Camellia Sinensis - Green tea extract 50% - 50 g

Camellia sinensis: green tea extract 50%

Every kind of tea starts on the same shrub. Black, white, oolong and green tea are all leaf from Camellia sinensis, and what separates them is the processing. Green tea leaf is heated shortly after picking so that it never oxidises, which is why it keeps its colour and that fresh, faintly grassy taste. This product takes the leaf a step further: it has been extracted and dried into a powder, then standardised at around 50 percent polyphenols, the group of plant compounds that includes the catechins green tea is known for.

The powder is far more concentrated than a brewed cup, and it tastes the part: herbal, astringent and quite bitter. One bag holds 50 grams, which lasts a long time because you only ever use a small amount at once. Worth knowing: tea leaf naturally contains caffeine, so an extract of it carries that along.

Using the powder

Start with a knife tip and stir it into water, juice or a smoothie. Given the bitterness it blends more comfortably into something with a flavour of its own than into plain water. You can also fill empty capsules with it if you would rather skip the taste altogether. Best kept away from the hours right before bed.

Storage and precautions

Keep the powder dry, dark and tightly closed, out of reach of children. If you take medication, are pregnant or are breastfeeding, check with your doctor first. The same category at Avalon Magic Plants also holds a stronger tea extract with 98% polyphenols, blue lotus extract and 5-HTP from Griffonia simplicifolia.