Tea 101

 

 

Black Tea: Probably the most popular type of tea in use today. It is the most intensely processed type of tea as the leaves are allowed to fully oxidize (and turn black) before they are dried. Black teas can be steeped longer to bring out the flavour. They tend to contain the most amount of caffeine per cup compared with other types of tea. Examples: Earl Grey, English Breakfast.

 

Green Tea: This type of green is known for its green colour and earthy flavour. Since it isn't oxidized, it shouldn't be steeped for a long time as it will produce a bitter taste. Green tea tends to be low in caffeine.

 

Matcha: Taken from premium grade Japanese green tea leaves that have been ground into a fine powder. During the growing stage, the leaves are removed and placed in the shade which slows down the photosynthesis process and enriches the flavour. To consume matcha you need only to mix the powder with water. It is known to have 10-15 times more nutrients that regular green tea and is high in antioxidants.

 

White Tea: This tea is the least processed of all types of tea and consist of unopened tea leaf buds that have been folded over and covered. There is very mild oxidation with white tea as it is air dried after plucking, baked, further dried and then rolled. Similar to green tea, white tea shouldn't be steeped for a long time to preserve the taste.

 

Rooibos: Unlike other teas, rooibos tea is not derived from Camellia sinesis leaves. This is a red coloured tea (when brewed) that is made from the leaf of the Aspalathus linoaris and is only grown in South Africa. When the leaf undergoes fermentation and is then oxidized in sunlight it turns red. Rooibos tea is caffeine free, rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.

 

Herbal Tea (Tisane): Is technically not a tea because it doesn't contain any tea leaves but rather is anything that can be steeped. It is often comprised of berries, fruit, flowers, herbs, roots and spices. 

 

Oolong Tea: This is a semi-green, semi-black tea that is native to China and Taiwan. It is partially oxidized at 70% and then heated to stop the oxidation process. These leaves are dried and rolled into small pellets after the final drying stage.