Are you one of those people who are in love with the idea of drinking green tea because of its health benefits, but you actually can’t stand green tea flavor? Well, the good news is not all green teas are created equal.
If you are used to buying the same green tea brand from your local supermarket, it might come as a surprise to learn that in China there are more than 8 varieties of green tea. Factors such as the region where the tea is grown, climate, time and methods of harvesting, as well as the way green tea is stored and prepared, can all affect the flavors of green tea. From savory and vegetative to sweet, mellow, or fruity aroma, green tea has enough varieties for even the pickiest among us to choose from.
Chinese Tea Classification and Green Tea Varieties
Conditions That Factor into the Existence of So Many Chinese Green Tea Varieties:
Growth Region & Conditioning
Green tea plantations in China are usually strategically positioned on high altitude mountains. They are shrouded in clouds and mist which helps protect tea from overexposure to sunlight. The fact that the growth regions are surrounded by lakes and trees ensures the right amount of humidity.
Moreover, humidity is an essential factor for maintaining green tea’s key nutrients, such as chlorophyll which gives it a vibrant green color as well as catechins, which are the key factor to its multiple health benefits.
Harvest Time
Harvest time is one among the most important factors that can decide the quality of the tea, as well as its price. For most of the green tea varieties, the best quality comes from the first batch. The first harvest happens in spring, before the spring rains. Traditionally this happens around the Tomb Sweeping Festival in China, in the first week of April. With every new batch, quality slightly decreases, as does the price.
Processing Technique
Chinese tea variety differs from one another and it’s easy to recognize thanks to their different shape. While in the growth stage, there might not be too many obvious differences between the tea leaves of each green tea variety. It is the processing technique that gives a distinct shape to each of them.
After picking the green tea leaves, with some varieties the leaves are folded by hands, some rolled or pressed. After that, in order to stop oxidation, they are either oven roasted, pan fried in iron pans or naturally withered.
It is the processing technique that decides the final shape of the tea leaves (some are flat, others twisted or curled) as well as how much of the delicate taste will be retained in the tea leaves, their color, flavor and aroma.
Storing Conditions
During both pre and post-harvest, as a rule green tea should avoid direct exposure to sunlight. Also, it should be kept in a dry, dark and airtight containers, away from excess of moisture. These factors can cause changes in color and flavor. To retain its freshness, it is advisable to store green tea in the fridge.
Green tea is meant to be consumed fresh, so it better to consume it within 6 months of purchase.
Price and Place of Purchase
One interesting thing I’ve observed during all my years living in China is their buying habits when it comes to tea. While we westerners will order tea off of Amazon or get it at the closest supermarkets, Chinese people rarely do that unless they’ve visited the seller and tried their tea quality.
Also, in most tea shops we are offered one price for a certain variety of green tea, but in China the price range varies according to the harvesting batch. Tea flavor and quality is at its best from the first few harvests. Generally, the first few batches will be the more expensive and harder to find. For certain varieties the price for half a kilo from the first few batches can amount to more than $500. So, in China sometimes by visiting the seller and maintain contact with them, you can get access to a better-quality tea.
How to Consume Green Tea
One very important thing to keep in mind when preparing green tea as opposed to other tea varieties is that it’s wrong to boil it in hot water or just pour water that has just boiled over your green tea leaves. This causes your tea to taste bitter, and its vibrant yellow- greenish color turns dark immediately.
For best flavor, it is advised to wait for the boiled water to cool down to at least 80C. Depending on how strong you want the flavor to be, put 1-2 teaspoons of your favorite green tea leaves in your mug and then steep it in warm water for about 3 minutes. The longer you steep it, the stronger the taste and color. At a lower water temperature, tea can be steeped longer without tasting bitter.
You can drink the tea without removing the leaves. Once soaked, the leaves will sink to the bottom of your tea mug. You can keep adding water and the leaves will keep releasing flavor throughout multiple infusions. The second infusion gives out the strongest flavor, while the first and the third are much lighter.
For best flavor, choose loose green tea leaves as opposed to tea bags. Also, green tea should be consumed right after steeping while still warm, not steeped overnight.
Green tea in all its varieties is best enjoyed without adding any sugar, sweeteners, lemon, or milk. It is advised to consume it 30-60 mins after a meal. Drinking it together with a meal can cause it to react with certain nutrients, such as iron and protein, thus inhibiting their absorption.
Chinese vs Japanese Green Tea
Most Chinese green teas are pan-fried and almost all Japanese green teas are steamed to stop the oxidation. The technique tea producers use to stop the oxidation has a big impact on the final flavor. That’s why Japanese teas are more vegetal and greener, while the Chinese are slightly nutty and sweet.
Health Benefits of Green Tea
It is known that green tea contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and chlorophyll, which are the key factors to its multiple health benefits. The number of beneficial compounds in tea will depend on many factors. From the tea varieties and growing conditions, harvesting and processing methods, storing conditions, and even the way you brew it. 12
Weight Loss: rich in antioxidants especially catechins which help to boost metabolism and burn more calories.
Relief from stress and anxiety; Its unique aromatic flavor also brings unusual calming effects.
Mental Focus and Concentration, which make it a great replacement for coffee
Helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease protects the heart by unblocking blood vessels, reducing blood pressure as well as cholesterol levels
Prevents Diabetes by lowering blood sugar thanks to its high levels of powerful antioxidants
Wards Off Cancer
Dental Health: Removes plaque, prevents tooth decay and serves as a natural breath refresher.
The Best Green Tea Varieties: A Beginners’ Guide to Green Tea
Dragon Well Green Tea 西湖龙井 Xī hú Lóngjǐng
Longjing or “Dragon Well” Tea is the most famous among the green teas. It’s grown around the West Lake area in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, East China. This type of tea has a flat texture, jade green in color, and a distinct pleasant flavor. It serves as a perfect refreshment for hot summer days. It is a great choice for both first time as well as for experienced tea drinkers.
