Almost everyone knows the difference between tea and herbal tea, which is also known as a tisane. Then many know how black and green tea are different as well. But have you ever heard of a new hype amongst tea lovers – white tea?
It is a beverage that is becoming increasingly popular among people who prefer tea over coffee, especially because of numerous health benefits and interesting taste. Yet many never heard about it. Don’t feel bad if you are in a second group; we, at homemakerguide.com, also didn’t know a lot about it until recently. Then we found ourselves surrounded by people who couldn’t stop talking about white tea benefits and decided to investigate a bit. We were truly impressed with all we found and decided to share it with you.
You likely know it, but we want to point out that all types of tea, green, black, and white (not tisane), come from the same source – Camellia sinensis or tea plant. Maybe you head people calling in tea tree, but it is an evergreen shrub whose leaves and buds are used to make tea. Whether the tea is green, black, or white depends on ways of growing, processing, and of course, location.
Generally, all tea can be divided into six types: green, black, dark, yellow, oolong, and white.
1. Black tea usually goes through a complete oxidation process, and that’s why we see these dark brown or black leaves and have a kind of robust flavor. Also, if brewed well, it contains a higher percentage of caffeine than other types.
2. Dark tea is from Sichuan and Hunan provinces, and it is probiotic tea with a lovely kind of sweet flavor.
3. Oolong or WulongTea goes through partial oxidation. It has a particular taste and less caffeine than black tea but more than green.
4. Green tea is allowed to go through oxidation for a short time after picking. It contains a tiny percentage of caffeine and subtle flavors that tea lovers appreciate.
5. Yellow tea is pretty similar to green tea, except oxidation and drying are a bit longer. It also comes from China.
6. White tea has the most delicate fruity flavor. Oxidation is not included in the processing of the leaves to make white tea. People like it because of the complex but subtle flavors and natural sweetness. The percentage of white tea caffeine depends on the brewing method. If it is made at a low temperature and for a shorter time, the rate of caffeine will be pretty low.
History of White Tea
For us, living in the occidental world, white tea is as of recently sought after because of the taste but primarily because people came to understand that it is very beneficial.
But first records of white tea go far back to the past, somewhere around the time of the Tang Dynasty in China, which ruled between 7th and 10th century AD. At this time, much like today, drinking tea was a critical practice in Chinese culture. There was something like a tea tax. It meant that households had to make an annual tribute to the Emperor in the form of tea. Naturally, the drink offered to the Emperor had to be the best possible. And the finest and most rare was the tea produced from young buds.
This tea wasn’t the same as the one we have today. People had pluck and rinse young buds and grind them into powder. This powder was then put in boiling water to make a frothy beverage with subtle flavors of jasmine, lotus, and chrysanthemum. A version of this method still exists in the tea ceremony in Japan. The result of this technique was the most delicate cup of tea that only the Emperor could afford.
This tea, as we know it today, started to be used in the 18th century during the Qing dynasty. It was first cultivated from white tea shrubs in the Chinese province, Fujian.
How White Tea is Made
As we mentioned, this highly praised tea is made from very your buds and tea leaves of Camellia sinesis. They are plucked in early spring and then left to dry, either under the sun or a room designed for it. The room needs to be equipped with ventilators and kept warm because the hot air has to circulate. The temperature has to be around 36 degrees. But it is not possible to just leave the tea like that to dry on its own because this can dehydrate the leaves and buds and ruin the tea.
The key is to find the right speed and duration and manage the temperature and moisture. Because of this process, white tea is rich in catechins, which are generally found in fresh tea leaves. People believe that this kind of tea has more health benefits than other types because of the method of slow processing.
There are several methods of withering and drying: heated vents, wind drying chambers, and natural sunlight. They vary from region to region and depend on climate and, of course, traditions. As a result, we get four main types that are grown in China: Silver Needle, White Peony, Long Life Eyebrow, and Tribute Eyebrow. Besides, there is also Ceylon White, Darjeeling White, Assam White, and African White grown in other parts of the world.
