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Do you know what kind of ingredients Hojicha contains?

Hojicha is created by heating green tea leaves and stems, and the ingredients are changed through this process.

How do that brown color, roasted aroma and the unique taste stand out with astringency and bitterness are created?

Let’s see what’s contained in your cup of Hojicha!

The Ingredients of Black Tea

The most unique feature of Hojicha is roasting. By roasting, the aroma is added, and also the taste become clear and smooth.

Of course, the ingredients also changed before and after processing.

Caffeine

Maybe, some of you have heard that Hojicha doesn’t contain caffeine. However, it’s not true.

Caffeine sublimates with high temperature, but its sublimation point is 178℃. During the process of Hojicha, it is heated to around 200℃, so some of Hojicha is heated to below the sublimation point. That’s why caffeine remains in Hojicha, in that case the same amount of caffeine as black tea and green tea remains as well.

Catechin

Catechin is a one of polyphenols and also called as tannin. It is a typical ingredients of tea, the astringency taste is coming from catechin.

Because catechin doesn’t break by heating, Hojicha has almost same amount of catechin as green tea. 

Melanoidin

Hojicha has an unique brown water color, it is caused by melanoidin.

This ingredients don’t exist in fresh leaves and other tea, but exist in Hojicha because this ingredients are created by maillard reaction, which is the chemical reaction with amino acids and sugars by heating.

Saponin

Saponin is also an ingredients that consist the bitterness of the tea, but the amount is quite small. Because saponin has a property as a surfactant, it causes tea to foam.

The amount is too small to expect the saponin’s effect, but it is a constitution of bitter taste of Hojicha.

Amino acid

Amino acids are the ingredients that consist umami of the tea.

There are some kinds such as theanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, serine etc… in particular, theanine occupies about 50% of total amino acid, and is typical ingredients of tea.

In case of Hojicha, the total amount of amino acid is smaller than green tea because amino acids turn into melanoidin by maillard reaction. In addition to this, 2nd or 3rd flush tea leaves are usually used for Hojicha, therefore the initial amount of amino acids is smaller than green tea.

Pyrazine(Aroma Component)

Roasted aroma is one of the most unique features of Hojicha, and it is caused by pyrazine.

This is also an ingredient created by maillard reaction, and is also exist on other roasted food.

Pyrazine mostly consist of the roasted aroma of Hojicha.

Vitamin

Fresh tea leaves contain a lot of vitaminA,C,E,B and so on. However, they are oxidized and changed to other ingredients during the heating process of tea leaves, almost no vitamins remain in Hojicha leaves.

Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll is contained in fresh tea leaves, and also Hojicha leaves because it doesn’t destroyed by heating. However, chlorophyll is fat-soluble ingredient, only little chlorophyll extract in the tea.  

Many ingredients are contained in Hojicha

Like this, the taste, aroma and color is consisted from many ingredients. In particular, Hojicha ingredients are very unique since the process of heating, and the health benefit is also different with other types of tea.

If you want to know about the health benefits of Hojicha, let’s check this article.

The aroma compounds contained in tea can be described as the compounds that create a variety of aromas such as aromas of roasted tea leaves and young leaves.

Surprisingly, there are more than 300 different aroma compounds like these in tea.

This time, we are going to introduce the major aroma compounds and how each compound creates aromas.

Tea aroma is subtle and complex

Tea aroma can include many different aromas such as aromas of roasted tea leaves, young leaves and sweetness.

In fact, these aromas are created by compounds called “aroma compounds”.

Tea is the beverage that contains more than 300 different aroma compounds.

The harmony of these aroma compounds is where the subtle and complex tea aroma comes from.

Difference between Black Tea & Oolong Tea and Green Tea

Black tea, oolong tea and green tea are all produced from the same tea leaves.

However, each one of these teas has their own characteristic aromas as if they are not from the same tea leaves.

This is because each tea is produced in different processes that create different aroma compounds.

Now, let’s see the 3 different tea producing processes and the aromas created in those 3.

Green tea

At the beginning of producing green tea, there is a process called “sassei” that is to steam and heat freshly picked tea leaves.

This process deactivates enzymatic fermentation (oxidization) in the leaves from producing aroma compounds, which keeps refreshing aromas of tea leaves.

But, this doesn’t mean that green tea has few aroma compounds: even though the fermentation stops, there are still more than 200 aroma compounds contained in green tea.

Black tea / oolong tea

Black tea and oolong tea leaves would first be withered, instead of the heating process like the green tea’s.

When tea leaves are not heated at the beginning, oxidation would get enhanced to produce a variety of aroma compounds.

As a result, black tea / oolong tea contains about 600 aroma compounds, while green tea’s is about 200.

