Also called gunpowder tea, it originates from the Zhejiang region of China. It is a type of grayish green tea that when brewed is rolled into a round shape. Its texture and color resembles the gunpowder used in the muskets of European merchantmen of the 18th century. In this post you will learn what gunpowder tea is , flavor, uses and recipes.
To make this tea, its leaves are vaporized, rounded and roasted, thus concentrating a greater amount of properties and for a longer time. When you add hot water to these tea balls, they open up and release their nutrients. The infusion acquires a yellowish color, but its flavor is more intense, with more character and astringent than the Green Tea.
Gunpowder Tea Flavors
The taste of a gunpowder brew is somewhat bitter when hot water is added to it. It is recommended to use one gram of gunpowder tea for every 60 ml of water, at a temperature of 75º for a maximum of 2 minutes. Other flavors are as follows:
Gunpowder Pingshui
It is the original and common variety. It has large pellets and its color is brighter, which indicates that it is fresh, and if they are small, it means that it is of good quality. It is different from Japanese green tea, which is more subtle and has a strong, aromatic flavor.
The aroma of this variety of tea is robust, soft and dry. Excellent to drink daily, even in ice cream, which by including mint is good to refresh the palate after a very spicy meal.
Gunpowder Formosa
This variety is produced in Taiwan, its aroma is different from the one produced in China. It resembles Oolong tea, with more mature leaves and a mild, palatable flavor. It contains a lot of caffeine and is ideal to drink with mint.
Ceylon
This variety of gunpowder tea is cultivated in the highlands of Sri Lanka. Its pellets are tight and the brew that is obtained is very rich.
What is gunpowder tea used for?
This green tea is considered appropriate to aid weight loss, but what else is it good for?
Like other types of teas, gunpowder tea has a large amount of antioxidants that protect the body from diseases. For example, it reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke.
On the other hand, it has antiviral and antibacterial properties, so it helps fight colds and flu, as well as fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Among them, herpes, helicobacter pylori and candida albicans.
Reduces the risks of cavities
There are studies that indicate that its components have a positive impact on teeth and gums. Eliminating the batteries that cause cavities.
strengthens the bones
Osteoporosis is a disease that affects both men and women, being more prone to the latter. Drinking gunpowder tea is said to help increase bone density by 5%. In addition, it reduces the loss of bone mass, thus avoiding fractures.
Gunpowder Tea Side Effects
Gunpowder tea is healthy, however, it is advised not to exceed its consumption due to the caffeine it contains. It is advisable to consume 400 mg of caffeine daily in adults, that would be equivalent to about 10 cups a day, although there are certain factors that must be considered.
- Excess gunpowder tea can cause nervousness, sleeplessness, irritability, headaches, and increased heart rate.
- It can affect pregnancy. The consumption of this type of tea is not recommended for pregnant or lactating women. It could harm the good development of the baby.
- It affects blood pressure. Due to the effects of caffeine, it could affect blood pressure.
- It absorbs iron. Another risk is that it can cause difficulty for iron to be assimilated during the diet. In this sense, people suffering from anemia would be the most affected. It is important to note that the absorption of iron when drinking this tea between meals is very minimal.
Gunpowder Tea Recipes
There are some recipes that can be prepared with this type of tea. Let’s look at two of them.
traditional gunpowder tea
To prepare this drink correctly, first, we must gather the following ingredients:
- three grams of gunpowder tea.
- 200 ml of water.
Preparation method:
- In a pot, heat the water to a temperature of 80º.
- Pour some water into the teapot and cup, then discard it.
- Add the tea leaves and let infuse for about 3 minutes.
- When pouring it into the cup that is little by little to gain strength.
iced gunpowder tea
This preparation is made using gunpowder tea bags.
Ingredients:
- 25 gunpowder tea bags.
- Slices of a cucumber.
- Slices of 4 lemons.
- 20 mint leaves.
- 1 kg of ice cubes
The preparation is like this:
- Boil the 8 liters of water and let the tea bags infuse for 10 minutes.
- Once the time has elapsed, remove the bags.
- Once it is at room temperature, store the preparation in the fridge.
- When it is cold, add the rest of the ingredients: the cucumber slices, the lemon slices, the mint and the ice.
You already know that the next time you go to the store to buy gunpowder tea, don’t forget to drink it with friends and family. They will like it!