So I decided to publish a post about tea - my favorite drink of all times. I didn't drink tea until two years ago. The reason? I had only ever tasted black tea, and I really don't like black tea. I will not say, of course, that I have tasted all kinds of black tea, but the kinds I have tasted weren't to my taste. So anyways, like two years ago, I met a friend of mine who is a Tea Lover, and I tasted my first real cup of green tea - and got hooked. I now drink over 1 liter tea every day, different kinds, but all nice and quite fresher - at least a lot fresher than the ones you get from Earl Grey ...
My favorite at the moment is ... yeah. Well, my five favorites at the moment are normal green tea from the Yunnan province in China, and the Jasmin/green tea mix from same location. I bought both of these half a year ago while I was there, sealed in airtight bags so the great taste wouldn't evade them. Also, there is the Pu'erh Tea I bought while I was there, as well as some Oolong Tea and The White tea I bough yesterday in a little store in Valkyries Gate.
Black, green, white and the pu'erh and Oolong teas are all made in very different ways, but the important thing is they are all TEA. They are made from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, and therefore they can bear the name Tea rightly. It annoys me to see all kinds of fruit mixes being named tea. Tea comes from the tea plant. There. So, they all come from the tea plant, and the differences between different kinds of tea will be because of their processing, the altitude on which they were grown, the time of year they were picked, and what part of the leaves have been used.
The white tea is the first tea being picked. It is the buds of the plant, and therefore contents way more antioxidants and vitamins than the other kinds of tea. It is mostly grown in China, but also in Darjeeling in India and on Sri Lanka. This is really good for your health, as its careful steaming and drying preserves almost all of the natural health benefits like its anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Don't drink white tea that's been standing around in a cupboard or on a storeshelf for years, as it loses all its taste and vigor. White tea contains very little caffeine and can be bought de-caffeinated.
The green tea is made from the same plant, but from the leaves and not the buds. It is steamed, stopping the oxidation of the leaves and not fermented. This leaves the leaves (haha!) green and fresh and also protects the vitamins and minerals contained int he leaves. Green tea has a stronger taste than white tea, and also contains more caffeine.
Black Tea is fermented and therefore loses most of its original taste and properties and tastes a lot more. This is why many people who have been drinking black tea or coffee most of their lives in the beginning have difficulties telling between the different kinds of green and white tea.
Oolong and Pu’erh tea is like a mix between black and green tea, and with very subtle tastes. They are partly fermented, but leaves a very different taste then the black teas, and keeps more of the natural taste and virtues. Pu’erh is a tea that gets better with age; and exponentally more expensive. Mine is 6 years old, but you can get them up to 50 years!
Green and white tea are some of the most healthy drinks you can have - they have been proved effective as cancer preventatives, boosts your mental awareness, boosts your immune system, lowers the stress hormone levels, actually inhibit the growth of the bacteria in your mouth that gives you bad breath, but most of all: It tastes so good!