Longjing Tea has been around for more than a thousand years. As such it has gained a reputation for exquisite quality. Throughout history this tea is known to have been the preferred beverage of emperors. Nowadays it continues to be served at high level, official state meetings, and is the preferred tea in many Chinese companies.
Longjing tea grows in the mountainous area of Zhejiang province. Growing in a moderate climate of cloudy, foggy, and rainy weather protects the tea leaves from overexposure to sun. As a result, this kind of tea is one among the richest in antioxidants. The antioxidants found in Longjing tea are called theanine (amino acid), catechins and polyphenols who act as scavengers of free radicals released from body cells.
Longjing tea has a very distinct harvesting method. Each of the leaves is folded by hands, pressed and fried in iron pans. This is the reason behind the leaves retention of their delicate taste. From steeping high-quality tea leaves, the tea has a pale-yellow green color, subtle aroma with a lingering after taste.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. As a participant in the Amazon Associate Program, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means If you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
Bìluó Chūn Green Tea 碧螺春
Biluochun tea is one of the most famous Chinese teas. It grows in the mountainous area of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province nearby Taihu Lake. Surrounded by a lake whose waters “keep the mountains shrouded in clouds and mist”, such a favorable climate is the perfect condition for growing Biluochun tea.
Another distinct trait of Biluochun tea is that is has a unique, fragrant and floral aroma. The secret to Its taste owes to the fact that fruit trees such as apricot, peach, and plum are grown around the tea shrubs. In this way the tea leaves can absorb the fruity-floral fragrance surrounding it, giving Biluochun tea a mellow taste, with a strong aroma.
Biluochun tea literally means “Green Snail Spring”. It is harvested in spring and it’s named after the small snail that heralds the arrival of spring. Also, the tea leaves are thin and slightly curved/coiled, resembling a snail shape.
As it’s typical for the green tea, Biluochun doesn’t need to undergo a fermentation process. This means that it retains the abundance of antioxidants that are beneficial for our health.
Huangshan Mao Feng 黄山毛峰
Huangshan Mao Feng is also one of the more famous Chinese teas. It partly got its name after the region it’s grown as well as its appearance. The fresh tea leaves are picked from Huangshan, the Yellow Mountain, located in Anhui province. It is one of the most beautiful mountains in China.
The second part of its name “Mao” means “hair or fur”, while “Feng” refers to a “mountain peak”. At the top of the tea leaves there are unopened tea buds which are covered with a layer of white hair, while the shape of the processed tea leaves resembles the peak of a mountain. Hence the name “Mao Feng”.
When picking this type of tea, it’s only the bud with two newly opened leaves next to it that are picked.
Depending on the region it’s grown, the tea leaves vary in size. After harvesting Mao Feng tea leaves are not pan fried to stop oxidation as it’s the case with other green teas. Instead they are naturally withered for a few hours, baked in an oven, lightly rolled and then dried. As a result, the Huangshan Mao Feng tea leaves are flat, slightly twisted and curled.
After steeping the leaves, the tea is bright yellow/green in color. Huangshan Mao Feng has a strong refreshing taste with a long-lasting mellow aroma of orchid and Chinese chestnut.
Xin Yang Mao Jian 信阳毛尖 (Loose-Leaf Green Tea)
Xinyang Maojian Tea is grown in the Xinyang area in Henan province of China. It is considered to be one of the ten best Chinese teas.
This tea got its name after the Xin Yang (信阳) city where its produced. Mao Jian translates as “fur tips” and is a reference to the tea’s appearance: “mao” (毛) means fur, while “jian” (尖) refers to the sharp tip of the young leaves, resembling a needle.
The Xin Yang city where Maojian tea is grown is a high-altitude area surrounded by mountains. The rich moisture and humidity are essential for the production of this tea.
After picking the fresh Mao Jian tea leaves, they are rolled, and pan fried. Hence, they are needle shaped.
What makes Huangshan Mao Jian tea distinct amongst other green teas is the fact that its dry leaves are darker in color. After steeping, the leaves give out a vibrant light green colored tea which is more robust in flavor.
The taste is rather complex. It starts with light fruity notes, followed by a strong, savory flavor which doesn’t taste bitter at all. It has a rather sweet, grassy and nutty aroma, with a lingering aftertaste.
Mao Jian tea is very refreshing and thus widely drunk in China during the hot weather season. It is great after a caloric meal or when you are thirsty and in need of a refreshing drink.
Taiping Monkey King Tea 太平猴魁 (Taiping Houkui)
Taiping Houkui translates as the Taiping Monkey King Tea. It is grown at the Huangshan mountain, Taiping region in Anhui province. This tea is rather new, as it has been around since the beginning of the 20th century. It won the “King of Tea” award at China Tea Exhibition 2004 held at Wu Lake (芜湖 Wu Hu) at Anhui Province.
What makes Taiping Houkui tea distinct from other teas is the length of the tea leaves, which comes at about 6mm. Due to the fact that the tea leaves are much larger than any other variety, it takes a slightly longer time for this particular type of tea to fully develop its leaves and grow.
Unlike other teas, farmers must wait a bit longer than usual to pick Taiping Houkui tea leaves. They are usually ripe at the end of April. When picking fresh tea leaves, it’s usually one bud with three newly opened leaves that are the standard for processing this kind of tea.
Traditionally, after plucking the tea leaves are initially roasted or pan-fried in order to deactivate the fermentation process. Then the tea goes through stages of prolonged, slow drying process before it is sorted and packed.
Taiping Houkui’s unusually long leaves are best steeped and enjoyed in a tall glass. It is mesmerizing to watch the long tea leaves dance their way to the bottom of the cup. The deep green leaves render a rich green tea color with orchid undertones and floral aroma. It has a smooth, mellow, and long-lasting aftertaste, especially after the first infusion. Even if steeped longer, the tea will not go bitter. It will retain its smooth floral aroma.
