Green Tea, Dragonwell, and Glassware questions

[fire_snake]

Hello everyone, I'm new around here. I have a few questions. Forgive me if I seem a little green at all this.

I have a good bit of average-quality Dragonwell (I'm guessing nowhere near West Lake) from Teaopia. It's just for starters. I figure I'd benefit from acquainting myself with the bad-to-average before moving on to the higher-quality leaves.

Dragonwell seems to agree with me and I plan to make it an everyday tea and build my "tea-lifestyle" around it. My main concern is to reap maximum health benefits. Cancer and heart disease run in my family (though I'm very healthy and live a healthful lifestyle), so I want to ensure that I do all I can to consume the best liquids possible, aside from water. To this end, I assume that 1) green tea has the most to offer in this regard (as opposed to pu-erh, etc.) and 2) that a good Dragonwell will be just as good as a good Sencha or Matcha. Although I've heard talk that Matcha is the highest iteration of healthful tea. Something about consuming the whole leaf in powdered form. I've got Teaopia's pinnacle Matcha (their best), which I enjoy, though I'm sure much better is available. Though at $38 for a 30g tin, I'd expect it to be picked by fairies and delivered via magical unicorns.

So which tea is the most healthful on paper (assuming it's green tea at large that we're talking about.)

Next question:

I was thinking about using glassware (heat resistant) to enjoy Dragonwell. I've heard talk that it's certainly the most entertaining way to do it - seeing the leaves dance in the water and then sink to the bottom. But Is there an "ideal" way? Others use a gaiwan, some have even said they use a cast-iron pot (not sure how wise this would be.) Someone on the forums has even remarked that the only thing they let their Dragonwell touch is glass before it is consumed. I've also seen a Kyusu being used for green tea. But Japanese teaware for Chinese tea? Heaven forfend.

Any consensus on this? I find the glassware method a particularly attractive prospect, but if anyone knows a way to enhance the flavour and/or extract more of the healthful benefits I'd love to hear it.

Thanks.

Christian

[IPT]

I generally tend to use either a tall glass or gaiwan for drinking my green tea. I like the tall glass to watch the leaves dance. I use a Japanese-made glass beer cup which is tall, double walled, and looks great. It also keeps my fingers from getting burned. When I use the gaiwan, I brew and drink out of it.

[bryan_drinks_tea]

I agree with IPT. Glass method or gaiwan. It won't affect the flavor, and you'll still get all of your health benefits.


happy drinking!

[fire_snake]

Many thanks for the kind replies. It seems I'll be getting a glassware set very soon. Well, a glass kettle, a few highball glasses and even a glass gaiwan.