Also known as:
chai ke patte

Description
Renew and revitalize your body, mind and spirit effortlessly, adding to a healthier lifestyle one cup at a time. Tea leaves, which come from the tea bush, are steeped in hot water, which allows the flavor, and caffeine that is in the leaves to infuse with the hot water making it a beverage.
Raw tea leaves are processed by oxidation and drying. To process a green tea, only a very small amount of oxidation can take place. This usually is done through steam or a gentle heat source. This tea only takes a day or two to process. To brew green tea you usually just drop the processed leaves directly into a pot of hot water. The leaves will unfold to reveal their full shape. You can then use a filter to strain the leaves out of the hot water, or you can drink the tea with the leaves in the water. Some people enjoy eating the tea leaves after they brew green tea.

How to Select
Although you can buy green tea that has been packaged in tea bags, green tea is best when it is brewed from the whole leaf. While some people purchase loose green tea leaves online, you can't be assured that you're getting the freshest, highest quality product. When you buy loose leaf tea from tea stores, you may be offered the opportunity to smell the leaves before purchasing. The best way to do this is to close your eyes and take a deep breath to inhale the full aroma of the tea leaves. You should be able to characterize the aroma as sweet or grassy in nature. If you detect no aroma at all, chances are the tea leaves are old and you'll want to avoid buying them. You nose can be an excellent indicator as to the freshness of green tea leaves.
Higher quality green teas tend to be a light green in color. If the tea you're considering brews up golden or brown in color, you know you're dealing with a lower quality green tea. But don't rule it out based on color. Some people enjoy the more robust flavor of green teas of lesser quality.

Culinary Uses
· Green tea adds a subtle flavor to your dishes. Incorporating green tea in your cooking is an easy method. You can just grab some tea bags and throw them into water while steaming vegetables.
· Also you can use green tea as a spice while stir-frying. To do this, add dry tea leaves to the heated oil while frying.
· Cooking rice with green tea makes a lovely dish.
· Green tea also makes wonderful desserts.
· Teas that are flavored with lemon, fruit, jasmine or rose can be used in cakes, cookies, ice cream, pudding, smoothies and shakes.
· To add green tea in recipes first you have to brew the tea. You can do this by the following technique:
o Add a little steaming water in a teapot.
o Swirl the water to make the teapot warm.
o Discard the water and place 2 to 4 bags of green tea in the warm pot.
o Pour 1¼ cups of boiling water on the bags.
o Cover and infuse it for 2 to 3 minutes and then discard the bags.
· A cup of strong and distinctly flavored green tea is ready to be used in your cooking recipes.
· Use tea leaves as a salad topping and brewed tea in salad dressings.
· Try topping a salad with tea leaves for added flavor and crunch.
· Create a refreshing tea sorbet.

How to Store
There are several things to be careful about when you keep the leaves in the refrigerator or freezer.
First of all, since tea has its characteristic of absorbing other smells easily, it is important to keep them in the plastic bag and seal them tight.
Secondly, when you take out the package out from the refrigerator, wait until the tea leaves are back to the room temperature before opening the plastic bag. Because of the sudden temperature change, the moisture may occur inside the bag. For you purchased a tea contains a lot of amount tea inside, do not remove them from the package, and cover the whole package with a big plastic bag. If the package is a transparent kind, remove the package, and transform them to the can or jar, and avoid direct sun or the lights. And always remember to keep leaves a way from the heat, smell, light, and humidity.
If you buy in bulk, keep most of the tea in a large container and use a smaller one for everyday use to limit air contact with the tea leaves.

Health Benefits
· Green tea is very popular in China; they use it to treat headaches, depression. In China this green tea has been used as a medicine for over 4000 years
· There are lots of Green tea benefits like it helps in reducing blood cholesterol.
· Green tea has proved beneficial in curing infection, cardiovascular diseases, and impaired immune function.
· Green tea is rich in polyphenols and is powerful antioxidants and kills cancer cells without harming other healthy tissues.
· It also stops the abnormal formation of blood clots which can occur if LDL cholesterol level increases in blood. These blood clots can result into heart attacks if not cured at any early stage, and green tea reduces these blood clots.
· Green tea also helps in reducing weight, a combination of caffeine with green tea extract results in burning more calories.
· Green tea can also prevent tooth decay, also its anti bacterial properties can prevent, tooth decay and even food poisoning.
· Whenever you have minor headache or little bit exertion, you are suggested to drink tea.
· Benefits of green tea in our body are remarkable. Some people even believe that "key to longer life may be brewing in the cup of tea!"
· Special Benefits Of Green Tea: Lessen high Blood Sugar, Reduces Blood Pressure, Boost Immune System, Prevent Parkinson's Disease, Fight Severe Sepsis
· Green tea is rich in vitamins and minerals from iron, sodium and potassium to vitamins such as carotene, A, D, B1, B2, and C (which helps prevent colds and flu and boosts the immune system).
· Green tea is generally considered to be the healthiest type of tea because it is unfermented.