Sencha is a type of Japanese ryokucha (, green tea) that is prepared by infusing the processed whole tea leaves in hot water. This is as opposed to matcha, powdered Japanese green tea, where the green tea powder is mixed with hot water and therefore the leaf itself is included in the beverage. Sencha is the most popular tea in Japan.
Sencha tea is known for its potential health benefits. These may include its ability to fight chronic diseases, aid in weight loss, protect the immune system, increase energy, and stimulate cognitive activity. This popular form of green tea makes up approximately 80 percent of the tea produced in Japan, a major tea-drinking nation.
What is Sencha Tea?
Sencha tea is a Japanese ryokucha (green tea), which is brewed with whole leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, giving the tea several impressive health benefits and a delicious, soothing flavor. The tea is yellow and is produced from the top buds and leaves of tea plants. It has a light aroma and bitter-sweet taste. Green tea refers to a type of tea that is not treated or processed in any way. Therefore, sencha, being a green tea, better retains its nutrients and active ingredients. [rx]
Types of Sencha Tea
There are many types of sencha teas, the most popular ones are listed below.
- Shincha: Also known as “new tea”, this sencha tea has a sweeter taste and is harvested in the spring season.
- Asamushi Sencha: This tea is a lightly steamed form of sencha green tea with a mild flavor.
- Fukamushi sencha: Fukamushi is a strong tea made by steeping the leaves for a longer duration. It has a dark color and rich flavor.
- Chumash sencha: This sencha tea is a blend of the asamushi and fukamushi sencha teas. It is a moderately steamed tea with a yellowish-green color and a mild buttery flavor.
Sencha Tea Nutrition Facts
The health benefits derived from all teas, including sencha tea, maybe in large part due to antioxidants, catechins, vitamin C, beta-carotene, folic acid, saponins, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus found in these nutrient-dense leaves. It also contains caffeine, which is a major contributor to many of the health benefits. [rx]
Caffeine Content in Sencha
Green tea, including sencha, contains a moderate amount of caffeine. Depending on the variety and brew, sencha can contain between 12 and 75 milligrams of caffeine, comparable to 80 to 200 milligrams of caffeine in a cup of coffee. Thanks to a short brew time, most cups hover around 20 to 30 milligrams. Chinese sencha, which is typically roasted, has lower levels of caffeine than most Japanese green teas. Shade-grown green tea has higher levels of caffeine.
Sencha Tea Benefits
Sencha tea confers the following benefits
- Might Have Anticancer Properties – Like most types of green tea, sencha tea may be rich in antioxidants, which seek out free radicals and might help prevent oxidative stress in the body. An epidemiological study by Kazue Imai, et al. suggests that green tea may potentially have anticancer properties in humans. Also, the presence of polyphenols such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) may help induce cell death or apoptosis in cancerous cells. [rx] [rx] This research also suggests that the intake of green tea may lower the risk of prostate cancer. However, other studies indicate no clear evidence of the anticancer properties of green tea. [rx] More studies and clinical trials are required to confirm the anticancer activity of sencha tea or green tea against different types of cancer. [rx]
- May Boost Metabolism – Caffeinated beverages, of which tea is one, are thought to be very good for stimulating metabolism, which may improve passive fat-burning in the body. Sencha tea may not have as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, but it does have more caffeine than the majority of tea varieties out there. It can be also an important beverage to incorporate in many weight-loss diets. [rx] [rx]
- May Boost Energy – The rich blend of vitamins, minerals, caffeine, and antioxidants found in this green tea variety may make it very effective as an energy booster. If you want to increase productivity with a clear mind and a lower risk of a caffeine crash, sencha tea might be an excellent choice. [rx]
- May Lower Blood Pressure – Studies have shown that, despite having a significant amount of caffeine, green tea may help lower blood pressure and prevent excess strain on the heart. This can be beneficial for those at high risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. [rx]
- May Stimulate Cognition – Sencha tea has long been considered a brain stimulant, and the antioxidants found in this tea may stimulate neural pathways and prevent oxidative stress in the brain, which results in the deposition of plaque. This tea may help keep your mind sharp and focused, even as you age, and lowers your risk of developing cognitive disorders. [rx]