Emei Zhuyeqing 峨眉竹叶青
Mt. Emei’s cloud covered slopes are home to a unique variety of tea. Zhuyeqing takes its name from the verdant bamboo native to the Sichuan region it grows in.
This variety of green tea is harvested young, not only is it named for the bamboo leaves of Sichuan, but it kind of looks like them as well. Unlike other teas that are often steeped inside a bag or some other means of separation, Zhuyeqing is often left to float within the water.
Many tea enthusiasts insist Zhuyeqing be made in a clear glass because as the tea leaves create a beautiful display as they steep and float to the bottom. The yellow-green tea that results from these remarkable leaves is as crisp and clean as the air of the mountain from which it comes.
Oolong Tea 乌龙茶
Oolong Tea belongs to the “Oolong” Tea category. It is native to Fujian Province. The most famous of the Oolong tea is the Tie Guan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy, sometimes just called Iron Buddha).
Oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea and the process of making it is a bit involved. It has the rich fragrance of green tea, and the mellow taste of black tea. It tastes fruity, with peach and Osmanthus undertones, an amazing golden yellow color, and a fantastic aroma.
In Japan this kind of tea is famously referred to as “beauty tea”, owed to its amazing effect on weight loss and anti-aging.
Another variation of Oolong tea is Taiwanese Oolong, which is darker in color and grows at high altitude in the mountains. Due to the cloudy and cold climate in the mountains, the Oolong tea leaves are given longer time to grow before its time for harvest. Hence a richness and fragrant flavor that allows for multiple infusions.
We suggest drinking your green tea 30 minutes-60 minutes after a meal. Drinking it too soon after the meal will cause the tea to react with the nutrients of the food, especially the iron and proteins. If you have anemia, do not drink green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea.
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If you need help with choosing Chinese tea, or if you’d like to order a great quality green tea directly from China, feel free to contact me.
Perhaps you’ve noticed that the beverage and snack aisles of your local stores have become a little greener over the past few years. Like bacon, sriracha, and pumpkin spice before it, matcha green tea has become a ubiquitous flavour trend. Coffee, smoothies, candies, biscuits, ice cream, pastries, and even crisps can now all be found with matcha flavouring.
What is Matcha though? You might recognize it as a variety of green tea but may still be curious as to what makes it special and how it gets its unique flavour. Being a passionate matcha drinker and having lived in the country where matcha green tea originated, I will make an attempt at demystifying this flavour trend from the East.
What Is Matcha Green Tea?
Matcha is also one of the members of the big green tea family. Like green tea, matcha comes from the plant Camellia sinensis. Therefore, it is rich in antioxidants and comes up with the same health benefits as green tea.
One of the first things that most people notice about any matcha product is its vibrant green colour. This fantastic shade is achieved by a special technique that is applied during the cultivation of the tea leaves. Tea that is intended to become matcha is protected from direct sunlight. In removing the plant from the light, growers are effectively forcing the plant to produce more chlorophyll in order to absorb enough light for food production. What results is a dark green tea leaf with a higher content of amino acids than normal leaves.
After they are harvested the matcha leaves go through a unique drying process in which they remain unrolled. Most green tea varieties see their leaves rolled up before they dry. Hence why your oolong tea always looks like little balls of tea. Dried leaves of this variety are called tencha in Japanese. Once the drying process is out of the way, the stems and veins are removed from the leaves and the remainder is ground into a fine powder. By adding hot water to this fine powder we create matcha 3
The Difference Between Matcha and Green Tea
The biggest difference between matcha and green tea is in the way we consume the tea leaves.
We make green tea by infusing the tea leaves in warm water and removing them before drinking the tea. While matcha on the other hand is derived from entire tea leaves. Upon harvest their stems and veins are removed, and finally stone ground into a fine green powder known as matcha.
In this way, the benefits of drinking matcha outnumber those of drinking green tea as we consume the whole leaf.
Another major difference between the two is in the way the tea plant is harvested. About a month before harvest, the tea that is specifically grown for matcha production is selected out and carefully protected from exposure to direct sunlight. Growing in shade further stimulates the increase in chlorophyll levels known as a pigment, as well as the production of amino acids. This process in turn renders the tea leaves darker, with vibrant green colour.
Matcha Green Tea and Nutrition
Matcha aids the immune system. Each green tea leaf is packed with antioxidants that help to prevent cell damage; catechins that neutralize chemicals in the body known as free radicals; amino acids called L-Theanine, and caffeine which can help to calm the mind and have relaxing effect on the body.
Since matcha is the entire leaf and not just what has been steeped out, the potency of one matcha green tea serving is roughly equal to consuming 10 cups of brewed green tea. Naturally, caffeine levels are also higher compared to that of green tea. A cup of steeped green tea contains about 32 mg of caffeine compared to 68 mg of caffeine in one serving of high-quality Matcha green tea. However, this is still significantly less than the amount of caffeine found in a cup of coffee, which amounts to about 94 mg.
One serving of matcha green tea contains a high amount of nutrients such as proteins, amino acids, lipids, minerals, antioxidants as well as vitamins. A good quality, organic matcha green tea powder from the 1st and the 2nd harvest is the most beneficial for health.
The scientific community has come up with a nutritional breakdown of all the ingredients found in 1g/1-2 spoons of matcha, and it’s unbelievable how numerous they are.
What Exactly Are the Benefits of Drinking Matcha?
Sustained Energy and Focus Throughout the Day
Many people resort to multiple doses of coffee throughout the day to stay focused. However, the caffeine in coffee can only offer a quick spike in energy followed by a sudden drop. It may have more caffeine than the average green tea, but it also lacks something else that makes green tea and matcha a wiser choice for those that don’t want the crash. Matcha and other green teas possess an amino acid called L-Theanine and caffeine. When combined, this helps to make the caffeine release much slower. It takes approximately 6-8 hours for it to be fully absorbed into the bloodstream. Then it translates into an uninterrupted flow of energy and high concentration needed during work hours.
