Green Tea is picked and then quickly dried, either pan-fried, steamed or fired in an oven. The goodness of the leaf is sealed inside. Because the leaf is so delicate, the tea should be brewed in water that is well below boiling to prevent cooking the leaves and destroying the subtle notes of the tea. Green tea has a short life span - it doesn't stay fresh long. Given the high levels of polyphenols, it is believed to have the greatest amount of health benefits. Green tea leaves are not oxidized and thus have less caffeine than other types of tea.