Tea, Anyone?

Pomegranate White Tea

Camillia sinensis–or the tea plant, as it is more commonly called–has been a hotly-traded global commodity for more than a thousand years. (We still say “worth all the tea in China” to describe something of great value.) There’s white tea, green tea, black tea, oolong tea…entire aisles in the grocery stores are dedicated to teas! Shoppers are looking for everything from decaf to wellness teas. Here’s a brief breakdown of the different kinds that are available:

White tea leaves are from the fresh, young tea plant. These are picked early in the season–also early in the morning–and are the most delicate member of the tea family. They also have the least amount of caffeine. White tea is generally combined with fruit flavors since it doesn’t have much taste on its own.

Green tea leaves come from the mature tea plant. This type of tea has a stronger taste and is traditionally served unadulterated (as in Japanese tea ceremonies). Lately, however, I’ve been seeing more green tea blends in U.S. grocery stores–there’s a box of green tea chai in my cupboard right now. The pronounced flavor of straight green tea can take some getting used to.

Black tea leaves are green tea leaves that have been allowed to oxidize–that is, turn black. This process creates a stronger, richer flavor; black tea also has a higher amount of caffeine than do white and green. Since black tea is so strong, it’s generally blended with spices (chai tea) and other flavors such as citrus peel (Earl Grey).

Oolong tea is a cross between green and black–it’s partially oxidized (blackened). This type of tea is much more popular in Asian cultures than it is in the U.S. Chinese tea drinkers prefer to brew strong oolong in order for its bitter character and sweet aftertaste to come through.

Red tea is not from the camilla sinesis plant–it’s from the rooibos bush (also called “redbush”), a plant that only grows in South Africa. Like black tea, it has been allowed to oxidize, but since the plant does not contain any caffeine, those who are sensitive to caffeine can enjoy rooibos’ strong flavor.

Like red “tea,” herbal and fruit “teas” are not truly teas since they also do not contain camilla sinesis; rather, they’re an infusion of fruit (i.e., strawberry and raspberry leaves) and/or herbs (chamomile flowers). As long as these infusions are strictly made from fruit and herbs, they do not contain caffeine. If you have an herb garden, you can easily make your own infusions–drop some dried mint leaves into your cup for mint tea, or try combining herbs (rosemary and lavender is a nice pairing) to create your own blends. Spice teas such as chai are made by adding cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, crushed cardamom pods, and fresh ginger root to boiling water.

I won’t get into the various health benefits (both real and touted) of tea here–they’re so extensive that hundreds of books have been written about them. I base my tea choice on how much caffeine it has and how well the flavor would suit my mood at the time: iced fruit teas make a refreshing summer drink, for example, while cold winter days call for a strong chai blend.

The best part is, as long as you don’t add sugar or cream, tea has no fat and no calories…but has plenty of antioxidants, amino acids, and vitamins. Go ahead and pour yourself another cup!

Tags: black tea, oolong tea, red tea, tea, white tea