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Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden : Column Index : 2005 : Oct05
Coming Soon...
Time for Green Tea, Big Time, on Big Island
Little did I know when I was growing up, but the iced tea my mother served at dinnertime was a health food. Today we know that tea, especially green tea, is a powerful antioxidant that inhibits the formation of certain types of cancer. And its popularity is increasing by leaps and bounds, as increased sales put it on the list of top-selling herbal products in the mass market.
The Pros Here Are Already Growing Green Tea
Green tea cultivation has begun in earnest on this island: the US Department of Agriculture and the UH College of Tropical Agriculture (among others) are conducting field tests and researching markets for beginning an industry in Hawai`i that will develop a "unique Hawai`i tea product into a regional brand utilizing small field and processing technology... Our tea will exhibit high taste qualities, be grown under pesticide-free conditions, and will feature the beneficial health aspects commonly associated with tea," according to CTAHR promotional literature.
September Workshop Was Fun and Educational
On September 9, I attended "The Hawai`i Value-Added Tea Project Conference and Mealani Tea Processing Facility Blessing" near Waimea. The theme was "Investigating the Potential of Tea as a High Value Niche Market Crop for Hawai`i." Co-sponsored by the UH College of Tropical Agriculture and the Hawai`i Tea Society, this event included speakers from Taiwan, Hawai`i and Los Angeles, a walking tour of the fields where the tea is being grown without pesticides or herbicides, and a visit to the processing facility, which contains sophisticated equipment used to process the tea.
But the best part, for me anyway, was tasting the various types of tea, much like a wine tasting event. Participants swirled and gargled the teas and we ranked the taste in categories like "aroma," "earthiness," and "fruitiness." Teas from Japan, China and India were served... who knew that there are so many different kinds! Names new to me included Huangshan Maofeng from China's Yellow Mountains, Ono-en Shin Cha from Japan, Jade Pouchong from Taiwan (my favorite), and Assam and Ceylon silver tips from India. Overseeing the tasting was Byron Goo, who runs "The Tea Chest" in Honolulu. His handout included interesting descriptions like this one about the Jade Pouchong: "This Jade standard oolong offers crisp, assertive floral tones with mellow astringency." If you ever thought, like me, that tea is just tea, you're in for a very pleasant awakening if you investigate the different types from around the globe.
State Representative Dwight Takamine said, "This is only a beginning." And Dr. Francis Zee, a horticulturist with USDA, said that farmers stand to improve their standard of living when they grow crops that yield more income. "That's the difference between commodity and niche marketing." I say, let's explore all possible markets and get on the bandwagon in this exciting agricultural development.
The Hawai`i Tea Society Is Doing Great Work
President Eva Lee of the Hawai`i Tea Society is working to encourage and maintain a spirit of cooperation among its members for the development of tea culture and the blossoming tea industry in Hawai`i, as well as to pursue and encourage education, hybridization and promotion of Hawaiian grown and manufactured tea. Eva told me that the type of tea you choose and the way you steep it can determine the flavor of tea. For example, she says, "The purity of green tea can allow for surprising flavors that you might think includes other herbs." She recommends the following web site as an excellent one if you're interested in learning more about tea: www.imperialtea.com. It includes information about the different varieties of tea and how to prepare them. They also offer tea for purchase as well as charming clay teapots from the town of Yixing in China, among other nice gift items. You can reach the Hawai`i Tea Society at teahawaii@aol.com.
Tea Is Amazingly Safe
According to Michael Tierra in The Way of Herbs, green tea is a stimulant (it has caffeine), diuretic (increases urination), and an astringent (constricts or binds, meaning that it's useful for stopping hemorrhages and secretions). It also halts diarrhea. Green tea mouthwash inhibits the growth of cavity-associated bacteria. Most importantly, several clinical studies have proven that green tea helps to prevent certain types of cancer, especially cancers of the pancreas, colon, small intestine, stomach, breast and lung. (Physician's Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines) Recent research shows that green tea may also be useful in preventing osteoarthritis by blocking the body's enzyme that destroys cartilage. (American Botanical Council, www.herbalgram.org)
No health hazards are known in connection with the proper administration of therapeutic dosages. Side effects of too much tea consumption can be heart palpitations, insomnia or anxiety, similar to the effects of drinking too much coffee.
Recipes For You to Try
You can purchase green teabags at any grocery store, but I prefer loose green tea, available at natural foods stores by the ounce or the pound. Here's one of my favorite ways to use it:
For a 4-cup teapot, slice about 6 pieces of ginger and/or turmeric ('olena), place 4 or more teaspoons of green tea into a tea ball or strainer, add 3-4 sprigs of mint or flavored basil (I love the clove-scented Holy Basil), and fill the pot with boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes, then pour and enjoy. The health benefits of the ginger and other herbs make this a great way to start your day-- plus, you'll get a little caffeine boost as well.
Francis Zee includes the following recipe in the booklet he co-authored, Small-scale Tea Growing and Processing in Hawai`i (available from the UH Cooperative Extension Service, www.ctahr.hawaii.edu or (808) 956-7046):
Espresso or "Kung Fu" Tea
This interesting infusion is intense in flavor and slightly insipid, but the coating, fragrance and after-notes are strong and pleasant.
