety of tea cultivated in different areas of the world, appreciated and consumed in large quantities for its herbaceous and fresh taste and for its beneficial properties for health. There are different varieties of green tea, based on the region where the plants are cultivated, the cultivation methods, the climate in which they grow, and the processing methods. However, we can distinguish some more important varieties in the macro categories of Chinese green teas and Japanese green teas.

Chinese Green Teas

China has always been considered the homeland of tea: here, loose leaf green teas, black teas, white teas, and fermented teas are produced, which differ in cultivation methods and processing. Here, some varieties of organic green tea are produced, among the most well-known and unique, named after the province where the plants are cultivated and the leaves are harvested and processed; some of these loose leaf green teas have been produced for centuries, and several have also been internationally awarded.

Among the most famous types of Chinese teas are:

• Tai Ping Hou Kui
• Hua Ding
• Qing Ding
• Jinghua
• Huang Shan Mao Feng
• Bi Lo Chun or Jade Snail
• Long Jing Da Fo

Japanese Green Teas

Japan is considered a global power in green tea production: when the Japanese say 'tea', they actually mean 'green tea'. Japanese green tea varieties are among the most famous in the world: here, green tea arrived from China during the Song dynasty, and soon became the national beverage. Japanese green tea varieties differ based on harvesting and processing; the most well-known are also the most recognized green tea varieties, such as matcha tea, Sencha, Bancha, and Gyokuro.

Matcha Tea

Matcha tea is a typical Japanese green tea that has become famous for its important antioxidant properties. In addition to its recognized beneficial properties, matcha tea is known for the attention and care with which it is cultivated on the Japanese hills sheltered from the sun. It is then dried and ground into powder, a rare process among high-quality teas. On Terza Luna, you can easily buy matcha green tea online!

Bancha Tea 

Bancha tea, also known as common tea, is a variety of Camellia japonica well known for its low caffeine concentration within the leaves. This is because Japanese bancha tea is produced from the lower leaves of the plant, which contain less caffeine. It is also rich in calcium, vitamin A, and iron. On Terza Luna, you can easily buy green tea online!

Sencha Tea

The Sencha tea is a leaf green tea and a variety of Camellia japonica, also known as broiled tea. It is produced from the youngest upper leaves, which makes it more valuable than Bancha tea. The leaves are exposed to sunlight, so they are not shaded, and it is a tea for daily use, along with Bancha, the most common green tea. You can find on Terza Luna, for sale online, first flush Sencha green tea of the highest quality, coming from organic cultivation.

Rare Teas

On Terza Luna you can find high-quality loose organic green tea: we pride ourselves on carrying out meticulous and passionate research on the best qualities of green leaf tea around the world, personally visiting plantations and tasting their products, to bring them to our customers, looking for green tea online that they cannot find anywhere else.

Where to Buy Green Tea Online?

Many ask us where to buy pure and organic green tea of the best quality. In our tea and herbal tea e-shop, you can find a careful selection of the best green teas for sale online, to satisfy your tastes as a tea enthusiast. Pure or flavored green tea, prized green teas like Gyokuro and Sencha, try the new harvests and trust in the aromas of our organic green tea.