2014/06/01

Tea’s medicinal effects, noted in a sixth-century Chinese medical book

 
「苦茶は寒で、毒無し。五臓の邪気を払い、下痢、渇熱（熱による口の渇き、中疾（胃腸病）、悪そう（出来物）などを治す。久しく服すれば、心を安じ、気を益し、頭を良くし、眠りを少なくし、身を軽くし、老いを能くし、老化を抑える。」　「神農本草経集注」（陶　弘景　著）
(Wikipedia-en: “Shennong Ben Cao Jing”)

(Translated to modern language)
“Bitter tea cools heat, revitalizes the workings of internal organs, aids thirst from diarrhea or fever, and promotes healing of gastrointestinal disorders, acne, and so forth. Continuous drinking calms the heart and improves the mood, aids concentration, banishes sleepiness, revitalizes, and helps delay aging.”

Tea’s place as a universal medicine springs forth from this page describing its capabilities, from a Chinese medical manual written in the sixth century. Later, tea came to Japan with Buddhism, and integrated into Japanese culture. Over the course of a long history it developed a unique culture of its own. And then, in recent years, green tea’s health effects have been confirmed by many research studies, first in Japan and then around the world.

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Main health effects: Lifestyle illnesses Obesity, cancer, skin, other

Antibacterial (food poisoning bacteria, pathologic bacteria), Improvement in intestinal flora, Anti-arteriosclerotic, Inhibits platelet aggregation, Maintains vascular epithelium, Cholesterol in the blood, Controls high triglycerides, Controls excessive fat in blood, Controls high, extraction, Prevents diabetes, Works to prevent obesity, Works to maintain liver function, Anti-mutagen, Works to resist cancer, Works to maintain DNA, Works to improve immune function, Eliminates odors, works to fight depression, Works against viruses, Works to control high blood pressure, Prevents high blood pressure and strokes, Relaxing effects, Works against inflammation and allergies, Works to benefit brain and autonomic nervous system, Works to improve concentration

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The world’s researchers have proved the wide-ranging health and beauty benefits of green tea

World’s research into medicinal effects

Green Tea Benefits: How The Drink Improves Your Health – Huffington Post(10/20)

Green tea and the skin:Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology,Volume 52, Issue 6, June 2005, Pages 1049–1059

Wellness ResourcesThe Effects of Green Tea on Weight Management.

Tè verde elisir per il cervello
Due tazze al giorno aiuterebbero a prevenire da Parkinson e Alzheimer. L’indicazione da una ricerca giapponese
— Pubblicazione sull’American Journal of Clinical Nutrition /Corriere della sera 2006 febbraio 27

Il tè verde abbassa la glicemia?
Un estratto di tè verde può contribuire a ridurre il rischio di sviluppare il diabete in pazienti con la glicemia al limite– Corriere della sera 30 ottobre 2008

La rivista scientifica Lancet pubblica una serie di dati positivi
Le buone virtù anti-tumorali del tè verde – Corriere della sera 27 Settembre 2004

Cute, meno rischi per i bevitori di tè verde
Sarebbero i polifenoli presenti nella bevanda a mitigare i danni di un’esposizione eccessiva al sole, legata a certe forme di carcinoma.
— Dati riportati dal Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
— Corriere della sera 23 maggio 2007

Salute: Usa tè verde segreto vecchiaia senza invalidità – ANSA.it salute e benessere 0206 2012

2014/06/01

“Biofactors,” the biological regulation function, is garnering attention as the 3rd function of food

Like vegetables and fruits, green tea contains nutrient components that include carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Among these, the component that deserves attention is the abundant presence of “Biofactors,” which are the newly discovered third function of food, also known as the biological regulation function. These functional components are present especially in tea, and are most abundant in Japan-grown green tea, and the special Japanese steam production method helps prevent their loss.

The function of food

　First function = supplies nutrients
　Second function = works on senses of taste and smell
　Third function = biological regulation function (catechins, amino acids, caffeine, and so forth)

Biofactors present in green tea

Catechins: the predominant health promoting component

In 1929, Japanese agricultural scientist Michiyo Tsujimura and others gradually discovered previously unknown catechins present in green tea, and these were understood to be components unique to green tea. Catechins are mainly experienced as the astringent taste of green tea. They have strong antioxidant properties from between several times to several tens of times stronger than Vitamin C or Vitamin E. In addition, catechins are understood to have important effects on the human body: they are antibacterial, odor eliminating, and prevent disease and aging.