Calming Effect
The powerful combination of the amino acid L-theanine and caffeine in matcha green tea induce a state of relaxation. It’s increased levels of L-theanine promote alpha-waves, which leads to a relaxed state of mind while remaining alert. It was for this reason that Buddhists were drinking matcha green tea prior to meditation.
L-theanine also stimulates the production of dopamine and serotonin, which work together to enhance mood, boost memory, and improve concentration.
L-theanine can actually access your brain directly through the blood and increase your body’s production of another neurotransmitter called GABA. This is part of the body’s natural way to deal with anxiety.
Rich in Antioxidants
According to a study from the National Institutes of Health, Matcha green tea powder is packed with 15 times more antioxidants than just about any of the other known sources such as blueberries, goji berries, or walnuts. Scoring 1384 on a per gram basis, makes matcha by far the richest antioxidant compared to the rest of fruits and vegetables. 4
Helps Cell Renewal
Matcha green tea leaves are packed with polyphenol compounds called catechins. Catechins are a very powerful type of antioxidants that can protect against cell damage. When our bodies are exposed to harmful conditions such as smoking, processed foods, pollution, or radiation, the body’s cells release free radicals which are harmful and can cause serious diseases. 5
Natural Detoxifier
Many have suggested that the catechins found in matcha neutralize the effect of harmful free radicals in the body. Supposedly the catechins act as a natural detoxifier, helping to regenerate the body at a cellular level, thus boosting immunity. Studies suggest that green tea consumption helps the body remove LDL cholesterol. Also, it is a great addition to a cholesterol-lowering diet. Lowered cholesterol levels reduce build-up inside arteries minimizing the risk of heart disease, stroke, arthritis, type 2 diabetes (sugar levels control) inflammatory diseases, etc. 6
Ward Off Cancer and Other Serious Disease
Matcha is loaded with yet another very powerful catechin called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). EGCG is an abundant antioxidant found in green tea and matcha. Its concentration in matcha is significantly higher than in regular green tea. Initial research is showing that the polyphenols and catechins present in green teas such as matcha may aid in preventing the spread and development of certain types of cancer.
Weight Loss: Boosts Metabolism and Burns Calories
While matcha and green teas won’t slough off the pounds for you, certain study have hinted that they may be helpful for weight loss. Regardless, replacing the sugary beverages in your diet with green tea will certainly help to reduce calories while keeping you nice and energised throughout the day. After all, when it comes to weight loss it’s all about cultivated good habits.
Matcha contains a high amount of vitamins and minerals that include B-complex vitamins which naturally help your body as it breaks down food into usable components. It also contains trace amounts of iron and copper which are essential for cells to create the energy they need. Many of the other vitamins in matcha are antioxidants. They help to catch the free radical by-products that occur as a result of chemical processes in the body. Also, it is a natural source of fiber. A cup of matcha can help you feel full between meals without relying on snacks, which adds extra calories. 7
Skin Care: Keeps Skin Healthy
The large concentration of A and B complex vitamins present in matcha and other green teas are excellent for skin. The body needs these in order to keep tissues and skin healthy. Antioxidants present in the tea will also help the body process many of the free radicals and other natural by-products of body functions that contribute to aging.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. As a participant in the Amazon Associate Program, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means If you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
How To Make Matcha?
It is very easy. All that you will need is:
A small size bowl
1-2tbs matcha green tea powder
About 2oz (60 ml) hot water
A whisk
For better taste and to ensure you are getting the best of your matcha drink it is better to use hot water just before boiling point 70-90C. After you pour the water if you have matcha whisker use it to whisk the powder lumps until it becomes frothy. Coffee “mixer” also provides this effect.
How to Make a Matcha Latte
1-2tbs matcha green tea powder
2 tbs of hot water (70C)
First mix the matcha powder with hot water. Then add hot milk and stir the mixture.
Matcha tastes amazing, and you wouldn’t have to add sugar, lemon or milk to make it palatable. It has a vibrant green colour and a nice aroma with crisp, savory taste from the L-theanine amino acid. It can be served hot and cold. One cup a day is optimal. However, don’t drink more than two cups a day so as to avoid the side effects of drinking matcha such as trouble sleeping.
What to Look for When Buying Matcha
When buying matcha it is better to look for the organic types to make sure you are getting all the benefits. Matcha is widely available on Amazon, health stores, and probably your closest supermarket.
It’s also recommended to check the colour. Dark colour matcha is the ceremonial type, which implies higher quality, it smells sweet and feels silky under the fingertips.
Light colored matcha, or the culinary type is usually lower in quality. It has slightly bitter flavour and is used for cooking.
Final Word:
The process of production gives matcha a pleasant and aromatic taste. Also it significantly widens the range of its health benefits. Thus, the demand for matcha has been increasing throughout the years, which has paved the way for its entry into Western culture.
Nowadays it has become widely available in our everyday life. You can buy a matcha latte at Starbucks, order an organic pack of matcha powder from Amazon, or even try your own matcha smoothies, cakes, and cookie recipes.
Matcha is a wellness trend, and simply adopting it into everyday life is opting to make healthy lifestyle changes. Any healthy lifestyle change is a step towards living a healthy life.
As if you didn’t need any other reminders at this point, Covid-19 sucks. Like a little gremlin with an appetite for destruction this virus snuck into the gears of our lives and took a monkey wrench to our plans for 2020. As some of us come out of lockdown, we are faced with a harsh reality: many businesses have closed, and a lot of people no longer have the stability of their 9-5 jobs. Some of the more strained households have gone as far as deciding to tap into their 401(k) retirement plans. The financial outlook for the future is grim and uncertain. Many people are coming out of quarantine feeling hopeless and depressed, and staying motivated enough to get our lives back on track in the new normal will be quite challenging.
Though challenging, it is not impossible. The post pandemic future requires a new mindset.
