Green Tea

Botanical name Camellia sinensis (L.),

Family Theaceae.

Also Known As: Tea Plant, Tea Shrub

TCM Name: Lu Cha

Meridians: Spleen, Kidney, Heart, Liver

Key TCM Actions & Medicinal Uses: Promotes Bodily Fluids/Quenches Thirst. Clears Heat/Dissolves Phlegm/Promotes Urination: headaches, dizziness, heat stroke. Enhances alertness/Boosts Mental Clarity: meditation, focus, sleepiness, refreshes the mind.

Origins: Camellia sinensis (or tea plant) is used to make most traditional caffeinated teas, including black tea, white tea, oolong tea, and green tea. This plant originated near the southwest region of China as an evergreen forest shrub. The leaves are glossy green with serrated edges and are similar in both shape and size to a bay leaf. As the story goes, tea plant was first stumbled upon by accident in 2737 B.C.E. The emperor at the time was boiling water in his garden when a leaf from the overhanging…