The history of canned and bottled green tea | Revealing the nutritional difference between canned and bottled tea and tea brewed in a teapot!

Introduction

As the old saying goes, "Don't drink tea that has been left overnight," green tea oxidizes over time and loses its flavor.

However, in modern times, bottled green tea has become commonplace and can be easily enjoyed anytime, anywhere.

Behind this lies a history of various technological developments to prevent oxidation of green tea and preserve its flavor.

Technology that prevents oxidation and preserves flavor

Canned green tea was first released in 1985, which is relatively recent.

Green tea oxidizes and changes color when left for a long time, and bacteria is prone to grow, so there were many challenges to canning it.

In particular, a major problem was that when the cans were heated for sterilization, the original flavor and aroma of the green tea was lost.

To solve these problems, vitamin C was first added.

Vitamin C helps prevent the oxidation of green tea and at the same time increases its nutritional value.

This is why canned green tea drinks and bottled drinks list "vitamin C" as an ingredient.

In addition, technology has been developed to fill cans and plastic bottles with nitrogen gas to remove oxygen from inside them.

This makes it possible to maintain the freshness of the green tea and produce it without compromising its flavor.

New challenges and solutions: sediment formation

In 1990, two years after the birth of canned green tea, the world's first green tea drink in a plastic bottle finally appeared, making green tea an even more familiar drink.

However, bottled drinks also present new challenges that do not exist with canned drinks.

One is the formation of sediment, which occurs over time when the components in the tea leaves oxidize and form a deposit at the bottom of the container.

After green tea is brewed, after a few days, the catechins undergo a chemical reaction through oxidation, turning into suspended granules that begin to settle to the bottom of the container.

While it is not harmful to the body, this sediment not only makes the tea look unsightly, but also ruins the refreshing aroma and flavor of green tea.

To solve this problem, ITO EN developed the "Natural Clear Process" which removes the fine particles that cause tea to become cloudy.

This patented technology allows tea extract to be filtered through a fine membrane, successfully increasing its transparency. Furthermore, by using fresh domestic tea leaves, we have been able to create a tea that is rich in aroma and flavor.

Even today, companies that sell bottled beverages are working hard to develop green tea beverages that taste better and can be stored for longer periods by experimenting with different types of tea leaves and extraction methods.

Which would you choose: a teapot or a plastic bottle?

Thanks to these technological innovations, we can now enjoy delicious green tea anytime, anywhere, easily.

At the same time, our perception of tea has changed from "something to drink at home" and "something to brew in a teapot" to "something to buy and drink" and "something you can drink anytime, anywhere."

In recent years, advances in manufacturing techniques have led to the appearance of many flavorful bottled or canned teas.

However, these products generally undergo high-temperature sterilization to maintain their quality, and it has been pointed out that this process may result in the loss of some of the active ingredients contained in green tea, such as catechins.

Also, some people believe that the extraction rate of nutrients is lower when bottled tea is brewed in a short time, whereas tea leaves are brewed slowly over a long period in a teapot.

Nutritional value comparison: teapot vs. plastic bottle

In fact, a survey conducted by the Kyoto Prefectural Consumer Life Science Center revealed that there is a big difference in nutritional value between tea brewed in a teapot and green tea sold in plastic bottles or cans.

For example, the amount of polyphenols in tea brewed in a teapot is about 1.4 times that of bottled tea, the amount of catechins is about 2.5 times, the caffeine is three times, the amino acids are 4-5 times, and the potassium is 2-3 times higher - a huge difference.

Tea catechins in particular have a strong antioxidant effect and are expected to be effective in preventing lifestyle-related diseases, cancer, and dementia.

If you are aiming for the health benefits of catechins, we recommend green tea brewed in a teapot, as this is more efficient.

The growing popularity of "food for specified health uses" beverages

People who want to consume catechins efficiently tend to turn their attention to "foods for specified health uses."

These products are rich in catechins, so you can expect effects such as "reducing body fat" and "suppressing fat absorption."

However, due to its high price, it can become a financial burden to continue using it every day.

Commercially available green tea beverages designated as foods for specified health uses contain an average of 80 to 100 mg of catechins per 100 ml, although the amount varies depending on the product.

On the other hand, if you drink green tea at home using a teapot, you can consume about 50 mg of catechins per cup (about 100 ml), making it an easy and low-cost way to replenish your body with catechins every day. (Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition) Supplement 2023)

Of course, the amount of catechins varies depending on the type of tea leaves and brewing method.

If you want to consume more catechins, you can choose high-quality tea leaves or brew it stronger.

Finally

What did you think?

Tea brewed in a teapot is recommended for health-conscious people as it allows you to enjoy its natural flavor and rich nutritional value.

On the other hand, bottled tea has the advantage of being easy to drink anywhere.

The choice you make will depend on your personal preferences and lifestyle.

If you want to take your time at home and get all the nutrients contained in the tea leaves, you should choose tea brewed in a teapot. If you want to enjoy tea easily on the go, you should choose bottled tea.