Most Healthy Sencha Style?

[bambooforest]

Greetings and salutations.

I read an interesting article that seems to suggest that fukamushi sencha is the healthiest style of sencha because more of the tea sediment ends up in your cup due to the nature of the increased steaming of the leaf.

Just thought I'd share the article:

http://www.denstea.com/green_tea_health.html#fukamushi

[AdamMY]

While the argument makes sense, the study seems a bit suspect. For one its is basically done through taking a survey of data, and no actual measurements of the change of health resulting from drinking only Fukamushi, as opposed to those drinking only Asamushi, as opposed to those drinking none.

I mean it makes sense, as many have claimed that Matcha is one of the healthiest styles of tea because you are drinking the tea leaf with the tea. But then again just looking at this from a data mining perspective if we collected enough data on everyone in the entire world there will be significant aberrations by geographical area for certain things, some of which can be explained others which may not be able to.

But I think this is best summed up with Correlation does not imply Causality. Even if a doctors fall into this trap.

[bambooforest]

Personally, I am not yet sold that matcha or fukamushi is healthier than, say, asamushi.

How do we know how much of the leaf particles can actually be absorbed and how well?

I agree, the evidence used in this article is anything but proof. I find it as more of a thought piece. More of a point for discussion than coming away with any concrete conclusion.

Generally, my favorite style of sencha is mid steamed. That remains true even though the vast majority of my current supply is asamushi.

[Kevangogh]

There was a popular TV show here in Japan last year claiming fukamushi was the healthiest. Thus, we are seeing tons of fukamushi out of Shizuoka this year.

[edkrueger]

I am not really convinced of tea health benefits in general. The fukamushi argument seems plausible, but I can see a plausible argument for why asamushi might be healthier. There are plenty of claims that "over" cooking vegetables might destroy certain healthy enzymes. The same might be true of tea.

[AdamMY]

There are plenty of claims that "over" cooking vegetables.

Well it is not just "over" cooking, I heard it is mostly cooking in general, and the longer you cook the items the more they loose.

[entropyembrace]

I am not really convinced of tea health benefits in general. The fukamushi argument seems plausible, but I can see a plausible argument for why asamushi might be healthier. There are plenty of claims that "over" cooking vegetables might destroy certain healthy enzymes. The same might be true of tea.

I´m suprised you´re repeating that Ed...as far as I can tell that´s mostly new age pseudoscience that raw foodists spread as I´m not aware of any case of the human body being able to utilize foreign enzymes other than those of symbiotic gut bacteria.

[AdamMY]

I´m suprised you´re repeating that Ed...as far as I can tell that´s mostly new age pseudoscience that raw foodists spread as I´m not aware of any case of the human body being able to utilize foreign enzymes other than those of symbiotic gut bacteria.

I personally yield to your knowledge on this, as Biology is one science I never excessively studied beyond standard high school curriculum. Although if we change Enzymes to Vitamins, could the phrase potentially then be true? (In this case I am not familiar enough with the Chemistry going on here).

[entropyembrace]

Yes, some vitamins can be broken down at cooking temperatures...for example vitamin C (ascorbic acid) around 190ºC and the human body isn´t capable of synthesizing vitamin C.

[edkrueger]

I am not really convinced of tea health benefits in general. The fukamushi argument seems plausible, but I can see a plausible argument for why asamushi might be healthier. There are plenty of claims that "over" cooking vegetables might destroy certain healthy enzymes. The same might be true of tea.

I´m suprised you´re repeating that Ed...as far as I can tell that´s mostly new age pseudoscience that raw foodists spread as I´m not aware of any case of the human body being able to utilize foreign enzymes other than those of symbiotic gut bacteria.

Oh, I agree. I was just pointing that you can make up a story for anything being healthier. I wrote "claims" to imply skepticism.