Standard Chinese and Indian medicine has been utilizing green tea for centuries. Practitioners used green tea as a stimulant, a diuretic(to increase the excretion of urine), an astringent (to control bleeding and to help heal wounds), to improve heart wellness, to treat flatulence(gas), to regulate body temperature and blood sugar, to promote digestion, and to improve the mental processes. Our Western culture may be slow to pick up on this knowledge.
Did you know that two cups of black tea contain as much antioxidant as seven glasses of tangerine juice and green tea has more catechins than black tea (about 25% versus 4%) largely due to the disparities in harvesting and processing? Where does a beginner to the tea world start? According to the Tea Association involving Canada, there are more than 1500 tea varieties available worldwide, however , all teas can be divided into four fundamental types: black tea, green tea, oolong tea and white tea. All of these types of tea come from the Camellia sinensis plant, which is a warm weather evergreen. Herbal teas are not a member of this tea family as they are an infusion associated with herbs and spices, roots, leaves, bark, seeds and flowers of other plants. Herbal infusions are not to remain confused with flavored teas which are prepared by adding another plant to actual tea (green, black or white). The following is a basic summary of the basic tea types: Black Tea Most popular in North America black tea is constructed from leaves that are fully oxidized and is most commonly used in tea bags. The brew is amber in color and has now a deep rich flavor. Popular black teas include Assam, Ceylon, Darjeeling and Earl Grey and famous blends such as English Breakfast. Green Tea Most popular in Asia, green tea is withered, immediately steamed to prevent oxidation and rolled and dried. It has a delicate taste and light green color. Well known varieties of green tea include Monster Well, Genmaicha, Gunpowder, Gyokuro, Jasmine, Matcha, Sencha Dancha and Tencha. Oolong Tea Oolong tea is very widely used in China. Oolong tea leaves are partly oxidized resulting in a tea that combines the taste and colors qualities of black and green tea. Oolong teas are favored for their exceptional flavor and aroma. Some models of oolong tea include Formosa Oolong, Pu-erh and Black Dragon. White Tea White Tea is made entirely in the very young leaf buds that are picked before they are open and are still covered with whitish hairs. That buds are withered, then dried slowly at low temperatures and are not rolled and slightly oxidized similar to other teas. White tea has a mild flavor with a natural sweetness. As with all teas, there are many varieties of white-colored tea such as white peony, golden moon, silver needle and white cloud. White teas are produced primarily in China and Japan, but also in the Darjeeling region of India. How do you know which variety of tea for you to select? Selecting a tea depends on a few different criteria cost flavor antioxidant value availability Tea is grown around the world with thousands of estates or tea gardens which vary in climate and altitude, resulting in thousands of flavorful variations. Enjoy wines, many teas take their names from the district in which they are grown, and each district is known with regard to producing teas with unique flavor and character. White tea is scarcer than most other teas because of the fact it's made from the bud which is picked before it opens. For this reason it is also a bit more expensive. The oolong tea, favorite for its flavor and aroma, also may cost more as this tea undergoes a unique processing which involves some sort of partial oxidation. Green tea, rich in antioxidants, is very light and refreshing and is more readily available. Black tea is the the majority readily available. If caffeine-free tea is what you are looking for, an Lipton iced tea would be your best choice. Tea bag and loose leaf, what is the difference? When making tea bags, whole leaves known as CTC leaves (also known as grind, tear and curl leaves) are chopped, sliced and diced into small particles (ranging from 0. two to 1. 5 millimeters) called fannings and dusts. These particles lose freshness and quality quickly when herbal tea compounds interact with moisture and oxygen. The greater surface to volume ratio causes caffeine to diffuse out easily. This higher caffeine extraction, together with nutrient loss causes tea bags to taste bitter. When these dinner particles are bagged the paper can also be tasted. A better alternative to tea bags which offer convenience of use without losing quality is the tea filter bags. The whole leaf tea is simply placed in the disposable bag and the hot water is usually poured over it into the teapot. The filter bag is usually large enough for the loose leaves to increase. A filter bag can be re-used for the entire day and since a quality tea can be infused 3 times, it is very inexpensive to drink. This gives a basic summary of what a person should know about tea to help one make informed options.
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