Green Tea & Black Tea (Camellia sinensis Theaceae)

Other Names: None

Originating from China and India, Camellia sinensis is a key agricultural crop. Green and black tea come from the same shrub, which can grow up to 10 meters but is often pruned to 1 meter. It has fragrant white flowers and rounded pod fruits. The leaves differ in processing: green tea is steamed, while black tea is fermented.

Parts for Use

Leaves

1. Harvested year-round, typically by hand, focusing on leaf buds and the two youngest leaves for a stronger aroma.
2. Used in infusions, often alone or mixed with herbs like mint or lemon, and in pharmaceutical powders and extracts.
3. Green tea retains more potent active compounds compared to fermented black tea.

Ingredients

Contains caffeine (stimulant), phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tannins. Green tea’s polyphenols are more potent due to minimal processing, enhancing its medicinal effects compared to black tea.

Use in Treatment

Used for millennia as a beverage and medicine, green tea is prized in Chinese medicine for headaches, depression, and fatigue, with beliefs it extends life. Animal studies show green tea’s polyphenols (antioxidants) may slow prostate, pancreatic, and colon cancer by inhibiting carcinogenic substances like nitrosamines. Both teas’ caffeine provides diuretic and stimulant effects, aiding nervous exhaustion and weight loss. Tannins help treat diarrhea, while tea’s antibacterial properties combat infections. Externally, chilled tea extract soothes eye fatigue and skin inflammation, with a 2002 study confirming anti-inflammatory properties of tea pigments.

Cultivation

Thrives in warm, humid climates, requiring heated greenhouses in non-tropical regions.

Preparation and Dosage

For Internal Use (Nervous Exhaustion, Weight Loss, Diarrhea)

1. Infusion: Steep 1 tsp green or black tea in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes, drink 2 cups daily.
2. Capsules (375 mg green tea extract): Take 2 capsules in the morning and 2 at lunchtime.

Warnings

1. Limit intake during pregnancy.
2. Avoid evening consumption to prevent insomnia.
3. Excessive intake may cause anxiety, indigestion, or constipation due to high caffeine levels.