Gunpowder tea is a type of green tea produced from the Camellia Sinensis plant. It originated in China. The artisans roll the leaves into the shape of little pinhead pellets similar to that of gunpowder. And therefore, the name Gunpowder tea.
The flavor and the taste of the gunpowder tea are pretty unique and different from other green teas. Moreover, its compressed formation keeps the tea leaves fresh for a longer time comparatively.
Gunpowder green tea lists multiple health benefits. These include weight loss, reduced chances of heart disease, better digestion, and diabetes control. It is also great for immune health.
However, excessive consumption of gunpowder tea can lead to negative health effects. It can cause nausea, diarrhea, stomach issues, anxiety, or even osteoporosis.
So, a balance in consumption is a must! Let’s dive deep and know the gunpowder green tea better.
About Gunpowder Green Tea
Gunpowder green tea was first made in Zhejiang, China during the Tang dynasty. This is more than 1000 years ago. It is also popular as “pearl tea”, “bead tea”, or “Zhu cha”.
Gunpowder tea is one of the older green teas in the world and among the first green teas exported from China.
In the olden times, the leaves of the tea plants were handpicked and withered to get rid of the moisture.
With keen attention, artisans steamed the leaves and rolled them into tiny pellets by hand.
The larger the pellet size, the lower the quality is. So, make sure you choose gunpowder green tea which is small with tightly rolled pellets.
A few companies use machines for the entire process these days.
Gunpowder tea is cultivated in China, especially in springtime. During the harvest season, the leaves are plucked and withered for a few hours to remove moisture from the tea leaf.
The leaves then undergo further processing. Withering that takes a long time gives a better flavor and fragrance to the tea leaves.
Next, the leaves undergo a steaming process. It helps remove the grassy smell from leaves using non-pressurized steam. It also preserves the color and quality of green tea leaves.
As soon as the tea leaves are steamed, they are left to cool down. This process ensures that the leaves do not lose their bright color at the high temperature.
Post-cooling, the tea leaves are pressed to remove moisture and then rolled.
The process ends with the hot-air drying of the leaves to remain fresh for a longer time. This process finally removes the remaining moisture in it.
Moreover, it is completely gluten-free, calorie-free, and fat-free.
How does Gunpowder tea taste?
The leaves of gunpowder tea are rolled like blockhead pellets that look like gunpowder. As its name suggests, the taste of Gunpowder tea is pretty bold along with a light smoky flavor.
Also, since the leaves are rolled in the form of tiny balls, they hold their nutrients and caffeine levels. This gives it a little bitter taste.
Moreover, being versatile, you can drink gunpowder green tea with milk, add it to the cocktails, and even cold-brew it.
Adding hot water unfolds the rolled balls giving them a unique fragrance and a delightful, lingering aftertaste. This produces a yellow color.
However, depending on the quality and type, the taste can be earthy and sometimes metallic too.
Overall, the compressed form of gunpowder tea gives it a powerful flavor. And hence, remains fresh for a longer time than any other green tea.
Likewise, it can keep its taste and fragrance for 10 years.
If you like to have a strong flavor, you can add more tea pellets or increase the brewing time. And, if you prefer a mild flavor, consider adding fewer pellets and decreasing the brewing time.
However, if the tea tastes very bitter then the next time you brew it measure the temperature with a thermometer. Do not extend beyond 175 degrees.
P.S. – Gunpowder tea can taste like black tea sometimes but may still hold a strong green tea flavor.
Does Gunpowder tea contain caffeine?
Gunpowder tea leaves have a higher density of leaves compared to other green teas. Since they are firmly rolled up, they have more caffeine compared to other teas.
This is the reason why it is a great energy booster and appetite suppressant.
Gunpowder tea is popular among athletes to increase their endurance power. The concentration of caffeine is so high that it can provide endurance for approximately 3-6 hours.
An 8oz serving of gunpowder green tea contains 35-40 mg of caffeine. While green tea in general contains only 15-30mg per 8oz (cup).
However, the brewing time and quality of green tea leaves used determine the caffeine levels.
In addition, the size and age of tea leaves are also a determining factor. Gunpowder tea made from younger and smaller pellets is likely to have more caffeine compared to older and larger pellets.
Apart from this, the type of tea used also differentiates the caffeine content. For example, if your gunpowder comes from oolong tea leaves it will contain 40mg per cup.
If it comes from black tea leaves, it will contain 50mg of caffeine per cup. And, if it’s a black coffee, then it can be as high as 100-150mg per cup.
Can you reuse Gunpowder tea?
