Learn More About White Tea: The Most Natural Tea Drink With Great Benefits

Introduction

White tea is a tea that is closer to nature than green tea, with the least processed of all types of tea, only been slightly-fermented. So most of the natural nutrition facts content in leaves are retained

A distinctive feature of most white teas is that the leaves are covered with thin white fuzz, called “Hao”. Look at the tea far, just like covered by white snow, so gets the name “White Tea“.

High-quality white tea is rare because it is difficult to process. The classification of white tea is also mainly based on the season of tea picked, short harvest time makes white tea rarer.

Besides, white tea, just like the Pu-erh tea (a type of dark tea), is also suitable for aging.

Only white tea with less than 8.5% of water content is suitable for aging. White tea which aging for more than 5 years, known as “Old White Tea.”

The old one and the new one have great differences in aroma, taste and even benefits. Because the nutrients facts in the tea are transformed and the aroma has gone.

The longer the aging time, the unique nutrients of old white get more, and the price becomes more expensive. It makes the white tea get the collection value just as dark tea.

Of course, the thing we are going to talk about is just for the new white tea. Because of the old white tea is hard to get, and many illegal businessmen falsification on the aging time of white tea for sale. Anyway, the new white tea also tastes good and brings many benefits.

The thin white fuzz (Hao) on the white tea leaves

White Tea Nutrients Facts

Tea Polyphenols

Tea polyphenols are the general name of polyphenols in tea and are the main source of the nutritional value of tea drinks. During the fermentation process, tea polyphenols are transformed into other nutrients facts.

The higher the degree of tea fermentation, the darker the color, the more natural tea polyphenols will be transformed into other polyphenols, such as Catechins, Tea Pigments.

The amount of natural polyphenols in tea also depends on the part of the tea plant it picked. White tea is basically made from the tender leaves and buds of the tea plant, and the degree of fermentation in the processing of white tea is relatively low. So the white tea contents more natural polyphenols than other types of tea, second only to green tea.

Caffeine

White tea is true tea and contents caffeine. During the fermentation and baking processes, a large amount of caffeine has been volatile. So the high process degree of the tea, the less caffeine it contains. On the other side, the low process degree tea just like green tea and white tea, the caffeine contents also more than other types of tea.

Caffeine is naturally found in tea plants, and the more tender the part, the higher the caffeine content. Although the white tea been slightly fermented, it is made from the most tender buds of the tea plant. So most white teas have more caffeine than green teas.

Because caffeine stimulates nerves, taking too much can lead to insomnia and nervousness.

Most of the white tea made from the tender buds

Amino Acids

In the process of white tea withering, with the increase of enzyme activity, protein hydrolysis in the leaves produces amino acids with umami and sweet taste, and the content of amino acids tends to increase.

In the middle and late stages of withering, the o-quinone in the tea will increase, amino acids are oxidized by o-quinone into volatile, which provides aroma sources for white tea.

With a less process degree, white tea also contents more amino acids than other types of tea.

Tea Polysaccharide

Tea polysaccharide is a kind of acidic glycoprotein, which is composed of carbohydrate, pectin, and protein in tea, and has lots of mineral elements. It is one of the important nutrients in white tea, which can be very helpful in managing diabetes. Besides, the content of tea polysaccharide in white tea is also the highest too.

Flavonoids

Flavonoids in white tea are a kind of tea polyphenols, mainly Catechins and Tea Pigments, which affect the color and benefits of white tea.

White tea during the storage, the changes in the structure of polyphenols, to some extent, promote the formation of flavonoids. Old white tea flavonoids are more than new white tea, and the longer time it aging, the higher the extent of the flavonoid content increased, the more benefits it brings.

Vitamin

Due to the low degree process, white tea contains rich vitamins. Such as carotene, vitamin C, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B11, vitamin E, and vitamin K, complement what we need for alive, and lots helpful on the human body.

White Tea Benefits

Keep Your Mouth Healthy

White tea is rich in fluoride and tea polyphenols.

Fluoride can effectively protect teeth and prevent tooth decay. Tea polyphenol can inhibit the growth of plaque, and its outstanding anti-inflammatory ability can effectively reduce the risk of oral inflammation.

Many oral care products on the market, such as toothpaste and mouthwash, include white tea extract as part of their ingredients.

Prevent Hypertension

White tea is rich in nutrients facts such as flavonoids, caffeine, and vitamins.

Under their synergistic effect, the concentration of cholesterol in the blood will get lower, reduce the accumulation of lipids in the blood vessel wall, while vasodilation. Making the blood flow more smoothly, thus keeping the blood pressure at a normal level, is helpful for the treatment of hypertension or prevent it.

Manage Diabetes

Tea polysaccharides play an important role in manage diabetes.

Research showed that tea polyphenols can inhibit the activities of amylase and sucrase in the human body, thus inhibiting the rise of blood glucose concentration. Tea polysaccharide can enhance the secretion of insulin, help to repair the disorder of glucose metabolism, reduce the blood sugar content.

