Green Tea

part of: Tea

Green tea is one of the oldest prepared beverages in the world, originating in China several thousand years ago. Unlike black tea, the leaves are heated shortly after picking — either steamed (as in Japanese styles) or pan-fired (as in Chinese styles) — to halt oxidation, preserving the leaf’s natural green colour and delicate, vegetal flavour.

The taste varies widely depending on origin and processing. Chinese green teas like longjing (dragon well) tend to be nutty and mellow, while Japanese varieties like sencha are more intensely grassy and sometimes marine. All are typically brewed at lower temperatures than black tea, around 70–80°C, to avoid bitterness.

Green tea is served plain without milk in virtually all traditions. It has become a staple in Australian cafés and households, often enjoyed hot or iced, and is a common base for flavoured tea blends.

Farmed

photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Tea leaves are plucked from Camellia sinensis bushes, typically the top two leaves and bud. Within hours of harvest, the leaves are heated to prevent oxidation — either briefly steamed (Japanese method) or tossed in a hot wok or drum (Chinese method). The leaves are then rolled or shaped to release flavour compounds and dried. To prepare the drink, the processed leaves are steeped in hot water, usually at 70–80°C for one to three minutes, then strained.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 1kcal

Protein 0.2g

Carbs 0g

Fat 0g

Fibre 0g Sugar 0g

Mass Distribution

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈0.05kg

Freshwater ≈2.64L

Land ≈0.05m²

≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

Made from

Tea, leaves

In the kitchen

Used as

brewed hot beverage

Goes well with

jasmine honey ginger lemon mint

Classic dishes

Matcha ice cream
Green tea latte
Jasmine tea

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Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

FSANZ

How it was calculated

Analysed

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

Where to next

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