Maybe you or someone you know has been hit hard by the lockdown. Financial instability brings with it fear and uncertainty; these are certainly nothing to take lightly but they are not insurmountable. Escape from these problems might be closer than you think. All it may take is an adjustment to how one thinks. All too often, the things that block the path to success are things that we tell ourselves.
These “limiting beliefs” are usually some of the biggest obstacles to staying motivated and achieving success.
So let’s take a look at some of the things that are recommended to help people adjust their mindset and overcome these limiting beliefs.
Overcoming Limiting Beliefs Through Positive Affirmations
Believe it or not, positive affirmations can help change your reality. That change starts on the inside first. Instead of listening to your worried mind as it conjures up disaster scenarios of life after tapping into savings, it is better to aim at feeling positive.
This can be achieved by writing down positive affirmations of how you want life to be. Simply reading them back until the brain is ready to let them in can start changing the way the realities of life are perceived.
Remember if you don’t feel like writing your own affirmations, you can always start working on it by “borrowing” the affirmations of others that may prove helpful.
When repeated on a regular basis, positive affirmations can help change our emotional state. Once we start to feel like we are gaining control over our emotions, then we are on a good way to getting our lives on track and staying motivated.
Keeping a journal is very helpful when trying to cultivate a positive mindset. Start by expressing how you are feeling at the moment. On the next page rewrite it with how would you like things to be instead.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. As a participant in the Amazon Associate Program, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means If you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
2. Start Looking For Opportunities
The havoc that the pandemic has wrought upon the world might be irreversible. Exercise the control you do have by trying to maintain an open mindset and looking for opportunities. Even though many businesses closed during the lockdown, some that would have closed managed to survive by seeing a new opportunity instead of an obstacle. They showed resilience by adjusting their business models quickly and switching their offline operations to online operations.
At the onset of the pandemic they could just wait for it to end, however, life after lockdown has taught us that it’s best to start adjusting to the new normal. Social distancing and working from home will be here to stay for some time.
When it comes to working online from the comfort of our homes, the opportunities are unlimited: starting an online business, a blog, or an ecommerce shop, just to name a few. Finding opportunities to reinvent ourselves is a means of staying motivated in what’s to come.
3. Set Goals: Planning for Success
This is where the real magic begins. 2020 has wrecked most people’s plans. Those uneasy with the remaining uncertainty might not be inclined to make new plans. However, planning is crucial for success. If anything this year is a reminder that circumstances can change, and plans must remain flexible and adjust accordingly. That’s what the most resilient businesses and individuals did to conquer the challenges that the pandemic presented them with.
Questions to ask yourself before you set goals
Start planning by setting new goals in line with the new normal. Before you start with the process of goal setting you might want to ask yourself the following questions to help you get a better feel for the direction you might be taking:
What is it that you have always wanted to do?
Do you have any dreams that were put on the back burner because you couldn’t sacrifice the stability of your 9-5 job?
Is there any particular area you feel competent in and have the expertise to help others?
Have you been thinking about the purpose of your life? What would you like to do with the rest of your life?
What is stopping you from achieving your ambition?
Do you need to invest in some additional courses or training in order to acquire the necessary skills to do what you want?
Use Planners
When it comes to planning, it is important to set specific goals. For this purpose, I recommend using planners. They are very handy and can help simplify overwhelming tasks while allowing you to track progress.
I first learned about planning methods when I was reading the book “On Managing Yourself”, part of the Harvard Business Review‘s 10 Must Reads Set. Following the techniques recommended by the book, I found out that after few months goals became easier to achieve.
The secret to goal setting and what makes it work lies in detailed planning.
Set Specific Goals for Each Area of Your Life
First and foremost, set goals for each area of your life. Break it down into things like work, self, finances, health, relationship, etc.
Break Large Goals into Measurable Parts
The second step is to define the expected result for each goal. This metric is very useful and serves as a means to measure the extent to which goals were accomplished or by how much they weren’t realised.
Define Implementation Steps
Step three involves listing in detail all the implementation steps necessary to accomplish the goals that have been set. Defining clear implementation steps for each stage is crucial for avoiding failure, and it helps to break big, overwhelming tasks into small bites.
Set Deadlines
Finally we should set a deadline by which we expect goals to be accomplished. Depending on the time necessary for accomplishment, some goals might be short term, others long term.
Set Monthly, Weekly, and Daily Goals
Listing goals on paper allows for monitoring of progress as well as making necessary adjustments when inevitable changes happen. Big, long term goals might seem a bit intimidating, especially if you’re just getting started and feel you lack the confidence to accomplish something big.
That’s why it’s best to start by undertaking one step at a time. Setting monthly, weekly, as well as daily goals to break up big goals into smaller chunks is very helpful for this process. Small steps lead to small victories which in turn help to boost confidence necessary for achieving big goals, as well as staying motivated during the process.
4. Take Action
Plans often change and there isn’t a perfect plan. When it comes to taking action, many people tend to procrastinate simply because they fear failure.
Conquer The Fear of Failure
Fear of failure is a common reaction to being faced with something we’ve never done previously. When fed regularly, the fear of failure becomes the ultimate cause for failure in the pursuit of dreams.
Avoid Procrastination
One action people take when they fear failure is to blow their time on acquiring the skills they feel are necessary to avoid failure. More often than not this is just an excuse for procrastination that helps to prevent people from taking real action. Many of the skills required for things can be learned as you go; unless your goal is something like parachuting, in which case prepare as much as you can and learn the skills beforehand. Whatever you do, don’t defer your actual goals in preparation for taking action.
Taking action is the single and most important step that brings goals to fruition.
As you begin toward your goal, ensure that you take small steps and do something every day that brings you closer to achievement. Taking small steps reduces the risk of failure and will provide much needed boosts to confidence.
Review your goals regularly and stay focused by prioritizing the tasks that matter most and will push you toward your desired direction.