The content of tea polysaccharide in white tea is relatively high, which plays a good role in the prevention of diabetes and the adjuvant treatment of diabetes.

Anti-Cancer

Scientists have been studying the role of tea in anti-cancer. White tea is rich in polyphenols, which a strong antioxidant ability and can remove free radicals in the body, thus inhibiting abnormal cell proliferation and canceration.

Although it doesn’t prove that tea can cure cancer. But many studies showed that tea has a promising potential in the prevention of cancer and the adjuvant treatment of cancer.

Anti-Aging

Catechins in white tea are a kind of tea polyphenols and a natural antioxidant. Catechins have excellent antioxidant activity, can repair the skin damage which causes by external effect(such as ultraviolet radiation), also reduce the risk of skin inflammation. By increasing the activity of skin cells, to delay skin aging, and help to get rid of wrinkles.

Prevent Osteoporosis

As we get older, bone mass will get lost, leading to osteoporosis. Research has proved that catechins in white tea can effectively reduce bone loss, promote the increase of osteoblasts and inhibit the formation of osteoclasts.

Besides, the rich mineral elements in white tea can also supplement the bone mass we lost and effectively prevent osteoporosis.

Weight Loss

White tea also has the effect of weight loss. Research showed that the synergistic effect of catechins and caffeine content in white tea can burning fat effectively. And caffeine can also play a role in stimulating the stomach, promote gastric juice secretion, help digestion.

Besides, flavonoids in white tea can also speed up the metabolism of cholesterol, reduce the cholesterol content in the blood, and the accumulation of lipids in the body.

Overall, white tea is undoubtedly an excellent natural weight loss drink.

Origin

China is the leading producer of white tea. Other places, such as India and Sri Lanka, produce much less white tea (Darjeeling white tea and Ceylon white tea) than China.

China’s white tea production is concentrated in Fujian province. The most famous is the Fuding city, most of the high-quality white tea is origin there.

Located on the northeast coast of Fujian, Fuding city has a subtropical marine monsoon climate, abundant sunshine, and mild climate, which is very suitable for planting and production of white tea.

White tea, such as Silver Needle, White Peony, and Gongmei, are all origin in Fujian. Due to the producing area is relatively single and concentrated, and the output is also limited, makes white tea relatively rare and expensive.

White Tea Processing

White tea has the least processing in all types of tea, only been withering and drying, retaining most of the natural nutrients facts in the tea leaves. Although the degree of processing is low, in the white tea processing every step has to be meticulous, great test the ability of tea masters.

Tea Picking

Picking is an important step in classifies white tea. Different types of white tea are classified according to the time of picking and the part of the tea plant it picked.

Such as Silver Needle Tea, which is made from the tender buds of the tea plants. White Peony and Shou Mei, are made from the leaves from different part of tea plants.

Besides, early April is the best time to pick tea, and the quality of tea picked during this period is the best. The quality and price of white tea picked at other times are also relatively low.

If not take good care during tea picking, even minor damage to the leaves can speed up fermentation (for example, oolong tea processing is fermented by deliberately destroying the leaves). Therefore, during picking, the requirements of tea masters are very high, to avoid its premature fermentation, making it lose its value.

Withering

After picking, the tea leaves will be laid on the bamboo sieves to withering. Withering is to make the tea leaves dry under the natural environment, and a slightly-fermented will happened during this time.

The duration of withering usually lasts 2-3 days, and the withering way is slightly different according to different types of white tea. Directly drying through a high-temperature, it will affect the nutritional facts and taste of the tea. The strength of the tea leaves after withering also increases and is not easy to break.

Besides, white tea withering is mostly done outdoors, the influence of weather factors is extremely important. Experienced tea makers, depending on the weather conditions, as well as the degree of tea withering, will make appropriate treatment timely. To avoid excessive fermentation due to rain or the sun shining, even excessive drying.

White tea withering processing

Drying

After the withering, the tea leaves need further drying. White tea drying also needs to be carefully, mostly use the baking machine to continuous bake the tea at a low temperature. The baking time is relatively short, about dozens of minutes. The dried white tea has lower water content and convenient for storage.

Learn More About Oolong Tea: Great Benefit On Helping Weight Loss

Introduction

Many people may confuse the oolong tea and green tea because the tea leaves are dark green. That is a mistake. Oolong tea is different from green tea, and it belongs to partially-fermented tea. Oolong tea’ s fermentation degree is between black tea and green tea, also depending on different origins.

There are various stories about how this tea got the name “Oolong.” One said that because the tea shaped like a dark dragon. And the other said that “Oolong” is named by the tea master who invented it.

And one interesting story said that “Oolong” was invented due to a mistake. “Mistake” called “oolong” in Guangdong, the meaning just like “own-goal.” A tea master was lazy while drying the green tea, which caused the tea pile to turn dark and look like a dark dragon, quite shocked to the tea master. Colleagues mocked him “created an own goal” (oolong), so named the tea”oolong” he made.