This is how floral and fruity aromas are produced in tea leaves to make the taste of black tea / oolong tea.

In other words, the types and volume of aroma compounds produced from the same tea leaves would vary according to the time length of oxidation.

Major aroma compounds

Now, let’s see the major aroma compounds contained in tea.

Linalool

Linalool is an aroma compound with the light and refreshing odor like lily of the valley.

It has effects of antibacterial, antivirus and immunity booster.

Geraniol

Geraniol is an aroma compound with the rose-like odor.

It is used to produce the artificial citrus flavor and vitamin E and A supplement.

Leaf alcohol

Leaf alcohol is an aroma compound with the refreshing odor of young leaves.

It is used to produce artificial flower essential oils and food flavors.

Cis-jasmone

Cis-jasmon is an aroma compound with the sweet and thick odor like jasmine and gardenia.

It is mainly contained in black tea and used to produce fruity or floral compounded fragrances.

Dimethyl sulfide

Dimethyl sulfide is an aroma compound with the odor of green seaweed.

It is contained in nori seaweed and wasabi, and it can cause bad smells when using a big amount.

However, since only a small amount is contained and blended with other aroma compounds in tea, it only plays a role to create refreshing aromas.

Indole

Indole is an aroma compound with the grassy, bitter and heavy odor.

It is also contained in jasmine oil and coal-tar

Indole itself can cause bad smells like dimethyl sulfide, but it would have the floral odor when low-concentrated.

Pyrazine

Pyrazine is an aroma compound with the roasting odor created by heating.

Particularly, the roasting aroma of Japanese tea comes from pyrazine.

Tea is a beverage with rich vitamin C.

Vitamin C is an important component that helps you maintain your immunity.

In this page, we are going to introduce the basic information and detailed effects of tea, and tips to effectively ingest vitamin C from tea.

Vitamins contained in tea.

Vitamins contained rich in tea are listed below;

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A and
• Vitamin E

The 13 vitamins are classified as water-soluble and fat-soluble: vitamin C is water-soluble, vitamin A and E are fat-soluble.

These terms “water-soluble” and “fat-soluble” may not sound familiar to you but, it can simply be described that water-soluble is a type that easily dissolves in water and fat-soluble is not quite.

Therefore, when drinking brewed tea, water-soluble vitamin C can effectively be ingested, whereas, fat-soluble vitamin A and E cannot be ingested much.

Effects of vitamin C

According to the research done by Incorporated Administrative Agencies and General Research Organization of Agri-Food Technology, vitamin C contained in tea has effects listed below;

• Anti-scurvy
• Cold prevention
• Cataract prevention
• Anti-allergy
• Immunity booster
• Antioxidant and
• Prevention of nitrosamine formation

You may be familiar with some of these effects such as anti-allergy and immunity booster, on the other hand, the terms like antioxidant and nitrosamine may not ring the bell.

Thus, we are going to explain these two effects.

Antioxidant effect

Antioxidant effect is a function that detoxifies extra substances in your body.

This is considered as an important function that can prevent all types of diseases, and it works to inhibit tissues from aging.

Prevention of nitrosamine formation

Nitrosamine is a chemical compound that is strongly carcinogenic.

Ingestion of vitamin C can prevent formation of nitrosamine, which eventually leads to cancer prevention.

Tips to effectively ingest vitamin C

Sencha is recommended for those who want to ingest rich vitamin C.

Since vitamin C is formed by sunshine, sencha that soaks up lots of sunshine while cultivated contains rich vitamin C

On the other hand, Gyokuro and Matcha cultivated in shades don’t have as much vitamin C as sencha’s

Also, oolong tea and red tea have little vitamin C as most of it in those teas changes while in the process of fermentation / oxidation.,

Tips to ingest other vitamins in tea.

As mentioned at the beginning, tea also contains fat-soluble vitamins E and A.

These vitamins can hardly dissolve in water, while tea powder makes the ingestion possible.

As tea powder is ground tea leaves, the whole ingredients of tea leaves can be ingested in your body.

Since vitamin E has a strong antioxidant effect and vitamin A has an effect to maintain your skin in healthy condition, tea powder is recommended for those who want both health and beauty effects.

FYI, make sure to purchase “tea powder”, not “instant tea powder” that looks like tea powder.

Catechin is a type of polyphenol. It is a unique ingredient of tea with health effects such as reduction of bad cholesterol and stress relief.

In this page, we are going to introduce the basic knowledge of catechin and tips to effectively ingest catechin from tea.

What is Catechin?

Catechin is a type of polyphenol. It’s a unique ingredient of tea, which attributes bitterness and astringency in tea.

