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Green tea is the
least processed and thus provides the most antioxidant polyphenols, notably a
catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is believed to be
responsible for most of the health benefits linked to green tea. Green tea is
made by briefly steaming the just harvested leaves, rendering them soft and
pliable and preventing them from fermenting or changing color. After steaming,
the leaves are rolled, then spread out and "fired" (dried with hot air or
pan-fried in a wok) until they are crisp. The resulting greenish-yellow tea has
a green, slightly astringent flavor close to the taste of the fresh leaf. |