Would you like to impress your friends and family with your knowledge of interesting facts about tea? Keep on reading, there are probably lots of details you didn’t know about tea. For example, what are the differences between green, black, red, white or chai tea?
Which type of tea is healthier? tastier? more popular? Did you know that there are more than 3000 varieties of tea?
Facts about Green Tea
Green tea is probably the type of tea whose popularity in the western world is growing the fastest. If you’ve tried green tea and didn’t like the flavor, you should give it another try. There are many flavours of green tea, from light and sweet to smoky or nutty flavor.
The most important selling facts behind green tea’s ever growing popularity are its antioxidants. Polyphenols and tannins promote good health by helping in the fight against damage to cell structures.
This type of damage has been held responsible for cancer and other significant illnesses and not so significant illnesses such as colds, flu, etc.
Green tea contains a unique polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG. This particulat polyphenol helps prevent halitosis.
Did you know that your dentist may also approve of you drinking more green tea? Green tea contains more fluoride than fluoridated water. And of course, other important facts about tea: green tea contains vitamins B2, C,D and K as well as amino acids and many more benefits can be derived from these.
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What constitutes green tea? The important difference between green and black tea is that the green tea leaves are not allowed to ferment. |
The leaves are steamed or pan-fired until the enzymes necessary for fermentation are destroyed. The leaves are then twisted or rolled. This process breaks down the cellular structures, which allows the flavor to come through when you brew the leaves. Another firing process normally takes again to remove moisture from the leaves.
As for what constitute higher green tea quality, the shape of the leaves and the age are determining factor. The newest leaves are considered to be of highest quality.
Facts about Tea: Black Tea
Black tea still holds the position of most popular tea type in the western world, but green tea may beat it one day… Contrary to green tea, leaves are dried, bruised and rolled before allowing fermentation to occur.
Bacteria fermentation occurs in a controlled room for a few hours until the leaves turn a rusty red. The fermented leaves are then dried or fired to stop the fermentation process. Black tea is graded according to size.
Did you know that the Chinese actually call black tea "red tea" (in Chinese of course…). It makes a lot of sense when you think of the fermented leaves as opposed to "green tea". Find out where to buy black tea online.
Facts about Tea: Oolong Tea
Oolong tea (sometimes spelled oulong tea) only accounts for less than 2 percent of the world’s tea consumption. Why is that? Well, for one, most grocery stores do not carry many oolong varieties (if any).
Taiwan and China are the two main producers of oolong tea, with Taiwanese oolong considered to be the best in the world. Taiwanese oolong is also called formosa oolong based on the nickname given to Taiwan by the Portuguese. Formosa means beautiful… Taiwan is a beautiful island. I spent 2 great years of my life there and I dream of going back… One day, one day…
What is oolong tea? It’s an in between. Like I said before, the difference between green and black tea is fermentation. Oolong tea has fermented to about 75% of the level of black tea. This partial fermentation results in a fruity green/black tea flavor. The quality grade of oolong tea depends greatly on the time of year the leaves were collected.
The highest qualities go as follows:
- Choice,
- Finest to Choice,
- Finest,
- Fine to Finest,
- Fine,
- etc.
Facts about Tea: Pouchong, White and Scented Tea
What about facts about teas called pouchong tea, white tea and scented teas? Pouchong is lightly oxidized, so it falls in between green tea and oolong tea. White tea is unoxidized tea made from young tea leaves. It is the rarest of tea, and as such is more expensive.
There are many scented teas available in the world. The most popular ones being flavored or scented with jasmine, chrysanthemum, gardenia or magnolia. These flowers are normally placed beside or mixed in the green tea leaves until the desired strength of aroma has been transferred to the tea leaves. Other techniques for scenting tea leaves also include spraying scents with hot air blowers or combining machines.
I hope you liked these interesting facts about tea. You can learn more about insomnia and herbal tea or purchase tea from Adagio.
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