Interest in the positive benefits of theanine in tea (relaxing, mind
calming and stress reducing) is long overdue, but the published
literature is woefully short of reliable data. The Tea Research
Foundation of Central Africa did recently publish some Japanese
analyses from 2003 showing quite considerable theanine variation
country to
country and tea type to tea type:

Japan, average 0.86% - range 0.2% to 1.6% (15 teas measured)
North India, average 0.91% - range 0.5% to 1.4% (4 teas)
Argentina, average 1.41% - range 1.0% to 1.8% (12 teas)
South India, average 1.48% - range 0.6% to 2.4% (4 teas)
Malawi, average 2.20% - range 1.1% to 3.4% (12 teas measured)

The theanine difference between the Assams and the Malawis - which in
blenders terms are fairly close - is particularly interesting.

I am particularly happy at the high levels of theanine in the Malawi
teas as we are pioneering use of these bushes for White Teas - two of
the cultivars we currently use for white tea production come in at
2.2% and 3.1% theanine - way above the norm in the rest of the world's
teas. We sell these as Chilwa and Salima respectively.

If anyone has any, or knows of any, other theanine content data I
would be very pleased to see it.

Nigel at Teacraft

On Jan 17, 11:38 am, Nigel > wrote:
> Interest in the positive benefits of theanine in tea (relaxing, mind
> calming and stress reducing) is long overdue, but the published
> literature is woefully short of reliable data. The Tea Research
> Foundation of Central Africa did recently publish some Japanese
> analyses from 2003 showing quite considerable theanine variation
> country to
> country and tea type to tea type:
>
> Japan, average 0.86% - range 0.2% to 1.6% (15 teas measured)
> North India, average 0.91% - range 0.5% to 1.4% (4 teas)
> Argentina, average 1.41% - range 1.0% to 1.8% (12 teas)
> South India, average 1.48% - range 0.6% to 2.4% (4 teas)
> Malawi, average 2.20% - range 1.1% to 3.4% (12 teas measured)
>
> The theanine difference between the Assams and the Malawis - which in
> blenders terms are fairly close - is particularly interesting.
>
> I am particularly happy at the high levels of theanine in the Malawi
> teas as we are pioneering use of these bushes for White Teas - two of
> the cultivars we currently use for white tea production come in at
> 2.2% and 3.1% theanine - way above the norm in the rest of the world's
> teas. We sell these as Chilwa and Salima respectively.
>
> If anyone has any, or knows of any, other theanine content data I
> would be very pleased to see it.
>
> Nigel at Teacraft

Nigel

Congratulation!

Must try your cultivar one day!

I have some data here that may be of (some) interest to you.

http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/whi...-caffeine.html

There is all kinds of info about this in the chinese realm, it really
depends on what you want (happy to dig around).

By the way I have been reading some old English tea books which use
the word "theine" - I get utterly confused whether it means theanine
or caffeine (they describe theaine as stimulating).

Julian
http://www.amazing-green-tea.com

Julian
Many thanks for guidance towards your theanine data - I had not seen
that source.

Yes, "theine" was the old 19th century name for caffeine in tea as it
was "mateine" in mate, before they realized it was all the same
chemical. There should be no old book references to the tea specific
amino acid "theanine" as, as far as I can find, it was not discovered
in tea until 1949.

Nigel at Teacraft


On Jan 20, 8:46*pm, juliantai > wrote:

> By the way I have been reading some old English tea books which use
> the word "theine" - I get utterly confused whether it means theanine
> or caffeine (they describe theaine as stimulating).