Green Tea
Today, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world,
second only to water. Hundreds of millions of people drink tea, and
studies suggest that green tea in particular has many health
benefits. Green tea is consumed every year in the world by
approximately 1/5th of the total consumption of all kind of tea,
and the green tea consumption have been grown by approximately 20%
in last 10 years. There are three main varieties of tea: green,
black and oolong, respectively and the difference is based on their
processing method. Green, black, and oolong tea are all derived
from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Major green tea
consumption countries are located in East Asia, and China and Japan
are the two largest green tea drinking country. Only few percentage
of the people in Europe, USA, Africa drink green tea. Recently,
India (one of the largest tea producing countries) and Australia
has concentrated on the green tea consumption as a promotion of
health benefits.Though, the tea consumption rate in Bangladesh is
lower than that of Europe, USA and neighboring countries, tea
consumption is increasing day by day and tea is considered as the
cheapest drink.Moreover, due to increased drinking habit,
population growth, higher income, rapid urbanization domestic
consumption of tea is alsoexpanding. However, most of the tea
consumed in Bangladesh is Black tea which is thought to be lower
nutritive value compare to drinking of green tea. Generally, green
tea is prepared from unfermented leaves, the leaves of tea are
partially fermented, and black tea is fully fermented. The more the
leaves are fermented, the lower the polyphenol content and the
higher the caffeine content.The most important secret of green tea
lies in the fact that it is rich in catechin polyphenols,
particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful
anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it
kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. Moreover,
polyphenols have antihypercholesterolemic, anti-viral,
antibacterial, ati-mutagenic, antihyperglycemic, anti-viral,
anti-alergy, anti-halitosis, anti-hypertentitive, anti-thrombocyte
cohesion effects, and bowel modulating. Also there is
polysaccharides that have aroma factor and anti-hyperglycemic
effect. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol
levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots which
leading to decrease of heart attacks and stroke. Moreover,
recently, the green tea is considered as an effective synergist
with the anticancer drugs for the tertiary cancer prevention. To
date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green
tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However,
green tea contains less caffeine compare to coffee and/or black
tea.
Therefore, a strategy by the Government and Private sector could
be taken as a health concern by drinking green tea and alternative
to regular other drinks. Commercially production and marketing as
well public awareness is important to address this issue. Because,
along with many other countries, Bangladesh has an increasing
number of cancer, primarily because of population growth and
ageing. It has been projected that death from cancer in Bangladesh
is 7.5 % in 2005 and it would be increased upto 13% in 2030 by
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Moreover, yet
Bangladesh has the lackingof latest cancer treatment facilities,
and ultimately every year Bangladesh is losing huge amount of
foreign currency for this purpose. Apart from this, cancer
prevention is the better way than faces to treatment, and it does
focuses not only on factors that increase a person's chances of
developing cancer (such as smoking, chewing betel leaf, nut and
jarda), but also on protective factors such as a healthy diet and
physical activity. For Example, the tendency of cancer occurrence
is low in countries such as Japan where people regularly consume
green tea.In human application at Saitama prefectural cancer
center, Japan, it is reported that a cancer patient drinking more
than 10 cups of tea a day showed the delay of cancer
carcinogenicity, and that a breast cancer patient drinking more
than 5 cups a day showed the lower rate of recurrence. Taken all,
application of green tea to the daily life could minimize the
occurrence of cancer as well other usual major diseases in
Bangladesh.Though drinking habit does not have a very long history
in Bangladesh, yet tea has become a very important part of
Bangladeshi culture. Dr. KM Ahammed (Deputy Director, Bangladesh
Tea Board) has pointed outthat population will be about
182millionby 2025 and the domestic requirement of tea will be about
80 million Kg, however domestic tea production will be 71 million
kg. He also mentioned that the average land use in tea is only
48.89%, and therefore, the country has a vast area suitable for
further extension.So that, there is a scope to incorporate the
green tea in the commercialization sector that could supply to the
mass people. So far, no or fewer commercial green tea production
exist in Bangladesh. It is thus conceivable to start production and
popularization of green tea and changes the drinking habit to green
tea which can alter the health risk to the general people.
Moreover, the existing tea price can be varied depending on the
prices of the complementary inputs of sugar and milk. In contrast,
green tea could lower the price with eliminating the uses the
aforesaid elements.Another important consideration I would like to
point out that, in Bangladesh, the pharmaceutical sector is one of
the most developed hi-tech sectors. Many pharmaceutical companies
have come up. Therefore, they can thinking about the commercially
production of medicine from the green tea extract through using the
treatment as anti-cancer drug and for the headaches to depression.