Oolong tea tastes different from one origin to another, but the common feature is a strong aroma, and the lasting sweet taste left in the oral cavity after having.

Oolong tea also knows as “beauty tea.” It has excellent help with losing weight. This benefit is the other reason oolong tea popular in people except for its unique taste.

Oolong tea – Unique aroma and taste

Oolong Tea Nutrition Fact

Polyphenol

Oolong tea does not contain as much tea polyphenol as green tea and other mildly-fermented teas, most of them are transformed into other nutrients during fermentation.

Catechins and tea pigments are the primary polyphenols in oolong tea.

Due to the different degrees of fermentation during processing from one origin to another, the tea polyphenol retains in oolong tea also different.

Tea polysaccharide

Tea polysaccharide is a compound nutrient fact in oolong tea, which formed in the fermentation process. Although black tea is fermented tea too, due to the high fermentation(black tea is completed-fermentation tea), the tea polysaccharide content in black tea is much lower than oolong tea.

In addition to sweetening oolong tea, tea polysaccharides are an excellent nutrient fact that helps lower blood lipids and blood sugar.

Amino Acids

During the fermentation of oolong tea, most of the amino acids in fresh tea leaves switched into other substances. A part of amino acid transformed into the aromatic material, which made oolong tea got a strong scent; another part is preserved, which can be soluble in water, and forms the flavor of oolong tea.

Caffeine

Oolong tea is a kind of true tea, and it contents caffeine. The caffeine it contents is lower than green tea, because of some of the caffeine is lost during fermentation and baking. Caffeine has the function of refreshing the brain, and helping digestion, is a common nutrient of tea drinks. But take too much caffeine may cause insomnia.

Minerals

Oolong tea is rich in minerals such as K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, and F. These essential trace elements cannot be produced or synthesized by the human body itself. Moderate intake helps to maintain the human body’s function.

Oolong Tea Benefits

Hypolipidemic

Oolong tea is rich in catechins, a polyphenolic substance that has antioxidant and hypolipidemic effects. 

The studies suggest that after the subjects consume oolong tea for a while, the level of blood lipids in the body decreased significantly, and the mild fatty liver returned to the normal liver state. And oolong tea is more effective at reducing triglycerides than green or black tea.

Manage Diabetes

The tea polysaccharide in oolong tea has the effect of stimulating insulin secretion. The study suggested that the concentration of glucose and fructosamine in diabetic patients’ bodies decreased significantly after having oolong tea. Combined with oolong tea can balance plasma glucose more effectively than drugs taken alone.

Besides, type 2 diabetes is mostly associated with obesity. Oolong tea can help with weight loss, effectively manage type 2 diabetes, and reduce the risk of suffering diabetes.

Weight Loss

Oolong tea has a great help in losing weight

Help weight loss is the effect that oolong tea gets concerned most. Lots of studies have confirmed that oolong tea has a significant impact on decomposing fat. It mainly ascribes to the synergistic effect of tea polysaccharide, tea polyphenols, and caffeine in oolong tea.

Tea polyphenols and tea polysaccharides can effectively inhibit the accumulation of fat inside the body and accelerate the combustion of fat to provide energy to the human body.

At the same time, oolong tea can also help promote the metabolism, reduce the accumulation of metabolites in the body, also play a positive role in losing weight.

Worth to know, in the comparative study, the researcher found that compare not fermented green tea, the effect on losing weight that fermented oolong tea is better.

Anti-Cancer

The tea polyphenols in oolong tea are a natural antioxidant. It can induce cell apoptosis, inhibit cell proliferation, and the form of tumor vessels. It also has an anti-inflammatory feature, reducing inflammation in the body and the risk of cancer.

Researchers have experimented with oolong tea extracts, which has shown great potential in preventing breast cancer.

Dermatitis Treatment

Oolong tea deemed to have a therapeutic effect on dermatitis. In one study, 118 patients with Recalcitrant Atopic Dermatitis (AD) tested, and 74 (63%) of them improved significantly after having oolong tea for 1 month.

The researchers speculate that the antiallergic properties of the polyphenols in oolong tea took a powerful effect on the treatment.

Although there is not enough evidence to support oolong tea as a treatment for Recalcitrant Atopic Dermatitis, it generally helps in mild cases.

Oolong Tea Origin

China is the birthplace of oolong tea, also the largest producing country in the world. In China, the primary origin of oolong tea is Guangdong, Fujian, Taiwan, and other provinces. Due to the long distance between each origin, oolong tea from different sources also has significant differences in flavor.

Guangdong

The production of oolong tea mainly concentrated in the Chaoshan area of Guangdong, and the well-known one is Phoenix Dan Cong tea.

Oolong tea from Guangdong is famous for its rich scent, which can divide into several grades according to the intensity of aroma.

Phoenix Dan Cong’s tea leaves are more completed, can still retain a particular fragrance and taste after brewing many times.

