Tea unites us like nothing else. From doodh patti to gulabi chai and spiced kahwah, this nation comprises ardent drinkers of tea of different hues and consistencies. It’s not hard to believe that upwards of 109,000 tonnes of tea is consumed in Pakistan each year, making it the seventh largest tea-consuming country and third largest importer of tea in the world.

Recently, however, more and more of us have started to see green.

Thanks to the various tins of loose green tea being imported from China, we have become aware of what the residents of Northern Pakistan had been saying all along: green is good. When consumed over a long period of time, green tea, especially when it is enhanced with a squeeze of fresh lemon, helps with weight loss by increasing metabolism. It also helps to regulate body temperature, control blood sugar and promote digestion. Supporters claim that its medicinal quality will prove useful in managing blood pressure, depression, tooth decay, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and — last but definitely not the least — the unwelcome signs of aging.

Tea drinking is said to have originated in China some 5,000 years ago when the first pot of green tea was brewed in 2737 BCE during the reign of Emperor Shennong. Also known as the Emperor of the Five Grains and the Medicine King, Shennong appears to have been a keen scientist. He is credited with teaching the ancient Chinese their agricultural practices and the use of herbal medicine. He is the patron deity of farmers, rice traders, and makers of traditional Chinese tea. This tea, which acts as an antidote against the poisonous effects of some 70 herbs, is said to be discovered by him. As the story goes, tea was created when tea leaves on burning tea twigs were carried up from the fire by hot air and landed in his cauldron of boiling water. Shennong eventually died as a result of his research into the properties of plants when he ate a yellow flower which caused his intestines to rupture.

It’s not just a matter of taste; its medicinal value is making it popular by the day

The bush from which the tea leaves and tea twigs came is called Chahua (scientific name: Camellia sinensisv) which means literally “tea flower” in Mandarin. Both green tea leaves and black tea leaves come from the same plant but are processed differently. In both cases the uppermost buds and leaves are plucked from the tea bush, but after partial withering green tea is heated to prevent further oxidation so the leaves retain their colour and delicate flavour. Black tea in contrast is allowed to wither until the leaves darken to take on a brown/black colour and develop a strong flavour before being heated to stop the process.

Green tea is believed to be more beneficial than black tea (apparently) due to this difference in processing. Minimal processing allows green tea to retain maximum amount of antioxidants which help prevent cancer and other diseases. Both kinds of tea, however, contain almost similar amounts of caffeine. According to a study conducted at the Mayo Clinic, the caffeine content in green tea ranges from 24-40mg per cup and in black tea it ranges from 14-61mg per cup. So although drinking green tea is the healthy option, sensitivity to caffeine can enforce a limit to its consumption.

Despite its many health benefits, drinking very large amounts of green tea can have the negative impact of preventing the absorption of iron and folic acid. This is the reason why it is not recommended for women who are trying to conceive or in the early stages of pregnancy. Folic acid is a particularly important nutrient as babies can develop defects of the brain or spinal cord if it is in short supply around the time of conception. In such times it is best to stick with herbal options such as mint tea or ginger tea.

Once its drinking for medicinal as well as pleasurable reasons became widespread in China, green tea made its way to other parts of Asia including Japan, Vietnam and Thailand. It was brought to Japan in the 11th century by Buddhist monks returning from study in China. But the form that green tea took here was very distinct from the way it appeared in China. The Japanese ground the dried high-quality tea leaves into a fine powder which they called Matcha. And instead of brewing, tea was prepared by whipping Matcha and hot water together in a bowl. Matcha is used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony which is meant to demonstrate respect through good etiquette and grace. The vibrant green colour of Matcha is usually owed to the drying of leaves in the shade and never exposing them to direct sunlight.

Thanks to Matcha and Japanese ingenuity, green tea is no longer confined to a hot liquid form. In recent years its use has become more and more widespread in the creation of cold beverages, ice cream, health foods, smoothies and lattes, and even baked goods. From cookies and cupcakes to brownies and the frosting on donuts, there is little that has not been turned green by green tea.

Are kulfi and lassi next?

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, July 20th, 2014