Background 

Green tea is perceived as one of the healthiest teas in the world. This tea can be sipped with no additives, in it’sits pure form. Now let’s focus on a bit of history about this wonderful tea type. 

History of Green Tea

Green tea was first discovered around 2737 B.C by the Chinese emperor Shen Nong. The discovery was unintentional. The emperor mistakenly sipped water with a tea leaf boiled inside. He found the flavor refreshing. Even though written records trace the green tea cultivation as far back as 206-220 A.D., when its main usage was for medicinal purposes. “The Classic of Tea” written by Lu Yu around 800 A.D., became the first written work to explain green tea drinking culture and art.

Meanwhile, green tea is claimed to have been popularized in Japan around 1190 A.D., when a Zen priest visiting and studying in China’s great Buddhist monasteries and temples returned to Japan with tea plant seeds and bushes. It was not until the 14th century that green tea became accessible to the general public in China.

Brits introduced green tea to the US in the 18th century. Green tea was eventually brought to the West in the 19th century by European explorers. 

Now you must be eager to learn about the biggest green tea producing nations in the world.  

Largest Green Tea Producing Nations 

1. China 

Some green tea types produced in China. 

China is the largest green tea producing nation in the world. Even a lifetime is insufficient to learn thoroughly on all the Chinese green teas. Now, let’s focus on some of the main Chinese green tea types

1. Dragon Well (Longjing)

Dragon well is recongnizedrecognized as the no 1 green tea crafted in China. Dragon well tea coming from the west lake regions of Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province is a treat to sip. This is a pan-fried tea and leaves have got a flat appearance. Authentic dragon well tea tastes sweet, mellow and well-rounded with a nice malty flavour. 

1. Green snail spring (Bi Luo Chun) 

Bi luo chun is a famous Chinese tea grown in Dong Ting Mountain by Taihu Lake, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Green snail tea gives a delicate hint of peach fragrance and a wonderful aroma. Leaves are green-side providing fresh, soft and sweet fruity flavors. You can find hints of apricot with no astringency. The flavor is warm and soft.

1. Gunpowder

Gunpowder is a popular tea also known as zhuchá in Chinese, originating in Zhejiang but now this tea is grown in other provinces of China as well. Gunpowder tea is the main ingredient for  Moroccanfor Moroccan style mint green tea. This tea type is exported out to big importers like Morocco and Uzbekistan. The taste of gunpowder green tea is savory, round and woody

1. Chun Mee

The meaning of chun mee is “precious eyebrows”; from Jiangxi province. Now it is grown in provinces like Hunan as well. This tea has a light tangy sweetness, with a nice well-rounded flavour and aftertaste. 

1. Lushan Yunwu 

Yunwu tea is a traditional green tea grown in Mt. Lushan, Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province. Yunwu tea grows where the humidity is high throughout the year. Sufficient rainfall and little variations in temperature gives yunwu tea a distinctive flavor. With the verdant, neat and plump tea leaves, covered with sufficient white fur, Lushan Yunwu tea gives a strong and a long-lasting smell. After brewing, the brew is faint yellow.

1. Xin Yang Mao Jian

Xin Yang Mao Jian is a popular Chinese green tea grown in Xinyang City, Henan Province, Central China. It’s also known as Green Tip, or Tippy Green. Maojian tea is slim and straight in shape. It has a chestnut like aroma and a fresh taste. When brew, the brew is yellowish green in color.

1. Monkey Chief Tea 

This is the biggest Chinese green tea in size growing in Taiping County, Huangshan City. Monkey Chief Tea has got a very unique shape, with two leaves wrapping a bud. These leaves are flat just like dragon well, straight and of dark green in color. After brewing, tea brew is very green and clear, and has long-lasting fragrance. This Tea gives an orchid fragrance, with fresh, sweet and mellow taste.

1. Huangshan Maofeng 

Huangshan Maofeng can also be called as “Yellow Mountain Fur Peak”. This tea is grown in yellow Mountain in Huangshan City, Anhui Province. These tea leaves are slightly curl like a bird’s tongue. The tea brew is clear and yellowish with a long-lasting flavor and the aroma of orchid or Chinese chestnut. 