Many of you may have heard that polyphenol is good for your health, likewise, catechin is also one of the ingredients whose health effects are clinically proven.

There are four main catechins in tea that are;

• Epicatechin
• Epicatechin gallate
• Epigallocatechin and
• Epigallocatechin gallate

Each catechin has their own effects, and they also commonly have basic effects such as reduction of bad cholesterol.

Catechin attributes astringency in tea.

Astringency in tea mainly comes from catechin and caffeine.

Specifically, catechin contains astringency with bitterness, caffeine includes light and refreshing astringency.

Health effects of catechin

Health effects of catechin are listed below;

1. Antibacterial / Detoxification
2. Antioxidant
3. Reduction of bad cholesterol
4. Deodorization
5. Stress-relief

Let’s see in order:

Antibacterial / Detoxification

Catechin has effects of antibacterial and detoxification.

Specifically, it can be active against bacteria that cause O-157, flu, mycoplasma pneumonia. Besides, catechin has an effect of detoxification as it can easily be bonded to alkaloid that is a toxin found in many plants.

Antioxidant

Catechin has an antioxidant effect.

Antioxidant is simply described as a function that detoxifies extra substances in our body.

It is an important function that can prevent all types of diseases as it plays a role that prevents tissues from aging and maintains the immune system.

Surprisingly, it is said that antioxidant in catechin is tens of times more effective than Vitamin C’s and E’s.

With the data, no wonder it is said that tea is good for your health.

Reduction of bad cholesterol

Reduction of bad cholesterol is also an effect of catechin.

Cholesterol has 2 types that are “HDL cholesterol (good)” and “LDL cholesterol (bad)”. Catechin has an effect that reduces LDL cholesterol.

Particularly, it is said that epigallocatechin gallate rich in tea has more of the effect.

Deodorization

You may have heard that tea leaves have an effect of deodorization.

This deodorization actually comes from catechin.

For instance, research done by Miki Ui et al. (1991) reports that chewing gums that contain catechin have an effect of oral deodorization.

Stress-relief

You may feel relaxed while drinking tea.

In fact, the effect of drinking tea that relieves stress and tension is scientifically proved.

Research done by Takako Yamato et al. (2012) indicates that drinking tea and catechin tea on the market brings these effects of;

• stress/tension relief
• counteraction of fatigue and mood enhancement

Also, drinking catechin-rich tea on the market has an effect of anti-depression and decrease of low mood.

This shows that ingesting catechin by drinking tea can relieve your stress.

It is surprising that ordinary tea that we casually drink actually brings a variety of effects.

How to ingest catechin in tea

Here are 2 tips to ensure the ingestion of catechin in tea;

1. use hot water at a high temperature
2. purchase second / third flush tea

Let’s see in order.

Use hot water at a high temperature

Catechin has a characteristic that hardly dissolves at a low temperature. Whereas, it can dissolve well in hot water at a high temperature.

Although high temperatures can cause astringent in tea, we recommend brewing tea at a high temperature for the purpose of rich catechin.

Purchase second / third flush tea

Tea leaves are classified as first/second/third flush teas by the harvest times of year

First flush is considered as the most premium and flavorful tea, but second and third flush teas are recommended when expecting the ingestion of rich catechin.

Second and third flush teas grow in the times that the daylight hours are long, which results in rich catechin produced by sunlight.

Therefore, try second / third flush teas when you want to take rich catechin.

Caffeine is a type of alkaloid with effects that keeps you awake and promotes your digestion and absorption.

In this page, we are going to introduce the basic knowledge, detailed effects and tips for effective ingestion of caffeine.

Hope this article will help you benefit from caffeine in your life.

What is caffeine?

Caffeine is a type of compound called alkaloid that is contained in tea.

It is contained in tea and coffee, also used for medicine for cough and headache.

Caffeine causes bitterness in tea

Caffeine is an ingredient of bitterness as well as catechin contained in tea.

Caffeine attributes light bitterness, while catechin has astringency.

Who discovered caffeine?

Caffeine was discovered by a German doctor named Runge in 1819.

The year 1819 is in the late of the Edo period in Japan, which means that caffeine had been known very early in Europe.

Caffeine was first discovered in coffee, then also discovered in tea in 1827.

After, a lot of effects of caffeine got to be confirmed.

Effects of caffeine

Ingestion of caffeine has effects that;

• keep you awake
• stimulate heart and kidney to promote urination
• promote secretion of gastric acid that helps digestion and absorption of food
• promote fat burning in your body

Also, the highlight of caffeine is that caffeine effects are expected immediately as caffeine gets absorbed in your body right after ingestion.

