Tea Time: Red, White or Green?

[Guest guest]

Tea Time: Red, White or Green?

 

All true tea comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The differences

between types of tea result from different methods of processing the leaves. Tea

drinkers garner more than a delicious beverage: a variety of studies have shown

beneficial health effects of drinking tea, from higher bone mineral density to

heart-protective properties (due to the flavonoids in tea which are potent

antioxidants). So what's the difference between red, white and green?

a.. Red tea: the name the Chinese use for what the west calls " black tea. " The

leaves of red or black tea undergo a process of oxidation that changes the color

and flavor and reduces the content of polyphenols.

b.. Green tea: the tea leaves are steamed, rolled and dried, a method that

preserves the content of polyphenols, antioxidant compounds that confer the

well-known health benefits of tea. I'm a big fan of green tea, which has been

shown to protect against both heart disease and cancer.

c.. White tea: imported from one region of China. This is the least processed

form, with an even greater antioxidant activity than green tea. It produces a

very pale infusion with a very delicate taste.

http://www.drweil.com/u/Page/Archive134/

 

Learn more about tea by reading the DrWeil.com Expert interview with Tea Expert

Sebastian Beckwith.

 

An Interview with Sebastian Beckwith

Of all the types of tea (red, black, green, white), which offers the most health

benefits?

 

There have been many studies done on the tea plant, but usually they are not

examinations of the different types of tea, but rather comparisons of different

types of beverages entirely (like coffee and tea). Most of the studies show that

the tea plant in all its different forms is health-promoting, although none of

these are conclusive.

 

All tea comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, which is related to the

Camellia plant. It's a woody shrub native to southern China that is generally

kept plucked to picking height (3-4 feet). The plant can produce White, Green,

Oolong, Black (known as Red tea in China) and Pu-erh Tea depending on the

region, specific plant varietal and processing method. It's important to note

that the " Red Tea " that's being marketed by some large distribution companies is

really an Herbal Infusion. It's not really tea and although it contains

antioxidants, they are not the same ones that are being studied in connection

with the tea plant, or the ones which have shown to be very potent in the many

studies that have come out over the last few years.

 

What makes matcha tea so special?

 

Matcha is a high-quality green tea that is covered before picking to accentuate

the color, then stone-ground after being picked and before being sealed into

small tins. Matcha tea is enjoyed in many ways. In Japan it is a very important

part of the tea ceremony, and in both Asia and the West, people drink it because

they like the taste and the ritual. Now some people are drinking it because of

the reported health benefits.

 

The taste is strong and vegetal - some people would say spinachy, others would

say grassy and with an umami character. This will also of course depend on the

quality and source that you use. The tea used to make matcha is important; there

are many cheaper imitations that use low-grade tea.

 

As with all teas, where you get it is important. You want to purchase your tea

from an importer who moves through their stock so that you get fresh product.

You should use about a teaspoon in a bowl with a third of a cup of hot water -

heated to less than a boil. Then agitate it with a bamboo whisk and you are

ready to drink it.

 

Are there any other uses/benefits for tea in which you don't have to drink it?

 

There are many culinary traditions involving tea - from the famous tea-smoked

duck to a wonderful oolong tempura I had several years ago. I personally like to

focus on drinking tea instead of trying to cook it many different ways.

 

Have you always had an interest in tea?

 

I had been learning about tea for some time before visiting the tea estates in

Darjeeling in the early '90s. As I spent a lot of time in the Himalayas, it was

a great way to learn more from the people actually growing and making the tea. I

began to appreciate the nuances of flavor and the skill necessary to produce the

remarkable single-estate teas.

 

http://www.drweil.com/u/Page/General195/