Southern Fujian

The famous Tie Guan Yin is from Anxi city in Southern Fujian province. Tie Guan Yin tea is golden in color, light in taste, and with little sweet. The strong orchid scent is the most attractive point of it, and the smell can refreshing your mind.

Northern Fujian

The Wuyi mountain area in northern Fujian produces many famous oolong teas. Such as Wuyi rock tea, Da Hong Pao, Tie Luo Han, Wuyi narcissus, and so on.

The superior geographical environment makes the oolong tea produced here rich in taste and fragrance. And high-quality Wuyi oolong tea production is low, so the price is getting relatively high.

Taiwan

The representative of Taiwan oolong tea is the Dongding oolong and Oriental beauty. Dongding oolong has a low degree of fermentation, about 25%, so it retains most of the fresh tea fragrance. And the fermentation degree of Oriental beauty is higher, about 70%, the taste is relatively close to the black tea of completed-fermentation.

Other Origin

In addition to China, such as Japan, South Korea, India, and Malaysia also produce oolong tea, but not nearly as much as China.

Oolong Tea Producing

Oolong tea lay leaf processing

Withering, lay leaf (make green), stir fixation, rolling, and drying are the main processes in oolong tea production. The lay leaf process is unique to oolong tea, which distinguishes oolong tea from other types of tea.

And what is lay leaf? After withering, put the tea leaves into the rolling machine for rolling, let the tea leaves crash each other, destroy the edges, and the edge part of the tea leaves will ferment faster.

After lay leaf, the tea leaves will get harder. Place them for a while, the fermenting speed slows down, and the water from the vein will diffuse to the whole leaf, tea leaves turn soft again.

After all these steps, a series of chemical changes happen inside the tea leaves. Because of the fermentation degree is different, the tea leaves have red edges and dark green center, so-called “green leaf and red edge.” The aroma and taste of oolong tea are also basically formed.

Lay leaf makes green leaf and red edge

Learn More About Dark Tea: How Tea Brick Makes & What Is Dark Tea Good For

Dark tea shows a beautiful amber color

Introduction

Many people may confuse dark tea with black tea, which came out with a  mistake translation of Chinese tea in history. Dark is origin in China, also called “black tea” in location, belongs to post-fermented tea. And black tea was called “red tea”, belongs to completed-fermented tea.

Dark tea is one of the unique teas in China, which has a long history and occupies a large part of the consumption market in China.

Its origin is said to be on the ancient Silk Road, merchants did not protect the green tea well during the transit. The tea leaves were repeatedly soaked in rain and then dried in the sun, tea went bad. The merchants brewed the dark tea, found that they tasted good, so they improve the processing and promoted them.

Another viewpoint is that in western China, there has long been the custom of making dark tea for drinking. To better preserve the tea, the local people extruded the tea into a tea cake for long-term consumption. Of course, there is no way to verify this point too.

Dark tea gets a lot of fans because of its unique taste. Pu-erh tea, a subtype of dark tea, has a high collection value. Precious Pu-erh tea is often driving up to an unimaginable price.

Different from other types of tea, dark tea taste without the herbal flavor. You may not think of that is tea when your first try. It tastes slightly sticky, without either the freshness of green tea or the rich fragrance of black tea, but with a distinctive sweetness, people described as “aging taste“.

Since dark tea is post-fermented, it is believed that the longer it ages, the higher its nutritional value, and the better it tastes. Just like the wines with aging, dark tea is given a collection and investment value.

Dark tea usually extrude into a tea brick for better preservation

Dark Tea Nutrition Facts

Tea Polysaccharide

Tea polysaccharide is a kind of acid glycoprotein, and has a large number of mineral elements, which are the main nutrients of dark tea. Tea polysaccharides are formed in the long fermentation process of dark tea, so the longer the aging time of tea cake, the higher the content of tea polysaccharides. And tea polysaccharide also is the main ingredient which constituted the sweet taste of dark tea.

Tea Pigment

The tea pigment contained in dark tea is mainly Theaflavin and Thearubigins, which are converted from tea polyphenols. Tea pigments give dark tea its amber color, and it’s a natural antioxidant with many benefits.

Tea Saponin

Tea saponin is a special Glycoside compound in tea. Tea saponin has been widely used in the industry besides lowering cholesterol levels and killing bacteria. Sometimes we brewing tea, will found there is some tea foam on it, that is caused by the tea saponin.

Amino Acids

Scientists found γ-aminobutyric acid inside the dark tea, a nutrient made from glutamate. Because dark tea is post-fermented tea, the anoxic environment inside the tea leaves tends to breed some microorganisms. At present, it is still not clear whether the formation of γ-aminobutyric is the result of the process of making dark tea or the result of microbial metabolism.

Caffeine

Dark tea contains caffeine. Dark tea is made from mature tea leaves, which contain less caffeine than fresh tea leaves, and dark tea is baked at high-temperatures during its processing, further losing caffeine. So dark tea is extremely low in caffeine. Drinking dark tea is less likely to cause insomnia, but people who are sensitive to caffeine should still pay attention.