Take Responsibility For Your Actions
Do not blame others when things don’t go as expected. Instead, take responsibility for your actions. Be solution and action-oriented. Sometimes we succeed and move forward, but sometimes we just need to learn. Look at setbacks as opportunities, as the blocks on the road to success.
5. Don’t Give Up!
How to Stay Motivated and Reach Your Goals
Making a dream come true is not an overnight task. It might be a long road filled with challenges that require courage, persistence, and self-discipline. Staying motivated is the key to persistence.
Believe In Yourself
Achieving anything is almost impossible without some degree of confidence in yourself and your abilities. If you’ve been cultivating limiting beliefs that have instilled doubt in yourself, you might find it hard to stay motivated on the journey to success. Bring your doubts and fears to light, and gradually try to replace them with a positive belief in yourself through the practice of positive affirmations.
Keep a Gratitude Journal
Setting aside time to keep a gratitude journal will help remind you of your successes and the good things in life. Focusing on people you are grateful to have in your life as well as the good things that happen in everyday life will help you stay positive. Keeping a gratitude journal is an excellent way to stave off the blues and remain positive when setbacks happen.
Visualize Your Goals
When done properly visualization helps to bridge the gap between our goals and reality. Visualizing acts as a “mental rehearsal”, which can help generate creative ideas to help us reach our goals. If done consistently, it helps us concentrate on our goals and stay motivated to take the necessary actions in order to achieve our dreams.
When we visualize, it is important to see ourselves achieving the end goal in our mind’s eye. By doing this we create visual images of the goal in our mind, which serve as a roadmap for the brain to follow. Furthermore, if we bring emotions into play and “trick the brain” into feeling like we’ve already achieved the goal, this increases the likelihood of realizing the goal faster.
Meditation is another great way to help stay motivated. It helps improve our willpower, attention, focus and it is especially useful for stress management. Visualization can be easily incorporated into a meditative practice.
Take Small Steps
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Chinese Proverb.
Great things in life do not happen overnight. Instead, take small steps and learn to build habits gradually. Large goals might seem intimidating at first. Breaking them down into smaller steps is a great strategy that takes you closer to your goals.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
When starting a new venture, especially when starting from scratch, it’s easy to be vulnerable to the comments and criticism of others.
Though feedback is important when starting out, it is also very important to differentiate feedback from criticism, which in the long term can impact our motivation and persistence. Surrounding yourself with people that will support you and bolster your efforts even when they’re delivering criticism are indispensable allies in your journey toward success. They will help you to stay motivated and positive as you pursue your goals.
If you’re like me, at this point you’ve probably written down all the plans you had in mind for 2020, piled them on to a little wooden toy boat, and given them a Viking funeral in your bathtub. While you’re committing your goals for the year to the halls of Valhalla (where the brave may live forever), you’re likely beginning to wonder when this madness will end and what it might look like on the other side. For those of us living in places that have begun to stymie, if not control the outbreak, an idea of “The New Normal” has entered into the public mindset.
I have been living in China for many years. Except for the lockdown at the onset of the pandemic, we recently experienced another partial lockdown during a second, smaller Covid-19 outbreak in Beijing. Throughout this whole time, my family and friends abroad have been asking if life is back to normal. My hope is that this blog will give you some insight as to what you might expect after infection rates start to go down, especially if you live in a major city as I do.
Getting Your Life Back On Track In The New Normal
The idea of the new normal is worrying. Many businesses have closed down, millions of people have lost their jobs, and traveling internationally is no longer encouraged. Coping with such a great uncertainty has impacted the mental health of many, and has made staying motivated an insurmountable task for others.
After a lengthy quarantine, restrictions are gradually being lifted in some places. Initially, everybody hoped this would be the end of lockdown and normal life will resume where it once stopped. Contrary to our expectations the new normal might last for quite a while. We’ll still need to maintain social distancing until vaccine becomes available.
We spent the first half of this year waiting, checking the numbers daily, and hoping things would take a turn for the better. By now people have begun to realize that it is time to wake up and get back on track.
After a rather lengthy period of depression and inactivity, the greatest struggle feels like finding the motivation necessary to get life back in order.
Learning to Adapt to The New Normal
Let’s face it, life after quarantine will never be the same. The reality might seem harsh.
The first step to getting back on track is to accept “the new normal”. What we used to believe it’s just temporary has now become part of our everyday life routine.
The new normal revolves around the concept of social distancing, and as such is entangled in many crucial aspects of our life. Having to practice social distance until a vaccine is found, forces people to rethink their lifestyles and ways of working.
The pandemic has raised some positive and some negative issues. One good thing that was born of our lockdown was that it intensified globalization. Borders between countries feel to me at least, to have shrunk. We could reach out to anyone, be present at any event just from the comfort of our home. “Business trips” are also easily conducted through “Zoom” saving both on airfare and hotel costs.
Office Culture
Thanks to social distancing, working in tiny office cubicles and commuting during rush hours might be a thing of the past. During our life in quarantine, people have realized that a lot of our work can actually be done from home. Also, the working from home method has proven as an effective way to save on labor costs.
Economy
The pandemic has left many people without the stability of their 9 to 5 jobs. Many traditional businesses, both big and small, which are dependent on physical location, the outdoors, and socializing were forced to close. Despite the negative impact that the pandemic had on the economy, businesses that were able to switch from offline to online work mode managed to thrive. In fact, the pandemic created multitude of opportunities for those with an entrepreneurial spirit, who reacted quickly and adapted.
Travel
The travel industry was heavily hit during the pandemic. Met with closed borders and flight cancellations many travelers found themselves stranded across the globe. According to AirBnB’s CEO, the new normal will bring a rise in domestic travel and exploring less famous destinations.
Dating
Online meetings might have been as productive and effective as when they happen in the office. However, when it comes to developing relationships with someone through online dating there are some real obstacles. Meeting someone “digitally” might not give the real picture of who are we dealing with. Hence a higher chance for disappointment. On the bright side, singles will be forced to explore deeper communication in relationships over the casual intimacy.