- May Reduce Cholesterol Levels – In addition to lowering blood pressure, sencha tea is thought to reduce LDL or bad cholesterol levels, as shown in some animal models. It is thought that the catechins in this tea may affect lipid metabolism by decreasing the absorption of fat, and thus, of triglycerides and cholesterol. This, in turn, may boost metabolism, aid in weight loss, and protect from several cardiovascular complications. [rx]
- May Boost Immune System – High levels of vitamin C and a host of antioxidants make this tea a perfect immune system supporter. Tea is thought to stimulate the production of white blood cells, which may fight off infections, while also speeding healing if you are suffering from a common cold or flu. [rx]
- May Help In Skin Care – The antioxidants and vitamin C in sencha tea may prove to be essential to keep the skin looking radiant, acne-free, and youthful. They also may aid in reducing the appearance of wrinkles and delaying aging by hydrating the skin. [rx]
- May Improve Oral Health – The fluorine content in sencha may help strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. Sencha tea may also assist in keeping bad breath away and protecting your mouth from various germs.
- May Be Used For Aromatherapy – Sencha tea extracts have a key role in aromatherapy as they are believed to relieve stress and lighten up the mood. Maybe that is why they are often used in incense, lotions, and soaps as well.
How to Make Sencha Tea?
You can easily make sencha tea at home, although you will need to source the tea leaves first! This tea is rarely found outside of Japan, but it is possible to find the tea leaves in certain specialty import stores.
Japanese Sencha Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tsp sencha leaves
- 2 cups of water
Instructions
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To make sencha tea, add the leaves to a teacup. You can pack the leaves into a strainer, but in Japan, allowing the leaves to steep freely is preferred, providing a richer flavor to the tea.
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Heat the water, but do not allow it to boil. If the water is too hot, it will cause the resulting tea to be bitter. Likewise, if the water is lukewarm, it produces a hearty and more wholesome flavor.
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Pour the water over the tea leaves in the cup and allow them to steep for 1-2 minutes.
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Allow the tea to cool for 1-2 minutes before serving. Pour small quantities of tea into each cup as that will help you get the best blend of strength and flavor. Ensure that the tea is consumed until the very last drop from the teapot. If even a single drop is left behind it will cause the additional brews using the same tea leaves to taste bad.
Sencha Tea Side Effects
There are some possible side effects to drinking sencha tea which include: [rx]
- Heart palpitations
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Anxiety
- Irritability
These side effects may primarily be the result of the caffeine found in this variety of green tea, and typically only occur if you drink an excessive amount. There is less caffeine in green tea than coffee, but it can still affect the body. [rx]
Risks
- Allergies: While allergies to green tea are rare, they may occur, with side effects like shortness of breath, throat swelling, skin irritation, and an upset stomach.
- Iron Deficiency: The antioxidants and polyphenolic compounds found in sencha tea may interfere with the body’s absorption of certain nutrients, namely iron, which can lead to anemia and iron deficiency if you drink a lot of this tea. Limiting your intake to 1-2 cups per day should help avoid this issue. [rx]
- Stomach Upset: Sencha tea is rich in tannins, and while these do have antioxidant properties, they may also irritate the stomach, resulting in diarrhea, nausea, cramping, and bloating. This can be best avoided by drinking sencha tea along with food and limiting your intake to no more than 2 cups per day.
- Pregnancy: Drinking caffeinated beverages during pregnancy is not recommended. Consult your doctor as to the amount and types of tea it is safe to drink.
The proper way of brewing sencha
In Japan, sencha has its own tea ceremony, a sencha-do that follows the rules of brewing, serving, and enjoying the tea. For a proper simplified everyday brewing, you will need a Japanese teapot kyusu, small sencha cups, and a kettle. Kyusu teapots have a fine mesh or ceramic strainers suitable for brewing sencha tea. The good news is, you won’t need a strainer or any additional utensils. It pays to invest in a good kyusu teapot, as you will be able to use it for almost any type of tea.
