Powdered green tea is our No.1 recommendation.
Scientific and epidemiological studies show that drinking green tea benefits human health in many ways. However, most of these benefits seem to be enjoyed only by those who drink 7 -10 cups daily of green tea made from fresh-brewed tea leaves. This is not very convenient unless you are a serious tea drinker who does not mind making a fresh pot of tea every time.
It has been known for some time that the nutritional values and associated health benefits would be much greater if whole tea leaves were consumed instead of just tea brewed from the leaves. Green tea leaves are rich in vitamins C, A, and E, and contain various trace minerals, catechins (powerful antioxidants), and dietary fibers. By contrast, brewed tea provides only 35 to 40% of the water soluble ingredients contained in the leaves. All of the vitamins A and E, chlorophyll, non-water-soluble minerals, proteins, and dietary fibers, as well as more than half of the water-soluble vitamins and other nutrients, are wasted in the discarded tea leaves.
Using a recently developed high-tech ceramic grinder, tea leaves picked by the Suzuki's in late-April/early- May when the flavor and nutritional values are at peak are ground into fine powder that dissolves in hot or cold water. The low-temperature slow-grinding process takes 17 hours to grind one batch of tea leaves while preserving the flavor and nutritional contents.
Instructions:
1 packet contains 40 grams (1.4 oz) of green tea powder.
Makes approximately 40 cups of tea.
Put 1 teaspoon of powder (approx. 1 gram) into a teacup and pour in 100ml of hot or cold water. If the powder gets clumpy, use a metal mesh strainer and a spoon to break up and sift the clumps into a teacup before pouring water. If not drunk right away, some of the powder will settle to the bottom of your cup, so simply stir again and drink up the whole thing.
It is soluble in cold water, but more vigorous stirring with a bamboo whisk or shaking in a water-bottle is needed (or you can dissolve the powder in a small amount of hot water and then add ice water.)
You can also put the powder in ice cream, yogurt, soy milk, cookies, pancakes, muffins, pasta, and salad dressing, or experiment with it to create your own recipe.
Keep the bag tightly sealed and store it in a cool, dry place after opening the package, as green tea is rather delicate and susceptible to moisture in the air.
