Origin: Green tea is produced all over the world today, whoever it originated in China and from there it found its way into Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Hawaii, and even South Carolina.
The word “tea” in China only refers to green tea, however in different parts of the world tea is considered as the general tea. China’s Yunnan province is the home of the Camellia sinensis plant species. More than 260 varieties of green tea can be found in the Yunnan.
The Chinese history says that Shennong, the Emperor of China invented the green tea around 2737 BC when fresh tea leaves from a tea tree fell into his cup of boiled water.
Buddhists also claim that they discovered tea in 500 BC. They also say that the Buddhist traveled all over the world especially China and India spreading their religion and ritual of tea. The Buddhist monk’s believed that drinking tea helps in relieving stress and is great as a refreshment beverage and is completely in sync with their spiritual and social practice.
Green tea becomes popular in Japan around 1190 when a Zen priest was visiting and studying in China’s great Buddhist monasteries and returned to Japan with tea and its seeds. This priest introduced the culture of drinking tea and advocated the fact that it has great medicinal and soothing properties.
During the Tang Dynasty, a book called "Cha Jing," also known as "The Classic of Tea" was written by a Chinese man named Lu Yu. When Lu Yu was a young boy, he was adopted by a Buddhist monk and he grew up learning the art of brewing and serving tea. Later his interest in tea developed a lot and he wanted to enlighten the world with the culture of tea by penning down his knowledge about the green tea into a book, that’s when the book came into existence.
Because of this, China and Japan are considered to be the top two green tea producing and exporting countries in the world. Green tea found its way into the west through a European explorer in the 19th century.
Scientifically: Camellia sinensis is a species of evergreen shrub or small tree whose leaves and leaf buds are used to produce tea. It is of the genus Camellia of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. Green tea is the healthiest beverage on the planet. It is loaded with antioxidants, polyphenols, and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body.
Usage: Green tea has been significant in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine to control bleeding and heal wounds, aid digestion, weight loss, type 2 diabetes, improve cardiovascular health, mental health, and regulate body temperature.
Green tea contains compounds like catechins, polyphenols that help in improving the cardiovascular system of the body. Green tea helps in lowering bad cholesterol. Green tea is not only great for the body but also helps in treating skin and hair issues.
Researches have proved that green tea does wonder to the skin and hair. Green tea helps in making hair fuller and thicker. It also promotes hair growth. The antioxidants in the green tea stimulate skin cells in hair follicles, improving the growth of hair. Similarly, the antioxidants in green tea are great at fighting premature aging.
Green tea contains a compound called tannins. This compound helps in shrinking pores, thus helping in balancing sebum production. Green tea helps in dealing with dry and itching skin. Green tea is one of the best treatments to control acne, it helps to reduce pores and get rid of blackheads and breakouts. Green tea leaves are great for exfoliating the skin and reducing cellulite. It is also proven to drink a few cups of green tea every day helps in reducing the sun damage caused by UV rays. Using used green tea bags on the eyes reduces puffiness and dark circles.
Below are some DIYs to help in dealing with skin issues and hair:
- Green tea is effective in removing dandruff. To make a green tea hair rinse, take an about 4 tea bags of green tea, steep them in a liter of boiled water. Let this concoction cool. Then rinse your hair with it.
- Take cold green tea and using a cotton ball apply this all over the irritated skin. This helps in soothing the affected areas.
- Take 2 tablespoons of green tea with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and honey. Add in 1 tablespoon witch hazel, 3 drops vitamin E, 4 drops tea tree oil and 1 tablespoon baking soda. Mix well and store this overnight in the refrigerator. Apply this mixture on the clean face, rinse after 10 minutes. This helps in deep cleansing of the skin.
- Take 2-4 tablespoons of powdered green tea and add 2 tablespoons of organic coconut oil. Mix this together and apply on the body and face as a scrub. This helps in removing dead skin and improves skin texture.