Green Tea Forum

ajnast4r · Guest

i believe most green tea is produced using non systemtic pesticides, so their absorbtion isnt a big deal... but what about residues on the leaves. are they washed at all?

also i know with vegetables and fruits, organically grown they will produce up to 80% more of their vital compounds. how does non organic green tea hold up against organic as far as catechin content.

thanks

Kevangogh · Forum God Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 928 Location: Japan

The pesticides are used in the fall. The new leaf that has grown and been harvested in late April has never been exposed to the pesticide.

If you spend $20 on an organic sencha and $20 on a non-organic sencha, expect the non-organic type to be of a much higher quality. In order to produce an organic certified green tea (read certain other websites wording carefully because some like to suggest that their tea is organic when it's not) a lot more expense has to go in to it.

From the point of catechin content - organics have neither more or less catechins.

Honestly - from a taste and quality point of view, my experience has been that the non-organics are superior. However, some people insist on organic because they think they are better for some reason. We do carry some, but not many.

Ryan · Sensei Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 475

I remember reading that Dr. Andrew Weil believes or suspects (can't quite remember) that organic fruit and vegetables does contain higher levels of the good stuff.... but I don't know if any tests have ever been done to prove this hypothesis. Do you have any data for this?

Kevangogh · Forum God Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 928 Location: Japan

Ryan · Sensei Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 475

Tea for me is much more than just antioxidants. I'll take non-organic Japanese green tea over organic all day long if it has superior flavor. Especially when you consider that it appears (according to what I've gathered) that Japanese first flush non-organic will not have pesticide residue on the leaf.