Drinking Tea

Here is a post from my other blog Quiet Musings

My last months of living in Des Moines included a morning off as mommy once a week. I haunted the back corner of a tea house near the capitol building for some peace, enjoyment, time to read and pray. The whole atmosphere was serene and relaxing and I loved being someplace where the workers were informative experts--it's a treat in this day of untrained customer service workers. Those men knew tea. There wasn't a coffee pot in sight and no tea bags either. The owners traveled the Eastern world purchasing high quality tea. They served tea in the traditional way of the country from which they purchased the tea. And somehow they landed in Des Moines, opening a tea house they call Gong Fu Tea. From those two guys, I learned to love good tea. I learned how to serve it for best flavor and someday I hope one of my visits to Des Moines corresponds with one of their tea tasting evening.

Now I am a tea snob. I dislike most bag teas and prefer the subtle nuances of green and white teas. But most people, including the workers at coffeehouses know little to nothing about tea. They think: add hot water, wait, drink.But first thing first: a little information. Most research suggests that green and white tea are nutritionally superior to the traditional black teas served in the West (Constant Comment, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, etc. ). Black tea is higher in caffeine and lower in antioxidants*. In flavor, properly prepared green and white teas are lighter, more subtle than the stronger black teas. Green and white tea do not go through any fermentation. White tea is oxidized only slightly during a short drying time. Green tea is oxidized slightly more and roasted in a pan. Research and common sense indicate that the less processed white tea has the highest concentration of antioxidants*. Both white tea and green tea have been linked (not conclusively)with lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, strengthening bones, and killing viruses and bacteria, including those that cause tooth decay.

But you say, the green tea I have tried was bitter and unpleasant. Here's probably why. Most green and white tea have a precise method of preparation that manufacturers fail to share and that servers never know. First, heat your water to boiling and then let it cool to around 185-195. Pour it over the tea leaves or bag. Second, don't leave that bag in for a long soak, remove the tea leaves in about three minutes (and most of the time you can get a second and third use out of them), remove white tea leaves after two minutes. Hotter water will increase caffeine content and bitterness.Now, make a cup of your favorite tea. Sit down and relax. I know it will make you feel better.

* For those who love to get technical: Antioxidant is a word that is thrown around the health community as if we all remember chemistry well. I don't remember my chemistry so I briefly researched this morning. First, remember that a molecule is most stable if all the electrons have a partner. An antioxidant is a molecule that can prevent the oxidation of other cells. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can cause electron transfer, sometimes resulting in free radicals. Free radicals are molecules with an unpaired electron and as such can cause chain reactions within our cells that result in damage to other cells. Antioxidants stabilize free radicals and sometimes repair damaged cells. Oxidation is naturally occurring process in our body so we need a healthy amount of antioxidants to maintain health. It seems, though not conclusively, that as we age our ability to stabilize oxidation decreases, resulting in more health problems. Research indicates that antioxidants may be the key to postponing or stopping health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, macular degeneration, and even cancer. The best source of antioxidants is to eat a colorful array of fruits and vegetables daily.