JP2003164259A - Antioxidant tea - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that the requirement for used tea leaves to be disposed causes a kind of redundant work in these days because green tea is drunk as an infused tea that is a liquid obtained by infusing the green tea leaves with hot water or boiling water, and the used tea leaves are left after the drink, and further to eliminate defects of leaving a large amount of nutrients present in the tea leaves especially an antioxidant component, vitamin, mineral or the like not utilized as complete shapes in the method of drinking only infused liquid of the tea. <P>SOLUTION: This antioxidant tea is obtained by finely milling the leaves of the tea into ≤20 μm so as to be entirely drunk, and so as to enable the nutrient components of the original tea to be utilized, adding catechins and vitamin C to the milled leaves to synergistically increase the antioxidant effects of the milled leaves, and further adding theanine to suppress the change of the taste, and γ-aminobutylic acid to enhance the effectiveness to human beings. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to instant green tea having improved antioxidative properties and functionality.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Speaking of tea in Japan, it means green tea.
Of course, there is no bancha, houjicha, black tea, oolong tea, etc., but in Japan, when we say tea without any adjectives, it is almost always green tea.

In Japan, the key word for freshness and freshness of tea is strong, and there is an atmosphere where new tea is enjoyed, and it can be said that various measures have been taken to preserve this freshness.

[0004]

In Japan, green tea is a tea leaf obtained from a tea tree that is steam-heated to inactivate fermentative enzymes in the leaf and preserve its color and flavor. As a result, it can be stored for a considerably long period of time. However, in the usual case, green tea is sencha, that is, a drink made by boiling water or a liquid made by brewing with hot water, and tea leaves remain after drinking. The need to dispose of the tea leaves is becoming a kind of extra work in modern times.

Further, the method of drinking only the tea decoction has a drawback in that most of the nutrients present in the tea body, especially the antioxidant components, vitamins and minerals, are not utilized in perfect form. In this respect, although there is a history of being consumed by a method such as matcha, this state of matcha is also a very expensive and time-consuming process in terms of storability and convenience.

On the other hand, in the present age, there is no product that instantly or instantly dissolves powder or granules in hot water to give tea, or a product in the form of a tea pack. In terms of taste, antioxidant function, etc., it was one step lower.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] At present, the effectiveness of tea is being reviewed from the viewpoint of its antioxidant function. At present, in our company's antioxidant function, efficient use of tea nutritional components, and usability As a result of earnest development research, new tea was completed.
That is, the present invention is an antioxidant tea produced by adding a tea extract and green tea catechins, theanine, vitamin C and γ-aminobutyric acid to tea leaves that have been pulverized to 10 μm or less in an unheated state.

Ordinary tea leaves contain catechin, theanine, vitamin C, γ-aminobutyric acid, etc., though in small amounts. However, in the drinking method called sencha, only the component extracted from tea leaves with warm water is the target for drinking, and the other components are not used. So to speak, it is in the state of being destroyed. However, even if only these ingredients are added, the taste balance of tea is destroyed, and the taste often becomes uncomfortable.
Although the antioxidative activity of catechins is a well-known fact, these catechins have a taste of bitterness and astringency more or less, which can be said to hinder a large amount of drinking. The reason why the bitterness gradually increases when the tea is brewed second or third is because catechins are extracted.

The present invention uses 100% natural nutritional components of tea.
In order to bring out the effect, pulverize tea leaves to a size of about 20 μm and drink them as they are, as well as catechins, vitamin C,
It is a new antioxidant tea in which theanine and γ-aminobutyric acid are added to synergistically increase the antioxidant power, suppress the change in taste, and enhance the effectiveness on the human body.

As the tea leaves used in the present invention, both tea leaves before picking and steam heating are used and those after steam heating. The color before the steam heating treatment is more vivid, but there is a drawback that a slight blue odor is attached, so that the smell after the steam heating treatment is added to adjust the odor.

A known method can be used for the pulverization, but a method in which the temperature does not rise during the pulverization is more preferable. This is because if the temperature rises during pulverization, it will be the same as pulverization after heat treatment, leading to loss of the active ingredient. The mixing ratio of both is 1: 3.
To 3: 1. Catechin, theanine, vitamin C and γ-aminobutyric acid are added to the mixture of both. As catechins, four types of epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate are used alone or in combination of two or more. In this case, it is not practical to use purely purified catechins in terms of cost and effectiveness. It does not matter if the mixture is properly mixed.

The respective blending amounts are 1 to 20 catechins and 1 to 1 catechins per 100 tea powder.
7, Vitamin C is 0.1 to 5, and γ-aminobutyric acid is 1 to 20. The amount of catechin can be relatively suppressed by using tea powder that is not heat-treated. Then, the addition of theanine, vitamin C and γ-aminobutyric acid synergistically increases the antioxidant effect. Vitamin C affects taste, so it is not appropriate to add it any more. In addition, catechins, theanine, vitamin C, γ
The aminobutyric acid may be food grade. If necessary, green tea extract or the like is added to the powder added and mixed in the above proportions to obtain powdered antioxidant tea. The tea prepared in this way is useful for enhancing health, including its antioxidant power.

[0013]

Embodiments or Examples Tea powder 50 without heating
g, 50 g of heated tea powder are mixed, and 5 g of epigallocatechin gallate, 4 g of theanine, vitamin C are added to the mixture.
Of 0.5 g and 7 g of γ-aminobutyric acid were added and mixed, and then 20 g of green tea extract powder was added and mixed to obtain powdered tea. 1 g of this was used as a cup and was packaged in the form of aluminum vapor-deposited stick, which was dissolved in 100 mL of hot water and drunk. As a result, a healthy tea was completed in terms of color and taste that was not inferior to ordinary sencha.

[0014]

[Effects of the Invention] For modern people who want to drink tea as a source of health, it is true that there is a demand for tea that is highly effective, easy to drink and has a good flavor. The present invention not only makes it possible to more effectively utilize tea that is originally rich in nutritional components and has strong antioxidative properties, but also makes it easier to use tea with superior antioxidant effects that are beneficial to human health. To be able to drink.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An antioxidant tea produced by adding catechins, theanine, vitamin C and γ-aminobutyric acid to tea leaf powder finely pulverized to 20 μm or less. 2. An antioxidant tea in which the catechins of claim 1 are one or more of epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate.