is a Japanese
herbal tea
Herbal teas, technically known as herbal infusions, and less commonly called tisanes (UK and US , US also ), are beverages made from the infusion or decoction of herbs, spices, or other plant material in hot water. Often herb tea, or the plai ...
made from fermented leaves of ''
Hydrangea macrophylla
''Hydrangea macrophylla'' is a species of flowering plant in the family (biology), family Hydrangeaceae, native plant, native and endemism, endemic to Japan. It is a deciduous shrub growing to tall by or more broad with large heads of pink or ...
'' var. ''thunbergii''. The name derives from the characters for and .
Amacha means ''sweet tea''. This tea contains
tannin
Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and Precipitation (chemistry), precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' is widel ...
and
phyllodulcin
Phyllodulcin is a dihydroisocoumarin found in ''Hydrangea macrophylla'' and '' Hydrangea serrata''.Accumulation of phyllodulcin in sweet-leaf plants of Hydrangea serrata and its neutrality in the defence against a specialist leafmining herbivore. ...
, a
sweetener
A sweetener is a substance added to food or drink to impart the flavor of sweetness, either because it contains a type of sugar, or because it contains a sweet-tasting sugar substitute. Various natural non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) and artificial s ...
400–800 times sweeter than table sugar (
sucrose
Sucrose, a disaccharide, is a sugar composed of glucose and fructose subunits. It is produced naturally in plants and is the main constituent of white sugar. It has the molecular formula .
For human consumption, sucrose is extracted and refined ...
)
[Chemical and Functional Properties of Food Saccharides. P. Tomasik, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2003, ] or 2 times sweeter than
saccharin
Saccharin, also called saccharine, benzosulfimide, or E954, or used in saccharin sodium or saccharin calcium forms, is a non-nutritive artificial sweetener. Saccharin is a sultam that is about 500 times sweeter than sucrose, but has a bitter or ...
. It does not contain
caffeine
Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine chemical classification, class and is the most commonly consumed Psychoactive drug, psychoactive substance globally. It is mainly used for its eugeroic (wakefulness pr ...
. The beverage is credited with antiallergic properties. It is also used in the prevention of
periodontitis
Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a set of inflammatory conditions affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth. In its early stage, called gingivitis, the gums become swollen and red and may bleed. It is considered the main c ...
.
This tea is often used in ceremonies celebrating
Buddha's Birthday
Buddha's Birthday or Buddha Day (also known as Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, and Buddha Pournami) is a primarily Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of South Asia, South, Southeast Asia, Southeast and East Asia, commemorating the bir ...
, in Japanese Buddhism on April 8. At that occasion, Japanese people pour amacha on small Buddha statues decorated with flowers, as if bathing a newborn baby.
See also
* ''
Amazake
is a traditional sweet, low-alcohol or non-alcoholic Japanese drink made from fermented rice. ''Amazake'' dates from the Kofun period, and it is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki. It is part of the family of traditional Japanese foods made using ...
'' (甘酒), a traditional sweet, low- or non-alcohol (depending on recipes) Japanese drink made from fermented rice
* ''Jiaogulan'' in Chinese or ''amachazuru'' in Japanese (甘茶蔓) or ''
Gynostemma pentaphyllum'' in Latin, a medicinal plant
*
Sweet tea
Sweet tea, also known as sweet iced tea, is a popular style of iced tea commonly consumed in the United States (especially the South) and Indonesia. Sweet tea is most commonly made by adding sugar or simple syrup to black tea while the tea is ...
, a style of iced tea commonly consumed in the United States
References
{{Authority control
Japanese drinks
Herbal teas