Description:Bancha tea or Camellia sinensis is a traditional Japanese green tea typically consumed as an everyday beverage. While there is some variation, this loose leaf tea is a yellowish brown color when brewed. With less caffeine and tannins than many other black or green teas, Bancha tea has a light, slightly sweet flavor that some describe as toasty.
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Because of its mild quality, Bancha tea is particularly well suited to accompany meals. One reason this is a particularly popular Japanese green tea is that the light flavor compliments, rather than overwhelms, the flavors of a meal. To insure best results, this tea, like other green teas, should steep for 30 seconds to 2 minutes at most. Steeping any longer can distort its mild flavor and create a bitter aftertaste.
While different varieties of Japanese green tea are distinguished by the time of year in which they are harvested, Bancha tea refers to harvests made during the summer or autumn. Leaves and stems pruned from bushes for loose teas at this time of the year are course and more mature than other varieties. These leaves are typically not ground after harvesting.
In addition to everyday enjoyment, Bancha tea has healthful nutritional properties. It carries quantities of vitamin A as well as critical minerals – calcium, niacin and iron. Traditional Asian medicine commonly uses it to aid in digestion and strengthen the metabolism.