- Choose the right teaware – The perfect teapot for Japanese sencha is usually around 7-14 oz and the best cups are small Japanese cups with a bluish color. Cups should be around 3 to 5 oz. Choose the right water and boil it Quality water is essential for making a great cup of Japanese sencha tea. It’s very easy to ruin the delicate flavor and bright transparent color of sencha by choosing the wrong type of water. Springwater is the best option for brewing this tea. Always boil fresh water.
- Preheat the teapot and cups – By preheating teapots and cups in the proper way, the water will naturally cool and achieve the proper temperature for brewing sencha. Use water of around 158 °F. You can use a bit cooler water for lightly steamed teas and a bit hotter for deep-steamed sencha. However, pay attention it’s not more than 9°F difference from the recommended temperature. You can simply preheat the teapot by pouring hot water in and out and wait for the temperature to lower in the kettle. Or, you can pour the water into your kettle, leave it for a few seconds, then pour the water into the cups. By now the water should be of the right temperature for brewing sencha.
- Place sencha tea leaves in the teapot – Use at least 5 grams of tea per 7 oz teapot. Pour the water from the kettle or from the cups of you followed the previous suggestion. Using enough leaves is not only important for getting the perfect flavor but also determines how many antioxidants will your cup has. Scientists say, “the higher the ratio of water to tea leaves, the higher the extraction efficiency[rx]” of catechins.
- Wait 1-2 minutes – The first infusion should be around 1-2 minutes. Both temperature and steeping time is essential if you don’t want to ruin your tea. Make a second infusion a quick one, only a couple of seconds with slightly hotter water. The third infusion can be 40-60 seconds long.
- Tea Bags for Sencha Green – The best way to enjoy Japanese sencha is in the loose-leaf form and with using a proper teapot. However, you can use tea filters too. Sencha is very delicate, so try not to use any paper tea filters if you don’t want your tea to have a paper note. Sencha tea leaves will not expand uncontrollably, so they are suitable for tea filters. Cotton filters are a better option. Sencha is available for purchase in pre-made tea bags too.
What Is the Difference Between Sencha and Matcha?
Matcha is another popular type of Japanese green tea that derives from the same plant as sencha, but there are several key differences between sencha and matcha teas:
- Color: Matcha tea is typically a bright green color, while sencha has a more muted color that can range from light yellow to bright green.
- Taste: Sencha has a grassy, earthy flavor that evolves from astringent, to slightly sweet, to savory. Matcha also has a slightly astringent flavor but is sweeter and heavier than sencha.
- Tea Production: Sencha is a loose leaf tea where the leaves have been steamed and rolled. Matcha tea, derived from the same leaves, is ground into a fine stone-ground powder that dissolves in water or milk to make the tea.
- Brewing: Sencha is a loose leaf tea that is brewed by steeping the whole, rolled leaves in hot water. To brew matcha tea, the powder steeps and dissolves in hot water—and sometimes milk—then the mixture is frothed with a matcha whisk.
- Drinking: When people drink sencha tea, they are drinking a typical tea infused with the sencha leaves without ingesting the leaves. Matcha is a powder that is ingested in the form of a drink, so matcha tea drinkers are technically “eating” matcha rather than drinking it.
- Harvesting: Sencha comes from tea leaves that have been grown in direct sunlight, coming from the top leaves and stems of the Camellia sinensis bush. Matcha comes from tea leaves grown in the shade, and only the two leaves at the very tip of the shoot are used, the youngest part of the plant.
- Our Sencha is a very fine one, and can be found in many homes in Tokyo. It is a very approachable green tea, and a fine choice for everyday.
- Light, delicate tea handpicked in spring
- Steep for 1-3 minutes in boiling water before drinking
- The leaves from this tea are a medium lime green color. Since this is a traditional sencha (futsumushi) the leaves are more identifiable than in the deep steamed (fukamushi).
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References
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