White tea has recently begun to arrive on the shores of the United States. Chinese tea drinkers have been well aware of the health benefits of tea since the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Until the past few decades it has been virtually unknown outside the continent of Asia. Things are changing though. These days everyone praises the delicate flavor and medicinal benefits afforded to the tea drinker.
So, what exactly is white tea?
Many people know that all tea is derived from the same place: the Camilla Sinensis tree. The kind of tea a leaf becomes depends fully on what occurs after it is plucked from the bush. The color of black tea and it full flavor comes from the complex fermentation process required to prepare the leaves. Mellow tasting teas, such as green tea isn't fermented. Instead, they're withered and steamed briefly. Gently rolling and heating them stabilizes the flavors.
Oolong tea is in the middle ground, partially fermented, they end up with a reddish colouration and a pleasant tantalising flavor.
How exactly does white tea mesh with this then? Well, firstly, white tea is derived from tea leaves with immature buds that haven't fully opened. In fact, the name of the tea is derived from the silvery fuzz that lies lightly over the partially opened buds. The ratio of buds to leaves differs and is dependent on the specific variety of tea. White Peony for example, contains a single bud for two leaves Silver Needles on the other hand, is made of downy buds that were picked over a two day period at the beginning of spring.
The appearance of white tea isn't the only reason for the surge of white teas popularity. The main reason is the flavor. Tea leaves earmarked and destined to be processed as white tea are exposed to less processing than their green tea cousins. Rather than air drying them, the leaves are only steamed.
This results in an extremely pale tea with a delicious silky flavor. People who're familiar with both types of tea claim white tea doesn't leave a grassy aftertaste in the same manner as green tea. Further studies have proven that white tea is in fact the healthier option. Less processing equates to more polyphenols in the finished product, which means more of this powerful anti oxidant and anti carcinogen to fight off infections and the onset of cancer than any other variety of tea.
If this isn't reason enough to convince you to switch over to white tea, a study carried out at pace university in 2004 found white tea actually assists your body's immune system by fighting off infections and bacteria. This very same study also concluded that fluoride rich white tea prevents dental plaque.
Nothing in life comes without a drawback though. White tea is far more expensive at around $ 25 for 50 cups of silver needles. Although many shops are beginning to stock white tea, your best option is to shop for it online.
Learn more about tea at herb tea
Orignal From: Why White Tea is Healthy
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