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Organic Bancha Green Tea

Moderately savory and vegetal, offering a roasted aroma and creamy mouthfeel

certified organic
Organic Bancha Green Tea
$3.50
Orders over $60 ship free in USA
 
 
 
 

Organic Bancha Green Tea

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Our organic Bancha (pronounced BAHN-cha) is an outstanding everyday organic green tea with a refreshing flavor that is both moderately vegetal and savory. Bancha is a common style of traditional organic Japanese green tea made from large, more mature leaves and stems of the autumnal and winter harvests. This organic loose tea renders a light-bodied golden infusion with a pleasant roasted note and creamy mouthfeel.

Ingredients: organic Japanese green tea

Origin: Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Organic Tea from Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Located in central Japan, Shizuoka is known as the capital of Japanese green tea production. Though it is not the oldest producer of green tea, it is the largest: this prefecture alone accounts for 40 percent of all green tea production in Japan. However, much of the world never experiences organic tea from Shizuoka because tea is so popular in Japan that most tea grown in Japan is consumed in Japan; very little is exported. Shizuoka lines the Pacific, and runs into the Japan Alps and other mountains, including Mt. Fuji. For those concerned with the implications of the Fukushima-Daiichi disaster, we continue to have our organic teas from Japan independently tested for radiation.

Steeping Instructions

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At Arbor Teas, we believe tea should be brewed to suit your personal taste. We’re happy to make recommendations to get you started, but don’t hesitate to experiment! When brewing your tea, your main considerations are tea quantity, water temperature, and steeping time. We recommend green and white teas to be steeped for 2 to 3 minutes in water heated to not-quite-boiling, just as bubbles begin to form on the bottom of the pan (approximately 170 to 180 degrees F). For the best flavor, use fresh water whenever possible. Try not to steep your tea longer than necessary, as you’ll extract undesirable bitterness from the leaves. If you want a stronger brew, don’t steep longer, just use more tea. And don’t forget to re-steep your tea leaves to get the most out of your leaf!

Looking for more info? Check out our How-To Guides and Eco-Brewing Tips!

Staff Perspectives

  • Aubrey

    "Our Organic Bancha is much smoother and less astringent than many of our other Japanese Green Teas. So, if you are looking for a Japanese green tea that is less astringent than Sencha, Gyokuro, or Kukicha, then Bancha is a great alternative."

Health Benefits

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Like all true tea, green tea offers many potential health benefits. Research has found that tea (Camellia sinensis) can have many positive effects on human health, including improved cardiovascular function, cancer risk reduction, improved immune function, improved oral health, and help with weight management. Tea is also full of polyphenols, which are a class of antioxidant that help your body maintain homeostasis and balance your stress levels.

Green tea specifically is known for its array of health benefits, which have been supported by a growing number of studies. Green tea research has demonstrated that it may be an effective anticancer agent for breast cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer and prostate cancer, among others. Studies have shown a link between green tea and weight loss, and the ability to modulate energy metabolism, aid in body fat regulation, and possibly promote preferential loss in abdominal fat. Research has also shown that green tea may increase performance for short term memory tasks, as well as being increasing potency of antibiotics. Other peer-reviewed studies link green tea to healthy skin, help with lowering cholesterol, and regulating diabetes. It’s important to keep in mind that many of these studies monitor subjects who drink several cups of green tea per day.

For more information about the health benefits of green tea, and for direct sources of the above information, check out our Tea Health Benefits page!

Please note: the information above is for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Customer Reviews

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  • 5
    Bancha

    Posted by Linda Howell on 20th Feb 2024

    I recommend this tea. It is is wonderful, soothing with no adverse reactions. I love it. Thank you and Blessings to Arbor teas.

  • 5
    Exceeds expectations

    Posted by Kara on 23rd Nov 2021

    I devoured my sample of bancha from my last Arbor Teas order and this time purchased a full-sized bag. While not as boldly flavorful as its sencha and gyokuro siblings, I find that this tea has a more subdued, gentle vegetal and creamy flavor. I like that it’s lower in caffeine so that I can drink it well into the night without anxiety over being able to sleep. Awesome tea!

  • 3
    Not my favorite

    Posted by Michael Vanier on 20th Nov 2021

    I've been trying out different green teas lately, so I thought I should give Bancha a try. Overall, I'm disappointed. It's not bad, it's just not much of anything. It does have some virtues: it's low in caffeine and almost impossible to over-steep. But there really isn't much flavor here, especially compared to some of Arbor's other greens like gyokuro, sencha, and kukicha, all of which are great. It's probably not fair to compare them, since bancha is known to be lower-quality, but the difference is really large. If you want a very subtle, very light tea, give this a try, but I personally prefer stronger, more full-flavored teas.

  • 3
    Budget Bancha

    Posted by AZ on 15th Nov 2021

    This is an alright Bancha especially for the price. I've had better qualities but those also cost quite a bit more. This one is missing the sweetness and fruity notes I've had from the higher grades but is drinkable none the less. Only reason I gave 3 stars is this Bancha has a bitterness and slightly more astringency than I like even with adjusted steeps and temps. It's just always present unfortunately.

  • 5
    An Very Japanese Green

    Posted by Nicola on 27th Aug 2021

    Though by no means the richest, boldest, or most unique tea available on this site, this Bancha offers a great experience very indicative of Japanese greens as a whole. In this brew you'll find elements of Sencha's sharp grassiness, Kukicha's buttery zucchini notes, and some of Gyokuro's umami. If you're looking for a strong expression of any of those elements, then you should look elsewhere, but this Bancha is sure to please those who already like Japanese greens, as well as anyone looking for a good place to start.

  • 4
    Mild green but with a very full flavor

    Posted by Mike on 8th Aug 2021

    Seems to me like a good everyday green tea as others have said. If you avoid over-steeping this tea it has a bold flavor while still remaining free from bitterness. I can tell that there are better teas than this with more complex flavors, but for the price I really am happy I have this tea. As far as green teas go this seems like a neutral option. I am somewhat of a novice when it comes to green teas in particular, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

  • 5
    Bancha

    Posted by Garrett B. on 12th Jul 2021

    excellent

  • 5
    Refreshing and Clean

    Posted by Lauren Stachew on 10th Oct 2017

    This tea has a great finish and aftertaste. To me, it's a milder form of some stronger green teas, and I think this makes it drinkable for everyday. It's a great afternoon pick-me up!

  • 5
    Great Flavor.

    Posted by Greg on 18th Aug 2017

    This tea has a great flavor. To me it is very low in caffeine. I prefer more caffeine in the morning.

  • 5
    Finally, a Great Green !

    Posted by Gracin on 25th Mar 2017

    I'm a Black Tea lover. I keep trying Green Tea for the health benefits, and end up throwing the bag away. This is the first Green Tea I have ever really enjoyed. It is mild and flavorful at the same time, if that makes any sense..... bottom line, I anticipate drinking this as often as Black: it's that GOOD!

  • 5
    Light and smooth

    Posted by Yen-Wen Chen on 7th Mar 2017

    This is certainly a good try! It is very smooth and light! The creamy buttery mouthfeel is certainly one of the most pleasant. It's great to lighten up the palette after a heavy meal without feeling too grassy. It is on the lighter side, so I might just add a touch more leaves to have slightly stronger taste. Just can't go wrong with easy going tea like this one.

  • 3
    Interesting contrast to Sencha

    Posted by Unknown on 28th Jul 2016

    I tried this one alongside Arbor Tea's Sencha. Very, very different vibes. The grassy and vegetal notes of the Sencha was replaced in the Bancha by nuttiness and roasted wood. Not roasted like a Hojicha or anything, but still a little more than I expected. Among the four teas that I ordered, this was my least favorite of the bunch. Not bad by any means, but just not my bag.

  • 4
    It's one of my favorites.

    Posted by Steven on 31st Jan 2016

    I was looking for a green tea to drink every day and after trying a few, this one hit the spot. It tolerates variation in temperature and time of brewing and it's pretty much exactly what I expect out of a green.

  • 4
    Good!

    Posted by Robin K. on 21st Dec 2014

    I really like the nutty, malty taste of this green tea. It is light, and not terribly astringent. It reminds me of the green tea with toasted brown rice in it, although I have not yet tried the variety sold here, so that may taste quite different.

  • 4
    Comfort tea. . .

    Posted by JoeB on 16th Apr 2014

    This has been a favorite of mine for a while. Even though it's toasted, it's not bitter or heavy. it has a bit of the bite of Japanese green tea that I like with a bit of mellowness to balance it. Give it a try!

  • 4
    A good everyday tea

    Posted by Unknown on 7th Feb 2014

    I began my green tea adventure with this one and after some experimentation in the brewing department, I have found this to be quite subtle and refreshing if done properly.

  • 4
    Great taste

    Posted by Richard Sitorius on 27th Feb 2012

    I had never tried this tea, so i ordered a sample with my last order, and it's great. A clean bright flavor, nice and lively. Definitely a new favorite!

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