Eden Organic Kukicha Twig Tea, 1.12 oz

Eden Kukicha Twig Tea is fire roasted organic tea twigs and mature leaf, soothing and satisfying. Aged for 2 to 3 years after roasting, kukicha tea is ideal at meal’s end, or at the end of the day. Its tannins aid digestion and are alkalizing. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and L-theanine, kukicha contains more calcium than milk. The slightly sweet, roasted smooth taste of Eden Kukicha tea reflects the vital soil that it grows in, multi-season picking selections, and the multi-step curing process. Strict organic standards are upheld by growers dedicated to ethical stewardship of their land, water, and tea plants. The dedication shows in skillful, traditional handling that produces the best authentic kukicha tea there is. Assembled from four different clippings of the Camellia sinensi tea bush. The first clipping is taken from the lower part of 3-year-old plants during autumn. This, and the three years it takes to make it, gives kukicha its common name Three Year Tea. The second twig clipping happens once every 10 years in mid-winter when the caffeine level of the plant is lowest. The third and fourth clippings are done each year in March and June and consist of smaller twigs and mature dried leaves. The trimmings also serve to stimulate new green shoots for Sencha and Gyokuro grade tea production. The assembled twigs are steamed and sun-dried for about a week, and then stored in paper sacks and aged for 2 to 3 years. After aging, twigs are cut, graded, and separately roasted according to their size. This patient and ceremonious roasting develops the kukicha tea that has become popular among macrobiotic and natural food aficionados. In the 1960s, the modern father of macrobiotics, George Ohsawa, introduced kukicha tea to the West. He recommended it as the perfect daily beverage for a whole grain based diet.