China, the largest green tea production country, has already been
used the green tea as a medicine by at least 4,000 years. However,
a comprehensive research based policy is recommended to lunch the
using of green tea directly in the medicinal purpose.The
Industrialization and adaptation of green tea in Bangladesh may
decline the disease prevalence and can alter the health index of
the nation. In addition to commercialization, it is also important
to make public awareness through radio, television and newspaper
for market promotion of green tea. Altogether, what I want to say
is that to include the green tea as a regular drink can alter your
health risk and will make long life.
http://www.wheel.com.bd/cover_story.php?id=27
Drinks in BangladeshLocal Bangladeshi restaurants typically dont
offer a wide array of drinks. While tap water is available for free
on tables, choices are usually limited to bottled water (a wise
choice for visitors tummies) and basic soft drinks (e.g., Sprite,
Coke). Alcohol is forbidden.Cha(tea): Bangladeshis are a tea
drinking people. Youll find little tea stands throughout the
country with a few people sitting and drinking a small cup, perhaps
with some snacks. Tea drinking and tea stands offer a great way to
engage with and meet people. Most tea is black tea served with
condensed milk and sugar, but you can also request red tea which is
without milk.Tea Wallah in Old Dhaka Bangladesh7-Layer Tea: The
famous 7-layer tea can only be found at Nilkhantha Tea Cabin
outside of Srimongal (beware of imitations in the nearby village).
The recipe is a secret, but combines three varieties of black tea
and one green tea. Condensed milk and various spices (cinnamon,
cloves), perhaps a dash of lemon and a hint of asafoetida make up
the other flavor layers.7-layer tea in Srimongal, BangladeshLime
juice and sugar cane juice: You can find juice stands on the
streets of Old Dhaka and other big cities. Just be careful that
youre just getting the juice and not a mixture with local water.
Otherwise, Bangla belly might come to haunt you.One Glass, Seven
Layers of Tea ARTICLE COMMENTS (10) BANGLADESH TEA
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By CHRISTOPHER SHAY
Christopher Shay for The Wall Street JournalMr. Gour and his
layered tea.More In Food & Drink We've Moved 'Simple Thai
Food': My Sweet Potato Fritters Recipe The Cooling Power of Sour
Food At Japanese Restaurant Okra, Don't Expect Miso Soup Art Basel
Hong Kong: Art-Inspired Food and DrinkBangladeshis will travel
hours to the sleepy town of Srimongol, in Bangladeshs northeast,
just for a cup of Romesh Ram Gours famous tea. In a country of avid
tea drinkers, Mr. Gour is the inventor behind a seven-layer tea
which, he claims, no one else has been able to replicate. Copycats
in the region have succeeded in creating five-layer teas, but none
have been able to unlock the secret to Mr. Gours rainbow brew.Mr.
Gour invented his colorful layered teas 10 years ago, when he was
selling tea from a bamboo shack. He says he realized that teas from
different leaves have slightly different densities. It took a year
of experimenting before he could sell teas with more than two
layers. Over the years, he learned to expand to seven.The kind of
layer tea Mr. Gour makes is unique to theSrimongol area. An iced
three-layer tea has become popular in the Malaysian state of
Sarawak, but those drinksinclude one type of tea and are typically
layered with palm sugar on the bottom, evaporated milk in the
middle and tea on the top.What makes Srimongols special are
thediscrete layers of tea blends.Mr. Gour mixes different types of
locally grown teathree black teas and one green tea from four types
of bushes, with milk and various spices. Each mixture has a
distinct color and taste, and he pours one on top of another to
create seven distinct bands. Customers sip each layer slowly:
Trying to figure out whats in each one is a fun act of gustatory
detective work. The top layer of the seven-layer tea has hints of
cinnamon; the layer below has a slight citrus flavor to it. Mr.
Gour says the fourth layer from the top and bottom layer get the
most reaction from his customers. The fourth layer is a black tea
mixed with condensed milk, while the bottom layer is a sweet,
syrupy green tea with cloves, cinnamon and secret spices.
(Customers can choose to have one to seven layers of tea in their
drink.)In a country that consumes more than 55 million kilograms of
tea leaves a year, Mr. Gours layered tea has turned him into
something of a celebrity. He has shared a cup of his tea with many
of Bangladeshs top politicians, including members of Parliament and
the governor of Bangladesh Bank. Bangladeshi newspaper clippings
about his tea cover one wall of his open-air shop. In January, he
opened a second tea cabin, just down the street from his first
one.A seven-layer drink costs 70 taka, or about one U.S. dollar. It
may not sound like much, but most cups of tea in the area cost
about seven U.S. cents.Just how, exactly, Mr. Gour layers the tea
is a closely guarded secret. Mr. Gour heads to a back room so he
can make his concoction away from prying eyes. He has trusted the
recipe to his three sons and brother who work at the shopsonly the
five them are allowed into the tea-preparation room.Though
imitators have popped up around town, offering their own layered
teas, Mr. Gour is leading the competition with most layers. He says
after years of practice, he will release a 10-layer tea later this
year.So, is the tea worth the trip?With its varied flavors, tea
connoisseurs are bound to find at least a layer or two they like.
