Tea is the 2nd most beverage after water in the
world. People from different part of the world start their day from a delicious
cup of tea. Although health benefits have been assumed throughout the history
of using camellia sinensis as a
common beverage, there is no high quality evidence that tea confers significant
benefits. There does not seem to be
downside to tea. In fact it is great alternative to coffee drinking as tea has
less caffeine to coffee.
Types of Teas
Can you imagine there are 1500 types of tea in the world! But this brew can be divided into
four major categories:
- Green
- White
- Black
- Oolong
These four types of tea
are made from same plant but their different flavors are due to how the leaves
of camellia sinensis are processed.
White tea is minimally processed. Green tea has no oxidation. Oolong tea gets
partially oxidized. Black tea is fully oxidized.
All these teas contain unique antioxidants called
flavonoids. The most potent of these known as EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), may help against free
radicals that can contribute to cancer, heart, disease and clogged arteries.
Teas also have caffeine and theanine, which affect the brain
and seem to heighten mental alertness.
Green Tea:
The reason that green tea has more health benefits attached
to it than black tea is due to the processing. Black tea is processed in a way that
allows for fermentation whereas green tea’s processing avoids the fermentation process.
As a result green tea retains maximum amount of antioxidant and poly phenols
the substances those give
green its many benefits.
Taste: Depending on where they were grown, how they were processed,
when they were harvested good green teas can have a range of tastes. It can be
taste like sweet, bittersweet, nutty,vegetal,buttery,floral,swampy,fruity and
oceanic.
White Tea:
White tea comes from the fine silvery-white hairs on the
unopened buds of the tea plant. So it is the most delicate tea varieties
because it is so minimally processed. The immature leaves from tea bush are plucked
fresh and the tea leaves are withered by air-drying, solar-drying or mechanical
drying.
Taste: Its flavor is very mild compared to black tea and
green tea and sometimes described as sweet and silky.
Black tea:
When people talk generally of tea they are often referring
to black tea in India. We use different types of tea using black tea . One of
the common type of beverage Milk tea we prepared using black tea.
What makes black tea different from green is the production
process. In black tea leaves are allowed to fully oxidize before they are
heat-processed and dried. During oxidation, oxygen interacts with the tea plant’s
cell walls to turn the leaves the rich dark brown to black color and also
alters the flavor profile of Black tea.
So Black tea is a fully oxidized tea.
Taste: Black tea has
a deep aroma. It is bitterer.
Black tea has a distinctly dark and malty flavor. It’s much oxidized
tea, so it will produce a dark red/orange looking brew.
Oolong Tea:
Oolong Tea represents only 2% of the world’s tea. It
combines the qualities and benefits of dark and green teas. It is a traditional semi-oxidized Chinese Tea. The
degree of oxidation, which varies according to the chosen duration of time before
firing can range from 8-85%, depending on the variety and production style.
Oolong is especially popular in south China and among Chinese
expatriates in Southeast Asia.
Taste:
Different style of Oolong tea can vary widely in flavor.
They can be sweet and fruity with honey aromas, or woody and thick with roasted
aromas or green and fresh with complex aromas, all depending on the
horticulture and style of production.