Minerals

Mature tea leaves and stems are rich in mineral, so dark tea contains more minerals than other types of tea. The mineral that contains in dark tea such as F, Mn, Se, Zn, Na, Mg, etc is helpful to complement the human body needs.

Microorganism

During dark tea processing, there will be a process called “Piling“, microorganisms will breed during this time. They are mainly mold, yeast, lactic acid bacteria, actinomyces, and other microorganism groups. With the help of these microorganisms, tea leaves transform out unique flavors and nutrients.

A subclass of dark tea, Fu Zhuan tea, with some golden spots called “golden flowers” on it. They are a kind of microorganism and only Fu Zhuan tea has. They are beneficial for the human body, and the amount also determines the tea quality.

Golden Flower is a unique microorganism of Fu Zhuan tea only

Dark Tea Benefits

Weight Loss

In a study of people from outside Asia, In the case without any dietary restrictions, after consuming dark tea for a time, the amount of fat in the body is significantly reduced.

Hypolipidemic

If the lipid content in the blood is too high, easy to deposit on the vessel wall, cause atherosclerosis and the formation of thrombosis. Tea polysaccharide in dark tea, can effectively reduce the level of blood lipid, helps the liver metabolize cholesterol better, thus play a role in preventing cardiovascular disease.

Reduce Blood Pressure

Theanine in dark tea can inhibit the increase of blood pressure by activating dopaminergic neurons. The caffeine and catechins in dark tea also can relax the blood vessel wall and make blood pressure drop by dilating blood vessels.

Help Digestion

The caffeine in dark tea can increase the secretion of gastric juice, thus increasing appetite and helping digestion. Other nutrients in dark tea can also promote the growth of probiotic colonies in the intestines and stomach and improve the digestive system.

Anti-inflammatory & Anti-cancer

Tea pigment is the by-product of tea polyphenols. In addition to giving a beautiful color of dark tea, it also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Plus the synergistic effect of tea saponin, can effectively eliminate internal inflammation and reduce the risk of cancer.

Antioxidant

Dark tea contains a large number of natural antioxidants, such as catechins, tea pigments, flavonoids, vitamins and so on, they can effectively remove free radicals in the body, play a role in delaying cell aging, and reduce skin wrinkles.

Manage Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is mostly to be caused by obesity. Tea polysaccharide in dark tea can stimulate the secretion of insulin in the human body, reduce blood-sugar content. Plus its ability to lower blood lipids, it can reduce the risk of diabetes and help manage diabetes effectively.

Origin

Dark tea is only produced in China, most of the origin concentrated in the southern and western. Yunnan, Hunan, Tibet, and other provinces are famous dark tea origins. Dark tea is usually extruded into tea bricks or tea cakes for better preservation.

In recent years, many tea producers will take dark tea in secondary processing, the most common is to make Orange Pu-erh. Stuff dark tea into dried oranges, make the tea to absorb the aroma of the peel. Brewing dark tea with dried orange peel or chrysanthemums is very popular in southern China.

Dark Tea Processing

“Piling” is the most important step in the processing of dark tea, which differentiates dark tea from other types of tea. After fixation and rolling, tea leaves are piling on the ground in the shape of hills and covered with a damp cloth. The place where the tea is piled cannot be directly exposed to the sun. The indoor temperature should above 25℃, and the relative humidity should be maintained at about 85%.

The time for piling is about 24 hours, during which time needs to stir once. Inside the tea leaves, an environment suitable for the microorganisms grows will form. Under the action of microorganisms, the ingredients of the tea will change into various nutrients, and the color of the tea leaves will gradually change from green to brown.

When the tea piles give off a sour smell, the stickiness of the tea becomes smaller and will not be lumpy, indicating that the piling is done.

After piling, rolling the tea again, and then begin to bake. Tea masters use pine wood as fuel, it’s the most traditional way. Tea leaves after baking will get an oily-black color,  a smell of pine and smoke.

After baking, tea makers extrude the tea leaves into tea cakes and place them in a ventilated place (sometimes outdoors) to dry. Generally, it will last for 10-15 days to make the water of tea gradually evaporate, and keep fermenting.

Put the dark tea into a dry orange to make Orange Pu-erh

Learn More About Black Tea: Great Benefits And Less Caffeine

Black tea is the most popular tea in the world

Introduction

In western, black tea is much more popular than green tea, and it is also the highest yield tea type in the world.

Why is black tea so popular? In addition to historical reasons, thanks to the black tea unique taste, it can fit with much other food. Our daily drink, such as flavoured tea, iced tea, milk tea, they are all using black tea as basic. Blend with other food make the black tea taste get into a higher level.

Different from green tea, black tea is complete-fermented tea. During fermentation, 90% polyphenols in the tea are changing into other flavors and nutrients substance, that’s why black tea dose does not have the herbal taste like green tea. More people like this taste more than green tea.