Relationships
Unfortunately, those that are married or cohabiting with a significant other may not be accustomed to spending so much time together. Cracks in their relationship are beginning to show under the strain of being with each other for so long. On the positive side, Instead of allowing a relationship to crack and strain under the pressure of these troubled times, the new normal has provided a chance for couples to pursue deeper communication and strengthen their relationship.
Mental Health
Unfortunately coping with loneliness and uncertainty for a prolonged period of time has taken its toll on the mental health of many. In the period to come our main focus should be our mental health and wellness. Spending time with people we care about, establishing healthy habits, and trying to stay positive have never mattered more than in time of the new normal.
The New Normal Requires a New Mindset
Each of our lives has been impacted in a certain way and our lives won’t be the same. What matters to our future selves is our attitude today and the steps we take to deal with the crisis.
Some people have spent time in lockdown binge-watching Netflix. If you are one of those do not feel guilty. The pandemic has struck a blow to many people’s plans, thus killing our desire to do anything productive. The fact that you are reading blog posts like this is a positive thing. Now is a time to get our lives back on track.
The first step on the road to getting our life back on track in harsh times is our mindset and our beliefs as to what’s possible and what’s not.
If you are someone unfortunate to have lost job stability, feels insecure about your savings, or constantly worries about the future, don’t let limiting beliefs stand in your way. There is undoubtedly some skill or hobby you have set aside or overlooked that you may be able to monetize if you get creative and put your mind to it. This is not the time to procrastinate, blame the situation, or expect that things will change all of a sudden. This is the time to adjust.
With the outbreak of the pandemic, things got beyond our control. Having our safety nets pulled from under us can make it hard to adjust. People lost their jobs, businesses closed, and it’s hard to think positive with everything else going on too.
We can’t do anything about things beyond our control. Though we can try to take charge of things within our reach: our decision-making, habits, and our mindset.
Social distancing, online communication, and working from home indicate a path toward success on the road ahead.
It is important to start preparing for it now. No doubt you’ll find yourself becoming more resilient in the process
Shortly after moving to China, I was introduced to Chinese tea culture and soon after that, I found my elixir of life – green tea. The first time I discovered the plethora of green tea health benefits was when I began to replace my daily doses of coffee with green tea.
As a student, my priority at that time was to be up and on time for early classes. Unfortunately, the habit of drinking coffee on an empty stomach often caused pain to my sensitive stomach. I decided to replace my morning coffee routine with tea. Surprisingly, I never felt pain in my stomach again. Furthermore, my concentration during classes improved significantly.
Later on, I replaced my after-lunch coffee with tea as well. Then all of a sudden it got easier to lose weight, which is a major problem one faces when exposed to the deliciousness of Chinese cuisine in all its varieties.
The fact that green tea comes in many different varieties has made me a tea addict for life. Unlike many other addictions though, I’ve found that I’ve become a healthier person as a result.
In this post, I’d like to share what I’ve learned about drinking green tea through years of tasting it in many of its varieties, as well as the green tea health benefits and wellness.
The Difference Between Green Tea and Black Tea
Green tea is extracted from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.
The difference between green tea and black tea lies in the duration of the oxidation, or the fermentation process, which begins right after the tea leaves are picked.
Black tea has a longer oxidation process, hence the tea color is darker. As a result, black tea can be preserved longer compared to green tea, which loses its fragrancy after a while.
With green tea on the other hand, the oxidation process stops earlier. By means of pan-frying or oven roasting, green tea retains the natural substances present in fresh leaves.
Green Tea Health Benefits: Why is Green Tea the Best Kind of Tea?
The scientific community believes that drinking green tea is very healthy due to the fact that it’s rich in antioxidants. It contains more tea polyphenols, catechins, chlorophyll, caffeine, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients that are beneficial to our health.
The Origins of Green Tea
Green Tea is believed to have originated in China. According to legend, Emperor Shennong discovered the benefits of green tea. One day while on a trip to a distant region, he sat under a Camellia tree to rest. When he opened his bottle filled with hot water, suddenly a dry tea leaf fell into it and infused its flavor into the hot water. As the water changed its color and begin to smell fragrant, he became curious and decided to taste it. To his amazement, he found the drink refreshing.
Since then, green tea became a staple in every Chinese household and quickly made its way to Japan and other Asian countries.
The plethora of benefits associated with drinking green tea has paved the way for green tea into Western culture. When served without sugar, green tea is believed to help improve our immunity system, increase mental alertness, ward off serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes, dementia; slow down the aging process and even help weight loss.
The best way to make green tea is to steep it in hot water, instead of boiling water. After the water has boiled it’s better to wait a few minutes before adding the tea leaves. Water that is too hot often brings out a bitter flavor in the tea.
When buying tea in China, certain shops may give you the chance to take part in a tea ceremony. When performing a tea ceremony, the store owner uses a special tea set that comes with very small tea cups. This way guests have the chance to taste many varieties of tea before making a buying decision.
Green tea doesn’t really expire, but it does lose fragrance after about a year. For most of the tea varieties, the first batch (which usually comes around April) is the freshest, therefore more expensive than the latter ones. That’s why the more seasoned tea drinkers prefer to store tea in the fridge, so they can preserve the fragrant taste.
Green Tea Health Benefits
There are a lot of claims about the health benefits of drinking green tea, and while there have been some studies on the matter, there isn’t enough scientific evidence currently available to support or refute all of them. Let’s take a look at some of them that have some supporting evidence:
Inflammation Reduction
Green Teas contain catechins and other bioactive compounds that show some evidence of being able to help reduce inflammation, aid in weight loss, and help prevent certain brain and heart diseases. It should be noted that to get the most benefit out of catechins, selecting a high-quality green tea is essential. Furthermore, steeping the tea in boiling water can actually break down some of these compounds, so it is best to steep tea in water somewhere between 75 and 90 degrees Celsius.
