Sencha tea is a wonderful Japanese green tea widely consumed in this country, with incredible benefits and properties. Find out what it is and how to prepare it at home.
Japan stands out almost without any doubt for its long tradition in the cultivation and consumption of tea, especially in regard to green tea, of which we can find a wide diversity of varieties, until it becomes an authentic art embodied in the traditional Ceremony. Of Japanese Tea.
If we ask you about Japanese green tea varieties, it is quite possible that Matcha tea is one of the first that comes to mind. And it is that its characteristic tonality and indistinguishable appearance make it undoubtedly one of the most well-known and popular types. But he’s not the only one.
And it is that those who are lucky enough to travel to Japan to enjoy their teas, or even those who can find them in specialized herbalists (or buy them over the Internet in Japanese specialized stores), will be able to distinguish such wonderful -and curious- varieties such as This is the case of Hojicha roasted tea, Kabusecha covered tea or Genmaicha roasted rice grain tea.
The Sencha tea is a green tea popular Japanese origin in this country, becoming one of the most cultivated to the reach 80% of the tea produced in Japan. In fact, it is very common to drink it hot in the coldest months of the year, while during the summer months it is common to drink it cold.
What is Sencha green tea? As elaborated?
It is a green tea that is prepared from the first harvest of the year. Its leaves are collected in spring, when the first shoots of what is known as the tea plant (the Camellia sinensis variety) are born.
We are facing a wonderful Japanese green tea that is manufactured without crushing the leaves. Literally translated it means ”cooked tea” , and this is a characteristic that makes Sencha tea different from roasted Chinese green teas, since instead of roasting them in the pan (as they do in China) it is cooked for 15 to 45 seconds in order to prevent their blades from rusting.
Then, once cooked, the green tea leaves are rolled, at which point they are given their popular and characteristic cylindrical shape, and finally dried. Of course, after being cooked the leaves are roasted, which helps to add flavor and improve their conservation.
It is precisely this first step of steaming that gives Sencha Japanese green tea a variation and a different flavor compared to Chinese green tea, since Sencha acquires a more vegetal flavor that reminds many of the taste of seaweed. Moreover, when preparing the tea, the drink acquires a more bitter taste and a greener hue.
The organoleptic qualities of Sencha tea
As you surely know, the organoleptic qualities of a certain food or drink are the qualities that refer to its texture, appearance, aroma and flavor.
In the case of Sencha green tea, it becomes a delicious drink with a light aroma and a strong flavor that is slightly sweet, which reminds many of the taste of seaweed. On the other hand, when it is made in the form of an infusion, its color is greener than other varieties of green tea.
The benefits of Sencha green tea
A tea tremendously rich in antioxidants
As with other varieties of green tea, Sencha tea stands out for its high content of natural antioxidants, especially polyphenols and catechins, which are what, ultimately, give it its well-known (and recognized) antioxidant qualities.
Due to its contribution in these antioxidant substances, it is a tea that helps reduce the action of free radicals, by protecting our cells naturally. Therefore it is useful in the prevention of cancer.
On the other hand, it is useful for reducing high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, improving blood circulation. In addition, it helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Stimulating qualities
Unlike other types of green tea, Sencha tea stands out for its caffeine content, although a much lower presence than, for example, we could find in a cup of coffee.
However, it provides theine, a quality that means that we are faced with a stimulating drink for the nervous system, promoting the state of wakefulness and activating us when we need it most.
How to prepare Sencha tea:
The preparation of Sencha green tea to enjoy its flavor, aroma and benefits is very simple and easy.
For this we only need 1 teaspoon of Sencha green tea leaves per 60 ml cup. And a total of 60 ml. of water.
First, pour boiling water into the cups where you are going to serve the Sencha tea. When the outside of the cups is hot it means that the water has cooled to the optimum temperature.
Now is the ideal time to add the Sencha tea leaves to the kettle and then the water. Let it infuse in the kettle for 1 minute at a temperature of 80ºC.
Ready! You can serve the tea now. Of course, we advise you to serve it interspersed, so you will get each cup to have the same flavor.
