Feedback

Please give us feedback on the sort of subject manner you would like to see appear on our blog!

Change of Seasons

After a hot and wet last week of April, this first week of May has seen typical breezy champagne clear days and cool nights. This is one of the best times of year in this part of the world and both the tea and coffee gardens glow with health.

On the coffee side, the harvest has begun, with a few hundred kg’s of the early ripening cherries being picked each day. We will start harvesting the main and better quality crop towards the end of the month.

The tea factory is still full and will be so for the next 2 weeks or so, after which the effects of the cooler drier weather will kick in and volumes will drop.

This next few months is a period of tidying up, budgeting, planning for the next season, servicing machinery, and making improvements.

More Health Tips

Satemwa is embarking on another study with University of the Marche in Ancona, Italy. This time analysing how 5 different Chinese teas and a Satemwa white react when prepared in hot and cold water. Initial results are confirming what has been shown in previous studies in that white tea has a much higher antioxidant activity where prepared using cold water.

Satemwa white’s are ranking among the top together with two other white teas.

Have you had your cup of Satemwa White today?

Antioxidants

Satemwa has been working with the University of the Marche in Ancona, Italy in monitoring how the manufacturing process affects antioxidant activity in tea.

Dr. Elisabetta Damiani and her team have just submitted an article for peer review on the findings of the initial work done. They found that the general trend of antioxidant activity for tea made from the same cultivar was highest in green tea and followed the following pattern; green tea > decaffeinated green tea > white tea > black orthodox tea > black CTC tea.

They also found some seasonal variation as would be expected, indicating that tea harvested in September ( Spring flush for Satemwa teas )appears to have higher antioxidant
potency.

The study also included teas from Asian origins and results ‘suggest’ the ‘significant antioxidant activity’ of the Satemwa teas  could ‘rival more common green and white teas from Asian countries.’

Drink up!