Green Tea - Lu'an Melon Seeds

Lu’an Melon Seed, also known as Lu'an Guapian or Lu'an Leaf, is a special type of green tea produced in Dabie Mountain area in Lu'an City (LiuAn City), Anhui Province. This is a famous traditional Chinese green tea on the history, was a tribute tea for emperor of Qing Dynasty, and is listed on virtually all lists of famous Chinese teas, is one of famous top 10 Chinese teas.

The literal translation for Lu'an Melon Seed Tea in Chinese is Lu'an Guapian Tea. Lu'an Melon Seed Tea's name is derived from the shape of the processed tea leaves, which are flat and oval and resemble a melon seed.

Among all the leaf teas in the world, Lu'an Melon Seed is the only one sessile tea without buds that made only from single leaves. Without buds not only can maintain an elegant looking of a single-shaped leaf, but also not taste grassy and astringent. Stalks have been lignified in the production process, and removed to ensure that the tea is rich and mellow but not bitter nor astringent. Lu'an Melon Seed is picked ten days before or after the Grain Rain. Unlike most green teas which use the new buds, Lu'an Melon Seed Tea uses the second leaf on the branch. Each leaf's central vein is removed and the leaves are pan fried and shaped to stop oxidizing enzymes and dry the tea.

Variety classification

Shape of Lu'an Melon Seed looks like the shape of single melon seed, naturally flat, slightly raised leaf-edge, emerald color and its uniformed size without bud tips or tea stems. Clear and translucent liquor from these bright tender leaves let out a delicate aroma and a fresh mellow sweet taste. In the past, Lu’an Melon Seed Tea is divided into three varieties according to the harvest season:

• Tipian: picked before Grain Rain, known as best quality.
• Guapian: picked after Grain Rain, commonly
• Meipian: during rainy season, leaves grow a little rough and old. Generally, the very common and lower quality is harvested during this period of time.

Melon Seeds Tea benefits

Green tea helps prevent and suppress cancer; is conducive to cardiovascular health care treatment; conducive to weight loss and clean up intestinal fat; conducive to reduce body heat and detoxifies for beauty.

• Anti-aging: Antioxidants contained in Lu'an melon seed helps to resist aging.
• Antibacterial: The catechin in Lu’an melon seed has inhibitory effect to some of human pathogenic bacteria, at the same time it will not harm the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the intestines. Therefore, Lu'an melon seed has the function of protecting the intestine.
• Lowering blood fat: Lu'an melon seed contains flavonols for anti-oxidation, can also prevent blood clots and platelets lump, and reduce cardiovascular disease
• Weight Loss and reducing fat: Lu'an melon seed contains theophylline and caffeine that can activates protein kinase and triglyceride lipase through many functions to reduce the accumulation of fat cells
• Anti-caries, clear bad breath: Lu'an melon seed contain fluorine, which catechins can inhibit the role of cariogenic bacteria to reduce the occurrence of dental plaque and periodontitis
• Anti-cancer: Lu'an melon seed can inhibit some of cancer symptoms, but its principle is limited to the inference stage.
• Improve indigestion: Lu'an melon seed can help to improve the condition of indigestion.