Gunpowder tea is very flavorful with a very strong aroma. Therefore, it can be used up to five times. Each time you brew the same tea, make sure you steep it for an extra 30 seconds. It will help to enhance the taste again.
Health Benefits of Gunpowder Green Tea
Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, green tea is proven to be beneficial for health and overall well-being. The tea possesses antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
In addition, the EGCG component in green tea has antibacterial effects. It is proven to fight against bacteria.
Though there are a variety of gunpowder green teas available, the benefits remain the same. This is because of the polyphenolic compounds, catechins, and alkaloids in the leaves.
Therefore, gunpowder green tea offers many health benefits along with polyphenols, l-theanine, and caffeine content.
1. Help reduce weight
The presence of caffeine and EGCG in green tea helps suppress your appetite and boost metabolism. In addition, green tea polyphenols help burn fat and lose weight.
Likewise, gunpowder green tea is a great solution for weight loss. It has all the necessary components such as caffeine, catechins, and theanine that effectively cut the fats and aid in building muscles.
Moreover, gunpowder green tea is a perfect alternative to coffee. It contains more caffeine compared to other green tea and helps enhance the endurance of the body.
2. Enhances digestion
The catechins present in gunpowder green tea affect the inflammation of the gut and other digestive parts. It can be a great relief for people suffering from diseases.
To name a few, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, constipation, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, and other inflammatory diseases in the stomach.
3. Improves immune system
The tea has proved to be very effective in protecting your body from cold and flu. It keeps up with the immune that lets the cells in the body fight these issues.
Being rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C, gunpowder green tea has antiviral and antimicrobial properties. It helps protect the body cells from virus attacks.
4. Improves cardiovascular health
The antioxidants and polyphenol EGCG have proven to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It also reduces the levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides.
Gunpowder green tea further prevents blood clotting and helps lower blood pressure. It also helps lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
5. Fight against type ll diabetes
The polyphenols and polysaccharides present in green tea help bring down blood sugar levels. Gunpowder green tea improves glucose tolerance in the body and also stabilizes insulin.
Thus, it can be very effective for people suffering from diabetes.
Side effects of Gunpowder tea
As stated above, gunpowder tea is a stronger stimulant for caffeine. The caffeine-sensitive people or people with insomnia and disturbed sleep should avoid consuming gunpowder tea as it prevents them from falling asleep.
Moreover, drinking gunpowder green tea in excess, that is, more than 4 cups a day, can lead to:
- Headache, nervousness, or irritability
- Gastric problems
- Anxiety or depression
- Heart palpitations, and
- Vomiting
Green tea slows down the iron absorption capabilities. So, make sure you drink gunpowder green tea within limits.
Brewing Gunpowder green tea
To prepare the gunpowder tea, all you need is just a glass teapot and teacup. Firstly,
- add 1 to 2 teaspoons of gunpowder green tea to a teapot.
- Boil a cup of water at 194 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Now pour boiled water into the teapot.
- The rolled pellets will start unfolding giving you a wonderful fragrance and smoky flavor
- Let it steep for 50-60 seconds to get a perfect flavor.
- Now, strain the mixture. The longer you steep, the stronger the taste will be!
Nevertheless, in China, the Chinese brew Gunpowder tea in their own unique and traditional way. It is time-consuming compared to that of the Western style.
To prepare a cup of tea, you require a specialized Chinese tea set containing a gaiwan with a tea holder, i.e., a fair cup along with a teacup.
First of all, rinse the tea in water to remove the unwanted particles. Then, add the tea leaves and the required quantity of boiled water to the gaiwan.
Stir well and pour the tea into your cup. Make sure you do not brew it for more than two minutes.
Conclusion
Gunpowder green tea is a very strong tea and can turn bitter if over-brewed. It has a bold taste and smoky flavor like Hojicha green tea but a high level of caffeine content.
In addition, the little rolled pallets produced carefully by the artisans give a soothing fragrance when brewed. People make the famous Moroccan mint tea using gunpowder green tea and fresh mint.
Gunpowder green tea is perfect for mental alertness, boosting energy levels, and improving focus. This is due to the high level of caffeine content present in it as compared to regular green tea.
In addition, it also guards against chronic diseases and increases life span. It is rich in antioxidants and vitamins leading to improved immune health.
Apart from this, it enhances antiviral activity, strong chelating activities, antifungal activity, and antimutagenic actions. It also helps in increasing bone density and fights against cancer.
However, excess consumption leads to stomach issues and iron deficiencies. But, if consumed within limits, it is 100% good for health.