Types of Organic Tea


Tea is the dried and processed leaves of a species of plant called Camellia sinensis. The infusion of these leaves in hot water is what makes up tea. Most of the herbal teas on the market are not really teas at all but are infusions made with flowers, herbs, roots, spices or other parts of some plants.

There are four main types of tea.

    White
    Green
    Oolong
    Black

The differences between these teas is in the harvesting and the drying process. The darker the tea, the more processing it has undergone - this strips away some of the beneficial nutrients.

More related links : http://organicteagarden.net/



White Tea

This is the rarest type of tea, as it is made from the young leaves that are picked before the buds have fully opened - it is very time consuming to harvest. Only small quantities are yielded, therefore it is more expensive to buy. White tea undergoes minimal processing, as it is simply steamed and dried, keeping it close to it's natural state.

Green Tea

Due to the health benefits associated with green tea it has become a very popular drink worldwide. Green tea is a milder type of tea and is made from only the leaf bud and the top two leaves. The leaves are simply withered and then roasted or dried; they are not fermented like black tea, so it does not become oxidized. This process helps to preserve the leaves without destroying the beneficial compounds in the plant.

Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese type of tea, somewhere in between green and black in oxidation. The leaves for oolong tea undergo a moderate fermentation process where they are withered, partially fermented and then dried.

Black Tea

Black tea is the most popular variety of tea. The leaves undergo a complex fermentation process to change the colour of the leaf from green to copper, which causes a reduction of the teas antioxidant content. The leaves are fully oxidized and dried. Black tea is more oxidized than the green, oolong and white varieties and is generally stronger in flavour and contains more caffeine.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why is organic tea good for you?

Of all plants, tea leaves have one of the highest contents of flavonoids (15% of the leaf by dry weight). Flavonoids are a group of compounds with antioxidant activity. Antioxidants protect against the damage caused by excess free radicals. Free radicals are a damaging, physiological process that works against the immune system and is also responsible for aging. Antioxidants help our body eliminate these harmful free radicals. Related Articles : http://organicteagarden.net/ Flavonoids have anti-cancer properties and can act as a potential cancer preventative compound. Also these flavonoids may help in the treatment of cancer especially green tea. Each of the four teas contain similar amounts of flavonoids, however they differ in chemical structure. Green and white tea contain a simple flavonoids called catechins, where as Oolong and black tea undergo oxidation and convert these simple flavonoids to more complex varieties called theaflavins and thearubigins.
Read more

Best Kept Secrets of Organic Tea and essential oils

Image
As with so many foods and drinks, you have two main options when buying tea: regular or organic. Organic tea tends to cost more, and it's natural to wonder if the extra expense is worth it. After learning a few of the best secrets and benefits of drinking organic tea, though, you're sure to agree that the extra cost is more than justified. 1 - It Tastes Better Because no synthetic fertilizers or chemicals are used to grow organic tea, its natural, delicious flavors shine through readily. With other teas, the leaves are typically air-dried without being rinsed. As a result, the chemicals dry on them. They mask the natural flavor and sometimes impart their own flavors too, which results in a less pleasurable tea drinking experience . 2 - It's Safer Like many people, you probably try to avoid consuming chemicals with your food. Tea that's grown in accordance with organic standards isn't exposed to herbicides, pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, so you don...
Read more