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Japanese Tea
Japanese tea is a part of daily life in Japan. After the meal is done, after everything is finished, comes tea.
Varieties of tea
There are many varieties of tea, but all tea plants belong to the same species of Camellia. 　　　　　　　
They can be divided into

1) Fermented tea (English tea)
2) Half-fermented tea (Oolong tea)
3) Unfermented tea (Green tea)

depending on the heating and fermentation process.
Green tea is steamed after picking, which destroys an enzyme present in the tea leaves. 　　　　　　　　
Removing this enzyme allows the tea leaves to stay green and retain their natural chemical 　　　　　　
composition such as Vitamin C, and Catechin.
Nutrition of Green teas
Recently green tea is getting more popular for health reasons; -Reduction of heart disease,  　　　　　
-Reducing the risk of cancer  -Practicing good oral hygiene  -Slowing the aging process 　　　　　　　　
through the effects of antioxidants and other nutrients such as; Vitamin C, β-carotene, 　　　　
Vitamin E, Catechin, Caffeine, etc. Especially Catechin is a powerful, water soluble 　　　　　　　
polyphenol and antioxidants. One cup of green tea provides 10-40mg of polyphenol and has 　　　　　　　
antioxidants effects greater than a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots.
Other types of Japanese tea
Bancha (brown color)：
It is made from lower grade tea leaves. There is much less caffeine and tannin which 　　　　　　　　
means you can give it to children. Bancha has two variations.
Hojicha：
Roasted-it gives a smoky tasting and flavor.
Genmaicha：
Mixed with grains of roasted rice, which give it a nutty rustic flavor.
Sencha (green color)：
Going up the scale. This is the most popular green tea.
Gyokuro (green color)：
Continuing upward. Gyokuro means “dewdrop”. The tea leaves are shielded from direct sunlight during growth.

Shoyu
This is the most prominent liquid seasoning used in Japanese cooking .
There are many varieties
1.Koi-kuchi-shoyu　(regular soy Sauce)
It is most versatile. It has a deep, reddish-brown color, a rich complex flavor and a savory aroma.
These characteristics are achieved by using equal parts of soybeans and wheat in the mash,
and a fermentation period of more than 6months under careful microbial control to encourage enzyme action and to mature the mash completely.
2.Usu-kuchi-shoyu　(Light color soy sauce)
It is brewed similarly to regular soy sauce but under stricter controls to reduce the intensity of the color. The result is about one-fourth the color of regular soy sauce. It is used where it is not desirable to darken the natural color of ingredients,
such as Light-colored vegetables and meats. This soy sauce contains more salt than regular soy sauce.

3.Gen-en-Shoyu　(Low-salt soy sauce)
It is brewed in the traditional way to gibe it the flavor of regular soy sauce. Then, about 43% of the salt is removed. Its use need not be limited to those who must reduce their sodium consumption.

4.Tamari-shoyu
It is made only with soybeans as opposed to regular soy sauce which used soybeans and wheat as main ingredients. It is employed for special uses, such as in sushi and sashimi.




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