Black tea originated in China. In the past, transportation was not convenient. It will take a long tea for shipping black tea from China to Europe, green tea is easy to go bad during the trip. And the complete-fermented black tea can be storage better during the shipping, and keep the flavor well. It makes black tea spread more widely than green tea in the world.

Black Tea Nutrition Facts

Polyphenols

Tea polyphenols are particular nutrients of tea. Because black tea is complete-fermented tea, 90% of its polyphenols are changing into Theaflavins, Theaflavin, Theabrownine, and other flavonoids. These flavonoids determine the color, aroma, and taste of black tea.

Theaflavin is the main polyphenols in black tea, the content of which determines the quality of black tea. The more Theaflavin contains, the higher the quality of black tea.

When we brewing the high-quality black tea, we will found there is a “Golden Ring” on the edge inside the cup, which means it contains lots of Theaflavin.

And the Theaflavin is also a great antioxidant, it makes a lot of benefits to our body.

High-quality black tea is golden yellow due to Theaflavins

Amino acids

Due to the high fermentation, black tea contains fewer amino acids than other types of tea. The amino acids and carbohydrates were almost changed to other aromatic substances, only a small amount was kept.

The substances amino acids converted bring black tea a mellow taste, so we feel the less “fresh” and “sweet” taste in black tea, but mellow.

Caffeine

Black tea contains a certain amount of caffeine, and it makes black tea an astringent taste. The caffeine content in dried leaf black tea is lower than other types of tea, but the caffeine content dissolved in water depends on the processing method and brewing way. For example, CTC black tea’s caffeine dissolved in water is higher than the whole leaf black tea.

Vitamin

Black tea after complete-fermented, most of the vitamins are lost. Vitamins A, C, E, and carotenoids can still be found in black tea, but in such low levels that they have little effect on the body. But when we brew black tea, we usually add milk or lemon for flavoring, and these ingredients contain a lot of vitamins to make up for this deficiency.

Minerals

Minerals, as same as vitamins, can not be produced or synthesized by the human body itself. And black tea contains Ca, Na, Zn, Mn, K and Se, and other minerals, help supplement the trace elements needed to maintain human health.

The mellow taste of black tea is suitable for various ingredients

What Is Black Tea Good For

Refreshing

Although the same amount of black tea has less caffeine than green tea or coffee, it can still stimulate nerves and wake up your brain. But many drinks basic on black tea, the black tea part is usually in a high concentration, it may cause insomnia too.

Diuresis

The synergistic effect of caffeine and aromatic substances in black tea can improve the working efficiency of the kidneys and increase the amount of urine. It is beneficial to promote human metabolism, make the metabolites out of the body faster. But patients with kidney dysfunction should consult your doctor before having black tea.

Anti-inflammatory

Polyphenols in tea have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. Catechins and other polyphenols in black tea can help prevent inflammation and reduce the risk of other diseases caused by inflammation in the body.

Prevent Heart Disease

Studies have shown that regular consumption of black tea can improve antioxidant status, control cholesterol and triglyceride levels, slow the aging of blood vessels and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Strengthen Bones

Once was research showed that people who drank black tea more often had stronger bones than people who didn’t. This may be due to the anti-inflammatory benefits of tea polyphenols, and the trace elements such as Ca and K in black tea works.

Anti-cancer

In cancer research, the polyphenols, amino acids, volatile compounds and alkaloids found in black tea are effective in inhibiting cell carcinogenesis and reducing the risk of cancer. It can also inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells and even kill some of them. Although black tea good on fighting cancer still lacks adequate scientific support, it has shown promising potential.

Manage Diabetes

Studies have shown that having black tea can lower blood sugar levels, improve the body’s ability to metabolize sugar, and increase insulin levels at the same time.

The flavonoids in black tea help to reduce the risk of developing diabetes from obesity, and help manage type 2 diabetes by improving glucose metabolism through anti-inflammatory effects, and increasing insulin activity, reducing the absorption of fat by the gut.

Origin

Black tea is produced in many countries of the world, but the major producers are concentrated in Asia. India, in particular, accounts for nearly half of the world’s black tea production.

India

India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of black tea, also a daily beverage for Indian people. In the beginning, the British mainly imported tea from China. By the 18th century, the British began to grow tea trees in India. Since then, India has rapidly developed into a major black tea producer based on its geographical advantages.

In India, the excellent environment is very suitable for the cultivation of tea trees, among which Darjeeling and Assam produce the most famous black tea, which is the main export type of black tea in India. In addition, the black tea produced in Nilgiri and Sikkim also has excellent quality.

In India, black tea is often served with a variety of foods and spices. Masala tea is the favorite black tea drink in India, and its making ways are also various, a drink that tourists worth to take a try.

Sri Lanka

For most black tea lovers, the most familiar is Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka. In the 1860s, the “father of the Ceylon tea enterprise”  James Taylor introduced tea trees and technology from India and built a tea garden in Kandy. Since then, Ceylon black tea became popular in the world.