1. Yu Lu

This is a steamed tea also known as Gyokuro (Jade Dew) in Japanese, made in the Japanese style. The taste is light and smooth, without pronounced umami flavors or astringency.

2. Japan

Tea is a way of Life in Japan. This Island nation is well-renowned for growing tea in the southwest of Japan. Japan produces around 83 183 million kilos pounds (83 mil kg) of green tea annually. Japanese culture of discipline and devotion have created great traditions and rituals in celebration of tea. 

Below are some of the most popular green tea types produced in Japan, 

Some of Japanese Tea Types 

Source: https://www.teacurry.com/blogs/tea-basics-tips/what-are-the-different-types-of-green-tea

Some of Japanese Tea Types

Source: https://gurunavi.com/en/japanfoodie/2016/11/types-of-japanese-tea.html?__ngt__=TT135ad12ca002ac1e4ae520tSUaynU7ElZusYD8LMNB9I

Sencha: Sencha makes up more than eighty percent of the tea produced in Japan and is the most popular tea sipped in households and outside throughout the nation. It is manufactured from tea leaves that are steamed and then rolled into long, skinny strands. Sencha has a fresh, herbal, or grassy flavor, that can have notes of grass, kale, Brussel sprouts, kiwi, and spinach depending on how long the tea is steeped.

Hojicha: Sencha tea is roasted over high temperature to make Hojich. This tea has got a roasted, nutty flavor. Application of high heat helps minimizing the caffeine content of tea.

Genmaicha: This is mix of Sencha leaves and roasted and popped rice, Genmaicha has got a toasty taste that is a popular tea type served with food.

Gyokoro:. The tea flushes intend to use for the production of gyokuro tea are shaded during last couple of weeks prior to plucking in order to intensify the color and flavor of tea. During manufacture, leaves are rolled into its typical thin needlelike shape. Gyokoro is recognized as Japan’s most treasured tea. The brew is full-bodied, with a taste similar to seaweed and grasses, followed by a considerable sweetness.

Matcha: Shade-grown like Gyokoro, the tea leaves that make Matcha are ground into a very fine powder instead of shaped and rolled. Matcha is served at Japanese tea ceremonies and has become a popular ingredient for cooking. Matcha Green Tea has a complex flavor profile with mellow vegetal grassy notes, natural sweet nuttiness, a touch of bitterness with a pleasant savory ending

3. Indonesia 

Indonesia produces around 38 84 million kilos pounds (38 mil kg) of green tea each year. The mountainous islands of Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi in Indonesia has got favourable climatic conditions to grow tea, with bit cooler temperatures than those found elsewhere in Indonesia.

4. Vietnam 

The well-known tea from Vietnam is the green tea from Tan Cuong in Thai Nguyen Province is one of the two in the country that has been achieved Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) by the local government. Vietnam produces around 30 66 million kilos pounds (30 mil kg) of green tea annually.

5. Korea 

Korea is ranked 30th among the world’s 35 tea-producing countries. The nation produces around 100 metric tons of tea every year. Koreans consume more than three-quarters of its production within the country.

Now you must be wondering who are the biggest tea drinking nations in the world. Below are some of the largest green tea consuming nations and their per-capita consumption rates. 

Morocco: 2.71.22Kg per head lb per person 

Japan: 2.10.97Kg per head lb per person 

Uzbekistan: 1.90.87Kg per head lb per person

China: 1.60.57Kg per head lb per person 

Even though the figure in China is lower compared to other three nations, Chinese people  actuallypeople actually drink more cups of tea than it appears. Because Chinese consumers pour tea leaves several time and have multiple brews from the same amount of leaves.  

Largest Green Tea Importing Nations 

Considering above green tea import figures, USA, France, Hong Kong and Netherlands can also be considered as main green tea drinking nations. 

Caffeine in Green Tea 

Generally, a cup of green tea contains about 15-48mg of caffeine per serving. But a typical serving of matcha is between 2–4 grams (1/2–1 teaspoon), which would then contain anywhere between 38–176 mg of caffeine. This measurement varies depending on how long the tea is steeped. The longer the steep time, the higher the caffeine content will be.