 Green tea is produced from the leaves of the white-flowered evergreeen called Camellia Sinensis. Green teas are produced mainly in China, Taiwan, Japan and India. It is made by steaming or pan-firing the leaves immediately after plucking in order to prevent oxidation and also preserve the tea's natural oils and important natural oxidants; afterwards the leaves are rolled and dried. Green tea is the main choice among Japanese tea drinkers today. Many kinds are available including Sencha(with new season tea or
"shin cha" being preferred), Genmaicha("popcorn" tea), Houjicha(roasted green tea) and Matcha, or powdered green tea, which is the famous tea ceremony beverage. In China, the first crop teas are harvested from mid-April to mid-May; this crop is considered of the highest quality and accounts for more than half of the annual production.
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