Sri Lanka produces more than 300,000 tons of black tea a year, mostly for export. There are seven black tea producing regions in Sri Lanka: Uva, Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula, Kandy, Ruhuna, Uda Pussallawa, Sabaragamuwa.

China

China is the origin of tea and the country that made black tea popular around the world. But in China, the black tea market share is relatively low, black tea production is mainly concentrated in Hunan, Guangdong, Yunnan, Sichuan, and other provinces. Among them, Keemun black tea, Yunnan Dianhong, and Lapsang Souchong have the most international fame.

Although China produces tons of black tea, it is mostly consumed domestically. And the Chinese black tea is mostly whole-leaf tea rather than CTC tea, which is more suitable for brewing alone rather than with other foods or spices.

In addition to the above three countries, many other countries in the world produce black tea, learn more on “Black Tea Producing Countries”

Black Tea Processing

There are 4 main processing methods for black tea:

• Orthodox
• CTC
• Gongfu Black Tea
• LapSang Souchong

Various black tea processing methods to a large extent affect the taste of black tea, learn more on “Black Tea Processing Method”

Learn More About Yellow Tea: What Makes It So Precious

Yellow tea is a very precious and rare tea

Introduction

Yellow tea is a very rare type of tea, belongs to lightly-fermented tea and produced only in China.

The invention of yellow tea is believed to be the result of a mistake in the green tea production, the tea leaves turned to yellow because of the lightly-fermented.

But after the tea master brewed the “fail tea” and tasted it, they found it was awesome. After continuous technological improvement, it became the yellow tea we drink today.

Most of the yellow tea shows yellow, with a rich aroma and a slightly sweet taste, rather than the herbal and bitter taste of green tea.

Because of the lower yield and the complicated processing method, yellow tea is very precious. And yellow is the exclusive color of the emperor in ancient China, so in ancient times, yellow tea is generally only provided to Chinese royal family members or rich people.

Nutrition Facts

Tea Polyphenols

Tea polyphenols are the main nutrition fact in tea and play an important role in the benefits of yellow tea. Because the yellow tea was been lightly-fermented, some of the polyphenols in the tea are oxidized to other nutrients and enhance the flavor of the tea. And the polyphenols retained by the dried yellow tea were second only to green tea.

Vitamin

Yellow tea contains a variety of vitamins, such as water-soluble vitamins B1, B2, B3, PP, B6, B11, inositol, and vitamin C, also fat-soluble vitamins E, K, P, and vitamin A, effective prevention and treatment of various vitamin deficiencies.

Amino Acids

Yellow tea contains nearly 30 amino acids, especially lysine, phenylalanine, threonine, methionine, leucine, isoleucine, tryptophan, and valine 8 what people need. The amount of amino acids in yellow tea high to 2%-4%, they are the main ingredient to make yellow tea a  unique flavor.

Carbohydrate

Just like white tea, yellow tea is only lightly-fermented, and the enzymes in the tea are converted to soluble carbohydrates and retained. Its soluble carbohydrate content is second only to white tea, so yellow tea also tastes slightly sweet.

Minerals

Yellow tea is rich in important minerals: especially Se, Fl, Mn, Mg, Zn, Mo and more than 10 kinds of trace elements that have important functions for the human body.

Caffeine

Yellow tea is true tea, so it contains a certain amount of caffeine. The caffeine content of yellow tea is between 2% and 5%, lower than that of green tea and white tea. However, the caffeine content of yellow tea after brewing is affected by the brewing way and steeping time.

The tea leaves will turn yellow after Sealing Yellow

Yellow Tea Benefits

Help Digestion

Yellow tea will produce a large number of digestive enzymes during its unique processing method. Digestive enzymes can help the stomach work better, suitable to help synergistic treat diseases such as indigestion, loss of appetite.

Weight Loss

In digestive enzymes and caffeine under the synergistic effect, yellow tea can accelerate the burning and reduce the accumulation of fat, give a certain help to your weight loss plan.

Prevent Cancer

Scientific studies have shown that the antioxidants contained in yellow tea can help eliminate free radicals in the body and effectively prevent the occurrence of cancer (especially the liver, and stomach cancer). And the antioxidant capacity of yellow tea was not reduced by lightly-fermentation, the research shows even higher than that of green tea.

Protect The Liver

The liver is an important organ for balancing glucose and lipid metabolism. Yellow tea has a significant effect on the prevention and treatment of hepatitis and can help to treat other liver diseases. The healthy liver function also plays an important role in the weight loss plan.

Anti-inflammatory

Yellow tea has excellent anti-inflammatory properties just like other types of tea. The research shown that the extract of yellow tea can effectively treat gastritis and hepatitis, and prevent stomach injury, has great help to keep the stomach healthy.

