Benifuki? What is methylated catechin?

About the much-talked-about tea "Benifuuki" -Yokohama Totsuka Shunpo Tea Garden-

That Benifuki? What is methylated catechin?



Benifuki is a variety of tea. This variety was registered in 1993 after breeding between India's Assam variety and Benihomare, which is also a black tea variety. It was originally developed for semi-fermented tea (black tea), but in recent years it has attracted attention because it contains a lot of catechins and is rich in methylated catechins, which have an anti-allergic effect.

Methylated catechin is a type of catechin that has an anti-allergic effect. It is not included in the mainstream cultivar ``Yabukita'' (more than 80% of Hayabukita cultivars in Japan), and is only included in some cultivars such as ``Benifuuki'' and ``Benihomare''. "Benifuuki" is a black tea variety as mentioned above, so it is a very astringent tea. When processed into black tea, it becomes a delicious black tea with a floral scent, but since this methylated catechin disappears when fermented, you must drink unfermented green tea in order to take in methylated catechin. . The amount of production of Konabenifuuki is increasing year by year, but it is still in short supply. Two years ago, it was sold at 10,000 yen per kg of unrefined tea in autumn and winter bancha. In addition, Benifuuki contains several times more methylated catechin, which is a component that has attracted attention, than Frozen Oolong Tea, which is known for containing a large amount.