Pay attention to the amount of your caffeine ingestion!

Taking caffeine has many effects, but it is confirmed that taking too much caffeine can cause some health risks.

For example, a study done by Hisashi Kurihara in 2015 reports that;

• taking more than 100mg caffeine may cause insomnia
• a risk of heart attack would be increased for 1 hour after taking more than 200mg of caffeine

However, as a cup tea in general (60ml) only contains about 16mg of caffeine, there would be no health problem as long as you simply enjoy tea.

Which one of tea and coffee has more caffeine?

Caffeine may remind you of coffee, but when comparing the same amount of tea leaves and coffee beans, tea leaves actually contain more caffeine than coffee beans.

For instance, sencha contains 1.7 times, Gyokuro has 2.7 times more caffeine than coffee beans.

However, when comparing the amount of caffeine per cup, more caffeine can be ingested in coffee than tea due to the amount to use of coffee beans.

For example, when comparing 100ml of coffee and tea, the amount of caffeine of each is ;

• Regular coffee: 60mg
• Sencha: 20mg

*Coca Cola Official Website

Therefore, those who want to effectively ingest caffeine should drink coffee rather than sencha.

Tips to effectively ingest caffeine in tea.

Since caffeine is likely to dissolve in hot water at a high temperature, brewing tea with hot water at a high temperature would be recommended. Whereas, there is not much caffeine in cold brew tea.

Thus, pay attention to the temperature of water when brewing tea.

Theanine is a type amino acid that has effects such as stress-relief and improvement of blood flow.

In this page, we are going to introduce the basic knowledge, detailed effects and tips for effective ingestion of theanine.

Hope this article will encourage you to drink tea for your health.

What is theanine?

Theanine is a type of amino acid contained in tea. This may surprise you but, tea contains amino acids below;

• Gultamine acid
• Arginie
• Asparagines acid
• Theanin
• Other

Particularly, theanine is the most contained amino acid that is about 50% of all types of amino acids in tea.

Theanine attributes sweetness and umami in tea.

Theanine is a unique ingredient of tea that attributes sweetness and umami.

As it is not contained in coffee or cocoa, tea is the only one that can taste refreshing sweetness and umami of Theanine.

Thenine was discovered by Japanese.

Theanine is an ingredient discovered in Gyokuro by Yajiro Sakato in 1950.

In fact, theanine is named after tea: It was named after the old scientific name of tea “thea sinensis”.

Effects of theanine

Theanine has an effect that releases alpha waves in brain.

“Alpha wave” may not sound familiar, but it is simply described as a brain wave that is released when relaxed.

When alpha waves are released in brain, these effects can be expected;

• Increase in memory
• Increase in concentration
• Tension-relief and improvement of blood flow
• Stress-relief

Isn’t it great to gain these effects only by drinking tea?

How to ingest theanine in tea

Theanine tends to be contained more in high-end tea with rich umami such as Gyokuro, Matcha and high-end Sencha.

Therefore, those who want to ensure enough theanine are recommended choosing higher ranked tea than they usually take.

Also, brewing tea with iced water can suppress catechin that causes astringency and caffeine that boosts your mood.

So, relaxation effects and umami of theanine can be more in ice-cold brewed tea than hot brewed tea.

Saponin is a type of glycosides that is slightly contained in tea.

It has effects such as antibacterial, fever reduction and antiasthmatic

In this page, we are going to introduce the basic information, taste and effects of saponin.

What is saponin?

Saponin is a type of glycosides that is slightly contained in tea.

It is named after “Shabon” that means bubbles, which comes from foam that looks like tiny bubbles on top of whisked Matcha.

Does saponin taste very bitter?

Saponin is an ingredient with its unique bitterness, astringency and egumi(harsh bitterness) taste.

However, as mentioned before, since saponin is only contained a small amount in tea, it does not make tea taste significantly bitter.

Is saponin found in animals?

Saponin is a compound mainly found in plants. For instance, it is contained in bellflower, licorice and date fruit.

However, it does not mean that saponin is only found in plants. Animals such as sea cucumber and starfish also have saponin.

Effects of saponin

Saponin has effects listed below;

• Antiasthmatic
• Antibacterial, Antivirus
• Inflammation relief, Fever reduction
• Sedation
• Cholesterol reduction and
• Antiobesity

*References: Glossary of Pharmaceutical Terms (The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan), Survey of Functional Components and Utilization (National Agriculture and Food Research Organization), "All You Need to Know about Japanese Tea" (Nobunkyo)

It is said that one of these listed effects of saponin that is Antibacterial/Antivirus especially fights off the flu virus.

Therefore, gargling with tea in addition to taking medicine would be helpful when not feeling well.