Theanine: works gently on the mind and body

In 1950, Yajirou Sakato, a Japanese agricultural scientist, first discovered theanine, the amino acid uniquely present in green tea. Theanine is mainly experienced as umami, and is present in larger amounts in Matcha, Kabuse-cha, and other high-quality teas. It has a relaxing effect on the mind and body. It has been confirmed in brain wave change experiments that the brain generates a striking amount of alpha waves following theanine intake. Because green tea contains two substances with opposing effects — caffeine that stimulates, and theanine that soothes stimulation, it is an ideal drink when one wants to relax and to also stay suitably alert.

Caffeine: the origin of tea’s likeability

In 1891, the German physician Ringe first isolated caffeine from coffee. Caffeine, mainly experienced as a bitter taste, is known to have many medicinal effects. It stimulates the central nervous system and works as a diuretic, aids digestion of food by promoting gastric acid secretion, and breaks down body fat. Green tea tends to have more caffeine than other beverages, but it has the important property of a calming effect due to the presence of theanine as well.

Vitamin C: a nutrient component protected from destruction

Vitamin C is a nutrient that is difficult to store within the body because it is easily broken down. A lack of Vitamin C can lead to a weaker immune system and can become one cause of diseases such as scurvy. Therefore, daily intake is essential. The catechin components present in green tea, prevent the oxidative destruction of Vitamin C that is plentiful in high-quality teas such as Sencha, and its effective uptake is ensured by it solubility. Intake of 30 to 50 percent of the recommended daily amount (100mg per day) is possible by drinking four or five cups of tea each day.

Green tea can prevent lifestyle illnesses, Medicinal effects of Catechins

Controls free radicals by working to prevent oxidation

Controls free radicals generated in the body by mental or physical stress, smoking, strong ultraviolet rays, or other factors. Lifestyle illnesses are started off by damage to all cells, and this can become one root cause of advancing ageing.

Controls enzymes that can cause high blood pressure

In cardiovascular disease involving heart attacks and so forth, one root cause is the disorder of high blood pressure. The presence of I type converted oxygen I itegiocnogen is one cause of elevated blood pressure.

Controls the oxidation of LDL (bad chloresterol)

In high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular diseases, LDL cholesterol present in the blood can oxidize and become the cause of blood vessel blockages, increasing the risk of disease. It has been confirmed that the epicalocatechin collate that comprises 50 percent of tea’s catechins controls the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, and also has an effect of raising the amount of HDL cholesterol.

※ Chloresterol changes by catechin intake

7 cups per day (600mg) / 1 week intake	= controls LDL oxidation
6 cups per day (400mg) / three months intake	= HDL increase

Related research studies

Screening for Anti-Allergic and Anti-Cancer Metastatic Components in Tea Leaves Using Animal Cultured Cells and Effective Utilization　 National Institute of Vegetable and Tea Science, National Agriculture and Bio-oriented Research Organization

2014/06/01

Enjoy pairing tea and specific dishes

The abundant array of Japanese tea varieties enables the pairing of tea with compatible cooked dishes. The number of matching dishes is further expanded by working on the brewing method. An unexpected compatibility has been discovered between Western cooking and cold-brewed green tea, as a replacement for alcoholic beverages during meals, and as an increasingly popular healthy soft drink.
 

Japanese cuisine and Japanese green tea

When a Japanese dish harmonizes fish and vegetables, cooks tend to minimize heat and seasonings to bring out the most flavor from within the ingredients themselves. For this reason, depending on the dish, the food can be robustly flavored and has with long-lasting taste. Green tea has strong cleansing effects, so it can be taken after meals to quickly refresh the palate from even the strong aftertastes of sushi and fish dishes. Each course of multiple-course meals can also be enjoyed with a refreshed palate.
 

