Mr. Zane, the proprietor of Tai Chi Tea, came to visit at my Lakeview office. While I sipped his delicious green tea and ate the baby leaves (yes! More about that later) he regaled me with the lore of green tea.

Both Mr. Zane and his green tea came from Yingshan, a mountainous region in the Wubei Province of China. Tea cultivation on the mountains does not require insecticide. Mr. Zane harvests only baby tea leaves in the Spring (regular commercially available teas are made from large leaves harvested in the Summer). The sprouts are fried in special pans over low heat. To preserve the form of the leaves craftsmen use their hands to stir the leaves. ‘It’s an art!’, Mr. Zane said. The tea is packaged and air-freighted into the United States to preserve their freshness. Still, Mr. Zane insists that it should be refrigerated for storage.

Mr. Zane says his green tea should be steeped with cool or warm but not hot water and that the baby leaves be eaten. He said Chairman Mao never brushed his teeth but chewed and ate the leaves from his tea. He maintained his good dental health this way. Mr. Zane also suggested adding his tea to fish and salads.

The health benefits of drinking green tea are many and information about it is abundant over the internet. Mr. Zane lists the following on the Tai Chi Tea website http://www.taichigreentea.com:

prevent & fight cancer
lose weight
fight and prevent diabetes
reduce blood pressure
lower cholesterol
detoxify the body
prevent & fight arthritis
prevent & fight allergy
boost immune system
protect the liver
protect the heart
slower aging
relieve stress
enhance physical performance

Mr. Zane approaches his green tea and business with great love and passion. His tea is the most delicious I have ever tasted. I never knew green tea could taste like that. I invite you to visit his website to buy tea from him or come to my office to have a tasting.

One thing he said really impressed me: “When friends drink tea together, it puts them in a peaceful and harmonious state of mind. That in itself is healing.” How true!