Anti-aging

Thanks to the ability of tea polyphenols to scavenge free radicals, yellow tea can also help anti the aging. For women, having yellow tea helps reduce skin wrinkles and spots, making it a popular anti-aging beauty tea.

Origin

Yellow tea is only produced in China, and the Korean yellow tea just called the same, is not true yellow tea. Because of the difficult production way, even in China, only Sichuan, Anhui, Hunan, Yunnan, Guangdong and some other provinces are producing yellow tea. And the yellow tea production technology is slightly different in each origin, so that yellow tea also has a variety of types.

Yellow Tea Processing

Yellow tea is processed in much the same way as green tea, but with an extra step called “Sealing Yellow“. “Sealing Yellow” means after the raw tea leaves fixation, packing them with a wet cloth and place for a time. Let the green tea leaves oxidized and turn to yellow, and the nutrients in the tea will also be changed to different degrees. Some tea gardens will steam the tea package during “Sealing Yellow”.

Different tea gardens have different ways to “Sealing Yellow”, but the purpose is the same – make the tea leaves reach an ideal degree of oxidation before drying, to obtain benefits and flavors different from other types of tea.

Because this processing method is very difficult, the yield of high-quality yellow tea is very low, which leads to the preciousness and high price of yellow tea.

Sealing Yellow is a special processed way only in yellow tea processing

Green Tea Garden

Introduction

Green tea is the first tea beverage in human history, origin in China. Make from the leaves picked from the tea plant(Camellia sinensis), steep with hot water(or cool water) for a few minutes, then ready to drink. The drink color after steeping is light-green, so it called Green Tea.

In green tea processing, most of the nutrients are kept because there are no-fermented. Also due to the less processing, most green tea has retained the flavor of plants, fresh but astringent.

Green Tea Processing Technique

Fixation

Preliminary process after tea leaves picked. The oxidative enzyme in tea was destroyed or inhibited by heating to slow down the oxidation rate. Keep the original green color of tea leaves, and reduce the moisture in the tea leaves to make them soft.

Rolling

The shape of the tea leaves is changed by rolling, reduced its volume, and the organization structure of the tea leaves is further changed.

Drying

Through baking or frying, the water content of tea leaves can be further reduced to an ideal level, make it easy to storage.

More details on How Is Green Tea Processed

Matcha is a special way to process green tea

Nutrition Facts

Tea Polyphenols

A powerful antioxidant, the main nutrient fact in green tea. Most of the benefits of green tea can be attributed to the antioxidant properties of the tea polyphenols. The tea polyphenols found in green tea in the form of various flavonoids (such as catechins, tannins, etc.).

Caffeine

Caffeine, an alkaloid found in green tea, it makes green tea tastes slightly astringent. And caffeine has many effects on the human body, both beneficial and harmful.

The benefit is, it stimulates the nerves and improves the mental state. Affect and promote digestion, help on losing weight.

The side effect of caffeine mainly may cause insomnia and the obvious addiction tendency.

Vitamin

Green tea contains a variety of vitamins, although the processing and brewing process will cause a certain loss, there still are small amount can be absorbed by the human body. The main vitamins in green tea include vitamin C, vitamin E, β-carotene and some B vitamins.

Minerals

As same as vitamins, minerals are not produced or synthesized by the body itself. They are important substances for the maintenance of human physiological functions. Green tea is rich in Fe, K, P, Mg, and a small amount of Mn, Cu, Zn and other trace elements, which plays an important role in keeping health.

Amino Acid

Green tea contains theanine, an amino acid, which gives it its unique flavor. Theanine also has a synergistic effect with caffeine to relieve stress.

Lots of nutrients facts of green tea can be dissolved into water

Green Tea Benefits

Weight Loss

The research showed that the synergistic effect of caffeine and catechins in green tea can speed up fat burning and play a role in weight loss. At the same time, the stimulation of caffeine to intestines and stomach can promote digestive, it’s good for your weight loss plan.

Managing Mental State

The caffeine in green tea can stimulate the nerves and make people feel refreshed. Having green tea moderately can relieve fatigue.

Anti-aging

The polyphenols in green tea are powerful antioxidants, which against artery aging and also have a certain anti-inflammatory effect. Bring great benefits for anti-aging and heart disease prevention.

Main Origin

China

China is the origin of green tea, also the largest exporter and consumer country.

In China, the variety of green tea is mainly divided according to the origin province, the taste and drinking habits of green tea in each area are also different, developed various tea cultures.

In the green tea market, mainly sales loose leaf green tea, tea bags are considered to be a low-grade way to have tea.

Japan

Japan used to be influenced by Chinese culture in its history, so green tea is popular in Japan. Japan also is one of the largest exporter and consumer country of green tea. In was different from China, the Japanese use a steaming way on green tea processing, make it less fermented. And the Japanese prefer to brew green tea with warm water, a lower temperature can keep more nutrients in green tea.

In Japan, the most common green tea is matcha, and the tea culture developed into “Sado”, which emblem the universal philosophical thought of the Japanese.