What does the steaming process do to this green tea?

The steaming step is a heat treatment applied to the tea leaves shortly after harvesting. This high-heat process helps lock in the leaf's original green colour and creates a brighter, more vegetal flavour profile compared to green teas that are pan-fired or heavily oxidised. Because the leaves remain closer to their natural state, the steaming method retains higher levels of the compounds that give green tea its characteristic properties.

This approach is closely associated with traditional Japanese green tea processing, where preserving the fresh, grassy notes is central to the final cup. The result is a tea that tastes cleaner and more herbaceous rather than nutty or roasted, which many people prefer when they want something light and invigorating without added flavours.