What is the difference between sencha and green tea? Recommended ways to drink them.

Sencha is one of the major types of tea, and some households usually drink sencha as their main tea.

In this article, we will discuss what kind of tea leaves Sencha is, as well as the differences from green tea and recommended brewing methods.



Definition of Sencha
Sencha is a steamed, unfermented tea grown without sunlight.
Steaming tea leaves stops the enzymes that promote fermentation and keeps the tea leaves in a green state.
Another characteristic of sencha is that it is not powdered like powdered green tea, but rather the tea leaves are left in their original form before being brewed and consumed.



Is Sencha rich in vitamins?
Sencha contains more vitamin C than other teas such as hojicha, with 60 mg of vitamin C per 100 cc of boiled sencha.
For reference, one lemon contains about 20 mg of vitamin C, so drinking a small cup of sencha tea provides more vitamin C than a lemon.





Sencha is good for beauty and health!
In addition to vitamin C, sencha tea contains polyphenols and caffeine, which may have anti-aging and fatigue-relieving effects.

Therefore, if you are concerned about your skin condition or want to live a healthy and energetic life, why not make it a habit to drink sencha?



Difference between Sencha and Green Tea
Sencha is part of the larger category of green tea.
It is called green tea for all tea leaves that are not fermented. Among green teas, there are two types: those grown in sunlight and those not grown in sunlight, and those grown over heat (steamed or kettle-fired) or finished.
One type of green tea grown in sunlight is called sencha.

After Sencha is steamed and dried, it is sorted according to the size and shape of the tea leaves.
The tea leaves are then heated according to their size to enhance their aroma and flavor.
In some cases, fire-quenching is done before the tea leaves are sorted.



Finally, the tea leaves are blended together in a process called gougumi.
This is the blending of tea leaves from different growing regions and harvest seasons to produce tea leaves that have the same flavor as the previous year.



Is Sencha perfect for the dinner table?
Sencha is a good match for the dinner table.
Sencha's moderate bitterness, astringency, and flavor make it a good match for both Japanese and Western cuisine.
Therefore, in addition to enjoying Sencha alone at tea time, we also recommend drinking Sencha with meals and snacks.



Recommended way to drink Sencha
Pour 300 ml of hot water over 3 g of tea leaves and wait 60 seconds to brew a cup of Sencha with a moderate flavor.
The temperature of the water should be 80℃.
The second brewing of hot water will have more bitterness and astringency than the first brewing, and will have a tea-like flavor that goes well with sweets, especially sweet Japanese sweets.



As for mizudashi, pour 300ml of water (0-30℃) into 3g of tea leaves and wait for 5 hours to make a refreshing cold tea.
Brewing with mizudashi gives a mellower taste with less bitterness and astringency compared to brewing with hot water.



Conclusion
Sencha, a type of green tea, has a moderate bitterness, astringency, and flavor, making it ideal for the dinner table.
Sencha is also rich in vitamin C, which is another characteristic of sencha, and is expected to provide beauty and health benefits.
Sencha can be served with or without hot water, so you can enjoy it with or without hot water, depending on your mood.