Japan’s oldest tea growing region is Uji, located just south of Kyoto, Japan’s former capital. Uji is Japan’s center of 1,200 years of accumulated tea know-how. Most of Japan’s best quality green tea comes from this area. Tea from its jade fields are respectfully referred to as Uji-cha. Mineral rich, slightly acidic, hillside shaded volcanic soil that drains well is ideal for the evergreen tea bush. Uji River morning mists moistens the leaves and helps shield them from harsh sun.
46 Years Authentic Organic
Eight EDEN green teas are from Uji. Far from main roads on hills overlooking Uji, machine managed plantations give way to more irregular rows of tea. It is the centuries-old plantation of EDEN green tea, the Nagata Family Co-op. Nagata growers completely abandoned chemical agriculture in 1974, using chemical free organic practices for 46 years now. The result is remarkable tea. Healthy soil and tea bushes, with the artistry of hand-harvested tea handling and preparation, produce the most wonderful pure and purifying green tea we can find.
A natural food retailer for 50 years from Mirin County, California was walking with Eden’s president and asked, “Why do EDEN green teas taste so much better than all the others?” The reply was, “Over forty years of natural agriculture, healthy soil, and happy plants have to be the reason.”
Good reason for organic EDEN tea vs. chemically grown is avoidance of toxic pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, lost nutritional value and sought after character. Most poisonous agricultural chemicals are water-soluble, and infuse your teacup. Experiencing authentic, efficacious, pure tea is another sound reason.
Generally, commercial tea bushes are sprayed with chemicals 15 to 20 times a year. They are weak and die after about 20 years. Nagata family tea bushes produce vital, happy leaves beyond 40 years, some now for 100. Naturally grown EDEN Tea is a wise, life supporting, and much more delicious choice. It provides the sought after, real tea experience.
Common Courtesy
EDEN tea bags demonstrate thoughtful, commonsensical care with their unbleached manila fiber, crimp seal, no staple, and a pure cotton string. No chlorine whiteners, plastic, artificial flavors, or chemical additives are ever used.
Today’s commercial tea bags contain epichlorohydrin, a plasticizer to allow them to be heat sealed. Epichlorohydrin is a likely carcinogen and known to be quite toxic.
Antioxidant Catechins
True teas all stem from one plant, Camellia cinensis. Tea remains green or becomes black, oolong, or jasmine, solely in how it is handled and cured. Immediately after tea leaves are picked, they begin to oxidize. For black tea, leaves are allowed to oxidize thoroughly, a process referred to as fermentation, which is a misnomer as they are not fermented. For Japanese green tea, such as organic EDEN Sencha, oxidation is stopped immediately after harvest by steaming and rubbing them. This preserves its bright green chlorophyll and antioxidant nutrients such as flavonoids, tannins, and epigallocatechins (EGCG) that enhance flavor in fine green tea. Green tea antioxidants, collectively referred to as catechins, account for 40% of green tea’s dry weight. As a group, they are said to be responsible for green tea’s many benefits.
Taking green tea with a slice of citrus enhances antioxidant benefits by making them more bioavailable. Taking tea with dairy milk diminishes antioxidant absorption.
L-theanine, a nonessential, nonprotein amino acid of green tea is largely responsible for its unique flavor. It enhances learning ability, induces relaxation, and provides a smooth, steady lift.
Beneficial Pleasure
It is beneficial to take time for good green tea. By yourself or socially, it is a respite that provides well-being and mental clarity. Green tea relieves stress, soothes, and sets a tone of alert repose. Green tea draws us to the present, away from the past and future. It stimulates warm conversation when shared, yet complements the freedom of solitude, reflection, and mental endeavor. When teatime is part of one’s life, with high quality authentic green tea, it is most beneficial to everything.
There are 9 organic EDEN Green Teas and blends, & organic Chamomile Flowers.
Each box contains 16 individual manila fiber tea bags.
- Sencha — just green tea leaf
- Sencha Mint — sencha with organic Egyptian spearmint and peppermint
- Sencha Rose — sencha with organic Bulgarian rose hips and organic Moroccan rose petals
- Sencha Ginger — sencha with organic Tanzanian ginger root
- Hojicha — Slow roasted, early summer green tea leaf with a flavor reminiscent of English Tea
- Hojicha Chai — Master blender acclaimed, “Innovating, breathtaking, this audacious blend combines familiar malty notes of Hojicha with exotic Indian spices. A classic revisited.” All organic spices — Indonesia cinnamon bark, Guatemala cardamom seed, India ginger root, Vietnam star anise, France chicory root, Madagascar cloves
- Genmaicha — sencha with roasted organic short grain brown rice
- Kukicha Twig — caldron roasted tea twigs and mature leaves aged two to three years after roasting
- Chamomile Tea — Egyptian organic dry chamomile flowers
EDEN Sencha and Kukicha Tea also come as loose tea in 1.75 oz (50 gram) reclosable bags. All EDEN Teas provide the proper experience sought after by tea aficionados the world over.
Organic EDEN Matcha, the epitome of green tea, provides the real, sought after experience of fabled green tea. The EDEN Matcha Tea Kit box has everything needed to make at least 30 bowls of Matcha, 30 grams of stone ground, ceremonial grade, organic green tea powder, bamboo spoon, bamboo whisk, and a tea bowl. It is a stupendous gift! The individual pieces are also sold separately.
The EDEN Tea Sampler offers economical variety.
The EDEN Tea tote bag is a thoughtful, rewarding gift.
