There is a saying in Japan “Even if it returns 7 “Ri” (unit of distance, 17 miles/27km), go home and drink green tea in the morning”. It is because having Japanese green tea in the morning is healthy, and it prevents misfortune.

Let’s start a healthy mourning routine “morning Japanese green tea”. It is called 朝茶 (asacha) in Japanese. Let me introduce what it is and its’ healthy effect.

What is “Morning Japanese Green Tea”?

“Morning Green Tea” refers to a morning routine to drink green tea. It’s a hassle to boil water and brew tea? However, having Japanese green tea in the morning is said to have various positive effects on your mind and body.

The Healthy Effect

The followings are typical effects of “morning Japanese green tea”.

Awakening effect by caffeine

As you know, caffeine gets rid of your drowsiness.

Some people say that caffeine has a negative effect on your body. Of course, excessive caffeine is not good. Yet, it’s not bad for you if you keep the right amount. According to scientists at the FDA, up to 400mg of caffeine a day appears to be safe for most healthy adults.

Furthermore, the amount of caffeine in green tea is not so much compare to coffee. The amount of caffeine in 100ml (3.38oz) of Sentya (a type of Japanese green tea) is 20mg. It contains 60mg of caffeine in 100ml (3.38oz) of coffee.

Relaxing effect of theanine

Theanine is a type of amino acid and is said to have the effect of releasing stress. A good point of green tea is that you can obtain both awakening and relaxing effects at the same time. It wakes you up while relaxing your mind and body.

Health benefits of catechin

Catechin has a lot of healthy benefits. For example, it is effective for antivirus, improving  your immune system, preventing halitosis, and moderating the elevation of blood sugar level

Tips for “Morning Japanese Green Tea”

The followings are tips for “morning Japanese green tea”.

Have freshly brewed tea in a teapot

It tastes much better to have freshly brewed tea rather than having the tea brewed the day before. Hot tea is better, but it’s okay to have cold-brew tea when it’s hot.

Do not reuse used tea leaves, use fresh tea leaves

It’s important to use fresh tea leaves to brew green tea. Used tea leaves don’t taste good, and the health benefits are almost none left.

Organic vs non-organic

There are strict regulations about the amount of pesticides used in tea in Japan. It is considered that it has no effect even if you consume it every day all through your life. Of course, the regulations are determined considering other pesticides in the food we eat every day.

If you are still worried about pesticides, choose organic green tea. Organic is called オーガニック (organic) or 有機 (yuki) in Japanese. Pesticides free is called 無農薬 (munouyaku) in Japanese.

Also, it is a good idea to choose 新茶 (shincha), newly-picked tea. Newly-picked tea is picked from April to May. Only little pesticides are used during the period because there are still few pests.

The second-picked tea or later are picked in summer. As the number of pests increases, the amount of pesticides used increases.

Have 2 cups of green tea

Generally, having a cup of tea is considered not auspicious in Japan. It is because one cup of tea, one cup of soup, and one bowl of rice are offered at the funeral. If possible, you want to have enough time to have 2 cups of green tea.

But, Japanese teacups tend to be small. If you have tea in a mug, one cup of tea should be fine.

Do not put any sweetener

Japanese rarely put sweeteners into green tea. Try to enjoy the full flavor of the tea leaves.

Additionally, having sweet tea makes your blood sugar level go up extremely rapidly that causes a lot of troubles for your body. If you want to have sweet tea, have it after breakfast.

Have a cup of tea at the beginning of the day

Thank you for reading!

Many people have busy lives, but it’s a great idea to have a little time to take a break with a cup of tea at the beginning of the day. “Morning Japanese Green Tea” should help you reboot your mind and body and get a vibrant start.

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