The fourth layer from the top stood out with its strong spices,
likely some mixture of ginger and cinnamon in a black tea, while
the popular bottom layer was a bit on the sweet side (though would
have tasted great as a syrup on ice cream). Mr. Gour claims the
flavors will live with you a lifetime, but theres no one tea flavor
that makes that memorable of a mark. Its more about the experience
and drink as a whole: the mystery of the ingredients, the rows of
tea bushes just outside the shops and the chance to drink from the
hands of a Bangladeshi tea master.Nilkantha Tea Cabins are on
Kalighat Road just a few kilometers outside of the town of
Srimongol in Sylhet division,
Bangladesh.http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2011/06/07/the-secret-of-the-seven-layer-tea/
ITS ALL ABOUT A CUP OF TEA AT A CHA ER TONGExperience
Bangladesh,Food,Travel TipsJun 25 20120 Comment
Experience the goodnessIf Bangladesh had a national drink, it
would certainly be Cha. This traditional hot tea is prepared
throughout the country and consumed everywhere from penthouses to
cafs, during business meetings, shopping sprees and in all the
times in between to social with, to vegetate with, to ponder with.
But if you want to truly experience Cha, you must visit a Cha er
Tong or Tea Stall.Tongs are ubiquitous in Bangladesh. They can be
found in busy city centers, near-deserted highways, and rural
villages. Catering to people from all walks of life, youre just as
likely to sit next to a rickshaw driver wearing a longi as a
suited-booted business person.Just as hunger is a great sauce,
location is a wonderful sweetener. Cha from a Tong has a unique
flavor that can only be attributed to the experience. Where else
can you have a seat outdoors, watch your tea being made, and
simultaneously observe the world walking by?The Cha experience also
has to do with the nostalgia and company you are with. Recently, a
friend who LIVES in Dhaka, asked on his facebook wall, Hey Guys,
where can I find the best milk tea? 17 comments later, I realized
it was all about, whom you are with and why you like the place, as
opposed to where. However, some of the glorious responses from
Farhans friends included, everything from Cha at swanky cafes for
the rich and famous at Mango Caf in Baridhara, Al Razzak in Old
Dhaka, at the 50+ year old establishment call Star Kebab in
Dhanmondi, Shadow Cha at Kiss Corner in Dhaka University, Bose
Cabin cha in Narayangonj to the cappuccino style cha in Dinajpur
(North Bengal).
You will find everyone from a Rickshawalla to CEOs at the
TongMany first time visitors often worry about the safety of
drinking tea prepared in a ramshackle stall. In actuality, hot tea
is one of the safest street foods/drinks you can have! One of the
proprietors young assistants is likely to wash your glass when you
arrive, and a simple word or gesture can assure a second thorough
cleansing. The tea itself is quite safe as it is prepared with
boiled water. To choose a Tong, follow the usual formula: Look for
one thats Buzzing with people! Quality attracts a crowd. Also avoid
Tongs located near or next to a canal.Cha is served with milk or
creamer and sugar. Some Tongs use fresh cow milk, while others will
offer non-dairy creamer. Either way, the tea is served sweet and
hot in a petite ceramic or glass mug. Drink up, and enjoy the
experience!importing tea from abroad.The best tea I drank in
Bangladesh was made for me by a boy of seven.With his small hands,
he took a tiny glass and washed it in hot water. Then he poured in
the tea from a large brown pot and added a spoonful of condensed
milk from a tin. Finally, he stirred in two spoonfuls of sugar and
handed me the cup with a grin.I paid him ten Taka, about 10p. The
usual cost of a cup is only one Taka.The Bangladeshis love hot,
sweet tea and every year, as the population grows, they drink
more.Nearly all of it comes from the huge tea estates, or tea
gardens as they are known, which cover the rolling hills of eastern
Bangladesh.Scottish influenceI visited the Shumshernugger garden in
the tropical district of Sylhet.As I pulled up to the gates in a
hired minibus, two armed guards straightened their backs and
saluted. I stood on the lawn in front of a vast, white timber
bungalow where I was greeted by the estate manager, Luftor Rahman,
a stocky man in his fifties with kindly patrician manners. He
invited me to join him on the veranda.This time the tea was served
in bone china cups. We sipped it as the sun set.If domestic demand
continues to rise and production cannot be raised, Bangladesh will
soon have to import tea from abroad
From the balcony we could hear the sound of jackals, drawn to
the garden by the smell of jackfruit. I could also make out the
shape of fruit-bats, hunting for lychees in the trees.Mr Rahman
wanted to talk business. But first he wanted to know about my name;
Duncan. Was I from Scotland he asked?"No," I replied, "but my
grandfather was."He explained that this tea garden was founded by a
Scottish entrepreneur, one Walter Duncan, who first came to the
region in 1858, a year after the Indian Mutiny. The company which
owns the garden is still named Duncan Brothers. It is the largest
non-government-owned tea producer in the world.Domestic demand"Mr
Rahman," I asked. "Tea only sells for a penny a cup in Bangladesh,
"but couldn't you sell it abroad at a much better price? In a smart
restaurant in London or Los Angeles, people would surely pay far
more?"The pickers' pay is not high, but they are better off than
many people who struggle to make a living from the land.
