Black, Green, Oolong, & White Tea

Black, green, oolong, and white tea all come from the Camellia sinensis plant. The difference between them is in the way they are processed. Black Tea is fully fermented, oolong tea is semi-fermented, and green and white teas are not fermented. Green tea leaves are steamed, hand rolled or formed, and then dried. White tea is made from buds and young leaves that are picked before the leaves are fully opened and then they are sun dried or baked at low temperatures. White tea can be more costly since there is a shorter amount of time to pick the leaves.

Black Tea is graded depending on the size and appearance of the tealeaves. Orange Pekoe is the most common grade of tea found in the super market. Black tea can also be referred to by the region in which it is grown such as, Ceylon, Assam, and Darjeeling. One of our most popular teas is the Ceylon Orange Pekoe, Lover’s Leap.

Tea is a very healthy drink. Tea is calorie free, helps keep you hydrated, (1 cup of tea counts as ½ cup of water), and tea may also help prevent cancer, heart disease, stroke, and lower blood pressure.

All tea has antioxidants particularly flavenoids. The difference between black tea and green or white tea is in the way they are processed. The green or white tea has catechins whereas in the black tea these are converted to more complex compounds. The flavenoid profile of oolong tea is somewhere in the middle. One particular catechin found in green or white tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is a very powerful antioxidant. This is why green or white tea is so beneficial. Antioxidants are the cancer preventing compounds in tea and EGCG can kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissues.

White tea has the highest levels of antioxidants since it is the least processed. White tea also has a milder taste, which may be preferred by people who dislike the ‘grassy’ taste of green tea.

So regardless of which tea you find to be the tastiest, not only are you enjoying a great beverage you are also getting terrific health benefits as a bonus!