1. Fill a clay teapot one third to half full with tea leaves.
2. Add boiling water and steep for only 30-40 seconds.
3. Strain the tea into a serving container, then pour into small teacups or sake cups.
Time for Green Tea, Big Time, on Big Island
Little did I know when I was growing up, but the iced tea my mother served at dinnertime was a health food. Today we know that tea, especially green tea, is a powerful antioxidant that inhibits the formation of certain types of cancer. And its popularity is increasing by leaps and bounds, as increased sales put it on the list of top-selling herbal products in the mass market.
The Pros Here Are Already Growing Green Tea
Green tea cultivation has begun in earnest on this island: the US Department of Agriculture and the UH College of Tropical Agriculture (among others) are conducting field tests and researching markets for beginning an industry in Hawai`i that will develop a "unique Hawai`i tea product into a regional brand utilizing small field and processing technology... Our tea will exhibit high taste qualities, be grown under pesticide-free conditions, and will feature the beneficial health aspects commonly associated with tea," according to CTAHR promotional literature.
September Workshop Was Fun and Educational
On September 9, I attended "The Hawai`i Value-Added Tea Project Conference and Mealani Tea Processing Facility Blessing" near Waimea. The theme was "Investigating the Potential of Tea as a High Value Niche Market Crop for Hawai`i." Co-sponsored by the UH College of Tropical Agriculture and the Hawai`i Tea Society, this event included speakers from Taiwan, Hawai`i and Los Angeles, a walking tour of the fields where the tea is being grown without pesticides or herbicides, and a visit to the processing facility, which contains sophisticated equipment used to process the tea.
But the best part, for me anyway, was tasting the various types of tea, much like a wine tasting event. Participants swirled and gargled the teas and we ranked the taste in categories like "aroma," "earthiness," and "fruitiness." Teas from Japan, China and India were served... who knew that there are so many different kinds! Names new to me included Huangshan Maofeng from China's Yellow Mountains, Ono-en Shin Cha from Japan, Jade Pouchong from Taiwan (my favorite), and Assam and Ceylon silver tips from India. Overseeing the tasting was Byron Goo, who runs "The Tea Chest" in Honolulu. His handout included interesting descriptions like this one about the Jade Pouchong: "This Jade standard oolong offers crisp, assertive floral tones with mellow astringency." If you ever thought, like me, that tea is just tea, you're in for a very pleasant awakening if you investigate the different types from around the globe.
State Representative Dwight Takamine said, "This is only a beginning." And Dr. Francis Zee, a horticulturist with USDA, said that farmers stand to improve their standard of living when they grow crops that yield more income. "That's the difference between commodity and niche marketing." I say, let's explore all possible markets and get on the bandwagon in this exciting agricultural development.
The Hawai`i Tea Society Is Doing Great Work
President Eva Lee of the Hawai`i Tea Society is working to encourage and maintain a spirit of cooperation among its members for the development of tea culture and the blossoming tea industry in Hawai`i, as well as to pursue and encourage education, hybridization and promotion of Hawaiian grown and manufactured tea. Eva told me that the type of tea you choose and the way you steep it can determine the flavor of tea. For example, she says, "The purity of green tea can allow for surprising flavors that you might think includes other herbs." She recommends the following web site as an excellent one if you're interested in learning more about tea: www.imperialtea.com. It includes information about the different varieties of tea and how to prepare them. They also offer tea for purchase as well as charming clay teapots from the town of Yixing in China, among other nice gift items. You can reach the Hawai`i Tea Society at teahawaii@aol.com.
Tea Is Amazingly Safe
According to Michael Tierra in The Way of Herbs, green tea is a stimulant (it has caffeine), diuretic (increases urination), and an astringent (constricts or binds, meaning that it's useful for stopping hemorrhages and secretions). It also halts diarrhea. Green tea mouthwash inhibits the growth of cavity-associated bacteria. Most importantly, several clinical studies have proven that green tea helps to prevent certain types of cancer, especially cancers of the pancreas, colon, small intestine, stomach, breast and lung. (Physician's Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines) Recent research shows that green tea may also be useful in preventing osteoarthritis by blocking the body's enzyme that destroys cartilage. (American Botanical Council, www.herbalgram.org)
No health hazards are known in connection with the proper administration of therapeutic dosages. Side effects of too much tea consumption can be heart palpitations, insomnia or anxiety, similar to the effects of drinking too much coffee.
Recipes For You to Try
You can purchase green teabags at any grocery store, but I prefer loose green tea, available at natural foods stores by the ounce or the pound. Here's one of my favorite ways to use it:
For a 4-cup teapot, slice about 6 pieces of ginger and/or turmeric ('olena), place 4 or more teaspoons of green tea into a tea ball or strainer, add 3-4 sprigs of mint or flavored basil (I love the clove-scented Holy Basil), and fill the pot with boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes, then pour and enjoy. The health benefits of the ginger and other herbs make this a great way to start your day-- plus, you'll get a little caffeine boost as well.
Francis Zee includes the following recipe in the booklet he co-authored, Small-scale Tea Growing and Processing in Hawai`i (available from the UH Cooperative Extension Service, www.ctahr.hawaii.edu or (808) 956-7046):
Espresso or "Kung Fu" Tea
This interesting infusion is intense in flavor and slightly insipid, but the coating, fragrance and after-notes are strong and pleasant.
1. Fill a clay teapot one third to half full with tea leaves.
2. Add boiling water and steep for only 30-40 seconds.
3. Strain the tea into a serving container, then pour into small teacups or sake cups.
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