With sushi, now the object of a worldwide boom, Konacha is enjoyed as an added “powdered tea.” Among Japan’s teas, this is a rather special tea product. It has been used for centuries as a strong and effective foil to fishy smells. Also, as with Matcha taken in a tea ceremony following a traditional Japanese meal, tasting a high quality tea with strong umami after a meal is one way to enjoy it. Various kinds of teas can be chosen to suit the dish and the situation, and this pleasure is one of Japanese tea’s most important qualities.
 

Examples of matching with Japanese dishes

Western cuisine and Japanese green tea

Japanese tea is now gaining attention as an alternative to the alcoholic beverages and mineral water that typically accompany Western meals. Among these teas, cold-brewed high-quality Sencha with aromatic qualities can offer a previously unknown taste experience with a predominant umami and subdued bitterness and astringency. Sencha’s refreshing and reinvigorating qualities are coupled with its distinctive aroma. Recently, chefs and other experts have recognized the harmony of green tea pairings with dishes such as fish and vegetables that are normally accompanied by white wine. The tables of restaurants savvy to Japanese teas are set today with cold-brewed, high-quality Sencha and Gyokuro green tea products–the teas with especially noticeable umami.

　　　　 Cold-brewed Sencha,“Okuhikari”
 

Examples of matching with Western dishes

2014/06/01

Exquisite taste originating with traditional production methods

Japan’s unfermented green teas are not allowed to ferment naturally at all. This is the key factor that determines their characteristic tastes. Chinese production accounts for around 90% of the green tea now distributed worldwide. Most of that tea, called “kettle-roasted green tea” is made by roasting tea leaves in a pot to stop the natural fermentation. Its main properties are its smooth taste and savory aroma.

 
Although green tea is produced by kettle roasting in some regions of Japan, the mainstream production method is the traditional one, also world renowned, in which natural fermentation is halted by steaming. Tea made this way is called “steamed green tea.” Japanese green tea’s best properties are determined mostly by this production method. It is used in all teas from Sencha to Tancha, where the fresh leaf’s bright green and the natural blue leaf’s aroma are strong. From the difference of these production methods, it has now become difficult to taste Japan’s traditionally produced green tea anywhere outside of Japan.
 

 
And today, just one single botanical tea variety produced in Japan, Yabukita, accounts for 75% of total production due to its high quality. As for production methods, the deep steaming production method that features longer steaming is now nearly ubiquitous, and the taste of green tea is tending to become completely uniform. It is not easy to taste Japan’s traditional tea flavor, even in Japan itself.

“Umami”, the fifth taste component of green tea

Today, the world’s eyes are fastened on Japanese cuisine. Actually, the special taste of Japanese food is also a main characteristic of traditional Japan produced green tea. The Japanese word “umai” expresses satisfaction with a truly delicious meal. Taste’s main categories are sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. But the world of Japanese cuisine, from ordinary ramen noodles to sophisticated traditional dishes, contains a fifth taste component as well — umami — and this is regarded as an essential element of food.

The sense of taste is where tastes pass through taste receptors, which are cellular structures sensitive to taste, to arrive at the brain, where they are recognized. In 2000, the taste receptor cells sensitive to umami, known as the TR1 family, were first discovered in the United States. Umami’s components were first clearly identified 1908, in Japan, by Professor Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo University. Professor Ikeda separated compounds extracted from kombu seaweed, finding glutamates (glutamic acid salts). This research proved that most traditional Japanese dishes have elements and cooking methods that use diverse umami components, starting with kombu.

The world of Western cuisine, that had not paid much attention to umami until then, began to notice the discovery of umami taste receptors. Effort was focused on the possibilities of dishes with seasonings adapted to this taste, incorporating it into cooking. Actually, this is the first encounter with the umami sense of taste, heretofore unknown, thanks to the worldwide boom in Japanese food.

Research has clarified that high-quality green tea is characterized by the presence of large amounts of umami components, amino acids such as theanine, and an overall balance that also includes astringent and bitter tastes and a distinctive aroma. During green tea’s history of over one thousand years, it underwent much trial-and-error in production methods, finally emerging as a world-class drink that even without adding any sugar or milk balances bitter and astringent tastes with umami and sweetness.