8 Remarkable White Tea Benefits for Your Health
1. Antioxidant Properties
Do you remember that we mentioned catechins? These are plant-based molecules, and when we ingest them, they act as antioxidants. You might think, alright, but what does it mean. Well, as we age, the cells kind of suffer the damage from free radicals in our body that are associated with oxidative damage. It can have harmful effects on our bodies in general. For example, various studies connect these free radicals to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, cardiovascular diseases, vision issues, aging, and so on. Antioxidants protect the cells from this damage.
2. Supports Weight Loss
Because of a sedentary lifestyle and bad eating habits that most of us have, obesity is one of the biggest problems of the modern world. People are trying different aids to lose weight, and it turned out that white tea benefits weight loss. Same as green tea, it has caffeine and epigallocatechin (EGCG). It proved to be useful for lipolysis – the fat burning process. But more than that, it also inhibits the production of new fat cells in the body and limits fat storage.
Additionally, it speeds up the metabolism and limits the absorption of dietary fiber. Also, it reduces sugar cravings. Therefore you if instead of having a piece of cake or ice cream after a meal, drink a cup of white tea, you will surely notice the pounds melting.
3. Helps in Treatment of Diabetes
Diabetes is another disease of a modern human that is starting to be pandemic and causes several serious complications that ultimately can lead to death. White tea can decrease blood sugar levels and improve insulin secretion. There have been studies on rats that support the theory that components of white tea can relieve the symptoms of diabetes. The reason why this beverage has anti-diabetic properties is that it is packed with catechins.
4. Lowers Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Protects the Heart
It works as a natural blood thinner and improves the function of arteries and circulation. It means that it is quite useful in lowering the blood pressure and maintaining it within the healthy range. Because of this, it plays a vital role in stroke prevention. It also reduces the levels of bad cholesterol. It increases the good, which means that it prevents artery blockage that can lead to a heart attack. Some studies show that those who drink 2 cups of white tea have higher chances of survival following a heart attack.
5. Preventing Cancer
Even if is there is no way to make sure we will avoid cancer, there are things we can do to try to avoid it. Drinking white tea is undoubtedly one of them. One consequence of havoc caused by free radicals in our body is cancer. As we mentioned, white tea is packed with antioxidants, and among them, flavonoids that inhibit the growth of cancer cells and prevent the formation of new ones.
6. Improves Hair Health
Studies also show a lot of white tea benefits for hair. The substance called epigallocatechin (EGCG) that we mentioned earlier helps with hair related problems. Scientists believe that it supports hair growth and survival of hair cells.
7. Antibacterial and Antiviral Properties
It is a natural killer of bacteria and viruses because it is packed with antioxidants. It boosts the immune system and protects against cold, flu, and other infectious diseases. Same as green tea, it has even anti-HIV properties. It is again because of flavonoids that can prevent the binding of HIV to CD4 cells.
8. Bone Health
Osteoporosis is a disease that, in time, decreases the density of bones, causing them to break more easily. It is common in postmenopausal women but also the general population older than 50. Generally, some studies show that people who are regularly drinking tea have higher bone density than those who don’t. The levels of antioxidants found in white tea contribute to preventing and fighting off osteoporosis.
Precautions and Side Effects
There are very few known white tea side effects. One thing that can be problematic for some people is that it contains caffeine the same as any other type of tea. However, the percentage of white tea is lower than in black and even green. As we mentioned earlier, how much caffeine will there be in a cup of this healthy beverage depends on how you brew it. Also, it depends on where it comes from. The white tea that is processed in China doesn’t go through oxidation at all.
Consider that the amount off caffeine increases with this process in Chinese tea there is very little of it. However, if you get it from other countries, the amount can vary from 3mg to 35 mg per cup. Caffeine also has various health benefits. However, it can cause some health issues such as anxiety, high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, and so on if taken excessively.
Also, because it is minimally processed, it contains high levels of fluoride in the leaves. And again, although it has a lot of benefits for teeth and general oral health, if you ingest too much, it can cause health-related issues. Some of them are:
- Excess saliva
- Nausea
- Tooth weakness
- Vomiting
Conclusion
As you can see, white tea is truly a magic potion with a lot of health benefits. When you think about all this, you can’t say it’s surprising that it has been around and so valued in the countries of the East for more than a thousand years. In these winter months, there is no better protection from the cold than enjoying a cup of this potent beverage. We hope you will like it. Have you already tried it? