Sencha Tea: Japan’s Most Popular Tea Variety

You may think that matcha green tea is the most popular and widespread type of tea found in Japan, but it actually isn't — that title belongs to sencha. Comprising over 80 percent of tea consumption in Japan,¹ sencha is a high-quality tea that anyone visiting this oriental country must sample. But what is it and what health benefits can be attributed to it?

What Is Sencha Tea?

Harvested from small-leaf Camellia sinesis bushes, Japanese sencha is a steamed, high-quality green tea variety. Do not confuse it with matcha — while matcha is grown under the shade, sencha green tea, albeit also nonfermented, grows under full sunlight.² What's more, matcha tea is often available as a green tea powder, while sencha is made using whole leaves.³

The plant's top leaves and buds are crucial for brewing Sencha tea.⁴ After harvesting and during processing, the leaves are rolled into a needle-like shape before being steamed. Afterward, the leaves are dried, sorted and then blended.⁵

Sencha leaf tea comes in different varieties and boast of different colors. Some appear as pale green, while others are a bright, greenish yellow. For example, asamushi, a lightly steamed sencha, is very pale and has a light, delicate taste. Deep-steamed sencha, or fukamushi, has a more pronounced color and a sweeter and richer taste, but is less astringent.⁶ The Spruce Eats lists some of the other types of sencha tea:⁷

• Shincha, or Ichiban-cha, is a type of sencha harvested in the spring (or during the first harvest after the winter). It has a sweeter and richer flavor and has more umami than the other types.
• Chumushi lies between Asamushi and fukamushi sencha. During processing, it is steamed for only one minute.
• Uji sencha hails from the Uji region, a small area known for producing matcha and Gyokuro. This variety can be quite expensive.
• Genmaicha is produced by mixing sencha with toasted brown rice. Genmai matcha is one variation, which is dusted with either matcha or powdered sencha.
• Powdered sencha can be classified as a type of matcha. However, it is not grown in the shade like real matcha. It can be used for cooking, and has a nice vegetal flavor.

Sencha Tea's Health Benefits

Sencha tea leaves are dense in nutrients and, just like matcha tea, may provide a host of benefits if consumed regularly:⁸

• May have heart-protective benefits. There are Japanese studies suggesting that drinking green tea like sencha regularly may help reduce the risk of heart diseases and stroke. In one study, which was composed of over 8,500 participants, it was found that those who drank over 10 cups of green tea daily may have a 28 percent reduced risk of dying from heart diseases.⁹
• May reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. One study published in Diabetes & Metabolism Journal found that people who drink six or more cups of green tea had a 33 percent lowered risk of getting Type 2 diabetes compared to those who only consume one cup a week.¹⁰ For diabetics, it may also help manage their blood sugar levels.¹¹ This is thanks to the polysaccharides and polyphenols in the tea.
• May help maintain normal cholesterol levels. Another Japanese study, published in the Annals of Epidemiology, found that drinking as much as 10 cups of green tea daily can help lower your LDL or bad cholesterol levels while the HDL or good cholesterol remains unaffected.¹²

However, take note that the amounts of tea ingested in the above studies may be too much for some people, as it may expose you to excessive caffeine, so tread carefully.

Sencha Tea Nutrition Facts

Green tea varieties like sencha are known for their catechins, which have been linked to various health benefits like moderating cholesterol and high blood pressure levels and inhibiting carcinogens. They also contain nutrients like vitamins C and E, carotene and dietary fiber.¹³ Sencha in particular is known for its high vitamin C content, as compared to other tea varieties.¹⁴ Here are the nutrition facts of this tea:¹⁵

Does Sencha Tea Have Caffeine?

Like other Camellia sinensis teas, sencha tea does contain this stimulant. However, the caffeine content in sencha is typically very low, with only 30 milligrams in every cup.¹⁶ Even so, if you have any sensitivity to caffeine, you may want to moderate your intake of this beverage.

How to Make Sencha Tea

There is an art to making sencha tea, to ensure that you maximize its nutrients and do not ruin the flavor. It is usually prepared in a special small pot called "kyusu," and served in small, porcelain cups with no handles. Here's how to brew sencha tea:¹⁷

How to Store Sencha Tea

Loose leaf green tea leaves like sencha should be kept in a sealed, airtight container that can keep away odors. The container should be opened as little as possible so that it will not be exposed to the elements. Store in a cool, dark place — this will help keep it fresh for up to six months. You can also place the sealed container in the refrigerator, so the tea will stay fresh for about a year.¹⁸

Sencha Tea Side Effects

Consuming too much sencha tea may lead to excessive caffeine intake, which can trigger a number of side effects, such as headaches, heart palpitations, dizziness and anxiety, among caffeine-sensitive individuals.¹⁹ Don't drink sencha tea if you experience these effects. Caffeinated drinks are also ill-advised for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Other side effects that may occur from Camellia sinensis teas include:

• Green tea-induced asthma — This is a rare but possible side effect seen among sensitive individuals, and occurs when powdered tea is accidentally inhaled — so if you're consuming powdered sencha instead of whole leaf tea, this effect may occur. Symptoms may include cough, dyspnea and loss of consciousness in severe incidents. It's said to be triggered by the epigallocatechin gallate in the tea.²⁰
• Iron deficiency — The tannins in green tea can interfere with your body's iron absorption, leading to anemia and iron deficiency.²¹ To prevent this, limit your intake to 1 to 2 cups per day.
• Stomach upset — The caffeine in tea may irritate the stomach, causing nausea, diarrhea, cramping and frequent urination.²² Again, limit your intake to no more than 2 cups per day. Try drinking it with food as well.

Settle Into a Cup of Sencha for an Authentic Japanese Tea Experience

It may not be as popular as matcha, but sencha is one type of tea that you should not miss out on. It has a bold flavor, emits a fragrant aroma and offers health benefits — no wonder it makes up 80 percent of tea consumption in Japan.

Just be wary of your sencha consumption, though, as it still contains caffeine, albeit in small amounts; remember, you may experience potential side effects if you consume too much.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Sencha Tea