Fat Burning
There is some evidence to suggest that consuming green tea helps to burn fat. However, many studies conflict with one another. Regardless, it can be said that green tea is a healthy substitute for sugary beverages and alcohol. Swapping these out for green tea takes thousands of empty calories out of your diet, and gives the added benefit of caffeine which is a natural thermogenic (calorie burning) substance.
Diabetes Prevention
On a related note, cutting out all that excess sugar will also help reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes. There is some further evidence that green tea may even improve your body’s sensitivity to insulin, thereby making it more effective.
Brain Benefits
Though in the early stages of research, there is a gathering list of evidence to suggest that the natural antioxidant polyphenols present in green tea disrupt the brain aging process and may even help in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Given that scientists are still searching for the root causes of both of these conditions it’s safe to say that green tea alone can’t prevent them, but it can help and we’ll take every edge we can get.
Focus and Relaxation
While we’re on the brain, there are two chemicals present in green tea that promote mental acuity. These are the well known and loved caffeine, and an amino acid called L-theanine. Both of these chemicals have an effect on neurotransmitters, the chemicals your nervous system uses to pass messages between nerve cells.
Caffeine prevents your system from picking up too much adenosine and making room for other neurotransmitters like dopamine that boost concentration. L-theanine is a more interesting compound. It can actually access your brain directly through the blood and increase your body’s production of another neurotransmitter called GABA which is part of the body’s natural way to deal with anxiety.
Furthermore, it increases the production of dopamine which as you recall the caffeine in the tea is helping to make room for. The end result? A relaxing caffeine buzz that may just help you stay focused.
Other studies are being conducted to investigate other potential benefits of green tea. While the jury is still out on many, here are some of the studies that have suggested promising results:
Prevention of certain cancers
Warding off bad breath and tooth decay
Improving cholesterol and preventing Heart Disease
Increased Lifespan
Green Tea Health Benefits for Skin
While scientists are still debating many of the studies on the effects of drinking green tea, studies on the effects of applying green tea oils to the skin appear to be much clearer. As a topical ointment green tea extracts have proven to be effective against skin conditions such as genital warts and eczema. They have also shown to be great for protecting the skin against sun damage and even in preventing cancers caused by sun damage. Moderate evidence suggests that Rosacea and acne can be reduced by products that contain as little as 2% green tea extract. There is even limited evidence to suggest that these extracts may help fight against aging.
These are just some of the benefits currently being studied. Few of these studies have taken double‐blind, randomized approaches, or used large patient numbers. However, the evidence so far promotes the idea that the anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-proliferative, and anti-inflammatory properties of green tea extracts have a multitude of health benefits for your skin.
Types of Green Tea and Its Varieties
As Westerners we are mainly used to consuming Ceylon, Darjeeling, and other black tea varieties along with breakfast or afternoon. Many don’t even pay attention to the variety that they’re drinking. Chinese tea culture on the other hand offers a wide variety of tea to match every tea drinker’s taste.
Different climates, growth regions, times of harvesting and methods of processing yield different varieties of tea.
The unique color and flavor makes some tea varieties more suitable for drinking during hot weather, while some are best during the cold season. It is also easy to differentiate them as they all have different textures. Flat, curled, or rolled up, they are all packed with fragrance on the inside.
When talking about Chinese tea, it is important to mention that all tea varieties are named according to the region where tea is grown.
I am a tea lover and from all the varieties I’ve tried, I personally think that most of the Green Tea kinds, as well as Oolong tea, taste amazing.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. As a participant in the Amazon Associate Program, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means If you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
Popular Chinese Green Tea and Where to Buy
西湖龙井 Xī hú Lóngjǐng
Longjing or “Dragon Well” Tea is the most famous among the green teas. It’s grown around the West Lake area in Hangzhou, East China. This type of tea has a flat texture, and a distinct pleasant flavor. It serves as a perfect refreshment for hot summer days.
碧螺春 Bìluóchūn
Biluochun tea literaly means “Green Snail Spring”. It is harvested in spring and it’s named after the small snail that heralds the arrival of spring. Also, the tea leaves are thin and slightly curved, resembling a snail shape. Fruit trees are grown around the tea shrubs, so the tea leaves absorb the fruity-floral flavors surrounding it. This gives Biluochun tea a very fragrant and floral aroma.
峨眉竹叶青 Emei Zhuyeqing
Zhuyeqing Tea got its name after the mountain Emei in Sichuan Province where its grown. This particular tea is very unique due to the favorable climate and geographical location of Emei mountain. It is processed from buds only, which makes it flat and straight. The tea it produces is yellow green and has a fragrant, refreshing taste.
乌龙茶 Wu Long Cha
Oolong Tea is native to Fujian Province. The most famous of the Oolong tea is the Tie Guan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy, sometimes just called Iron Buddha). Oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea and the process of making it is a bit involved. It has the rich fragrance of green tea, and the mellow taste of black tea. It tastes fruity, with peach and osmanthus undertones, an amazing golden yellow color, and a fantastic aroma.
In Japan this kind of tea is famously referred to as “beauty tea”, owed to its amazing effect on weight loss and anti-aging.
Another variation of Oolong tea is Taiwanese Oolong, which is darker in color and grows at high altitudes in the mountains. Due to the cloudy and cold climate in the mountains, the Oolong tea leaves are given a longer time to grow before its time for harvest. Hence a richness and fragrant flavor that allows for multiple infusions.
Check Oolong Tea on Amazon:
Side Effects
Though there are numerous health benefits, there are few things to be careful about when drinking green tea.
Strong infusions of green tea should not be consumed on an empty stomach as it may cause irritation.
Do not consume it late at night or just before going to bed. Though green tea helps to relax, it also excites the brain and might cause sleep deprivation.
Do not drink green tea together with certain medications and do not consume it when you are going through medical treatment or therapy. Remember to always consult with your physician in these cases. Failure to do so might worsen your medical condition or lengthen your recovery.
