Green tea has been a favorite of eastern countries for a very long time and it is only recently that it has become popular in the west. There are many different varieties of green tea in its countries of origin. The main difference between different types of green tea is a result of different growing and processing conditions and the time that the plant is harvested.

For many years people have extolled the health promoting properties of green tea and there have been a number of scientific and medical studies to determine just how beneficial it might actually be. At present some studies suggest that people who take green tea tend to have a lower incidence of heart problems and of a particular type of cancer.

Green tea is so popular in Japan that whenever the Japanese speak about tea they are usually referring to green tea. This tea was brought to Japan by the same Buddhist priest who introduced a certain school of Zen Buddhism. He believed that green tea had a positive effect on the five vital organs, especially the heart. Within the categories that apply to green tea there is quite a variation in strength and quality and this is reflected in price differentials.

When you make a pot of green tea it generally requires a teaspoon of tea per person or cup, people may use more when they are using a very high quality type of green tea. Times and temperatures for brewing green tea will vary depending on the kind of green tea that is used. Hotter water and more brewing time are generally recommended for the lower quality types of green tea.

Green tea has lower caffeine content than traditional western black tea and only a quarter of the content of caffeine found in coffee. Although green tea has not been found to have a bad effect on those who drink it, some of the health claims that are made for it are unsubstantiated by medical and scientific studies. Some people claim for example that green tea can help to prevent the development of conditions such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease but there is no evidence to suggest that this is the case. Nonetheless, there is certainly some evidence for the positive effects that green tea can have on those who drink it.