The estate manager sighed and mixed himself a glass of pink
gin.He explained that 75% of the tea which is grown in Bangladesh
is drunk within the country. The only significant export markets
are Pakistan and Russia. And the farms of Sylhet have a problem. A
drought last year killed one in 10 of the tea bushes, which haven't
yet been replaced.If domestic demand continues to rise and
production cannot be raised, Bangladesh will soon have to import
tea from abroad.Suddenly we were plunged into darkness. Another
power cut, a common problem here. Recently one blacked out half the
country. Through the gloom, we heard a member of staff running to
switch on a generator.When the lights came back on dinner was
served; goat curry and lentil dhal.The estate's guest quarters were
lavish but the unfamiliar sounds made it hard to sleep. I curled up
in bed with a copy of the company magazine: The Duncan. Eventually
I must have dozed off.Praying for cropsAt half past six, someone
wheeled in another pot of hot, fresh tea.I stepped outside to find
Mr Rahman sitting on the balcony in the sunshine, waiting for
breakfast. One of his staff stood at his side, bearing a plastic
fly-swatter. We ate fresh mangos and toast and drank yet more
tea.When we reached the fields, we came across dozens of women
plucking green leaves from the tea bushes and putting them into
heavy sacks on their backs.The women are nearly all Hindus, a
rarity in predominantly Muslim Bangladesh. Their families came here
from other parts of the sub-continent a century and a half ago and
have remained ever since.Bangladeshis fear they will have to import
tea from abroad
The pickers' pay is not high, but they are better off than many
people who struggle to make a living from the land.The company
offers free health-care and there is even a boarding school for 66
boys. Lessons start at half eight in the morning and in the
afternoons the children play cricket and table-tennis. There are
clubs for debating, art and chess.It feels like an English public
school from a distant era - a far cry from the shabby schools in
most Bangladeshi villages.With the benefit of a good education,
some of the boys may gain well-paid jobs in the cities. But their
sisters, who cannot go to the school, are likely to follow their
mothers into the tea fields for the rest of their lives. The women
are praying for a better crop than last year.Enough tea to satisfy
the thirst of the whole country - and enough left over to offer the
rest of the world a unique taste of Bangladesh.From Our Own
Correspondent was broadcast on Saturday 10 June, 2006 at 1130 BST
on BBC Radio 4. Please check theprogramme schedulesfor World
Service transmission
times.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/5063950.stm
Bangladesh tea price jumps on strong demandPublished: 1 January
2013 10:02 PMDHAKA, Jan 1 Tea prices in Bangladesh jumped 13.36 per
cent at a weekly auction today, after rising 7.3 per cent at the
previous session, on strong demand from local buyers, brokers
said.Tea consumption in Bangladesh is rising by 4.5 per cent
annually, in line with steady economic growth. AFP picThe average
price of Bangladeshi tea rose to 293.26 taka (RM11) a kg against
258.70 taka per kg the previous week, an official at the countrys
largest tea broking firm, National Brokers Limited, said.Around
1.65 million kg of tea were offered at Bangladeshs sole auction
centre in Chittagong, with 3.67 per cent unsold, compared with 1.75
per cent unsold in the previous auction when 1.9 million kg was
offered.Buyers were very active or practically all varieties on
offer especially bright liquoring types which advanced
substantially, National Brokers said in its market report.Blenders
dominated the market while loose tea buyers were mostly out-priced,
it added.Around 1.7 million kg will be offered at the next auction
on January 8.Tea sold at the Chittagong auction is mostly bought by
domestic buyers.Last January Bangladeshs tax authority imposed a 25
per cent duty on tea imports to safeguard the local industry.The
south Asian country produces 60 million kg of tea a year against
demand of 56 million. Tea consumption there is rising by 4.5 per
cent annually, in line with steady economic growth. Reuters- See
more at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/bangladesh-tea-price-jumps-on-strong-demand#sthash.n6XxaWa1.dpuf
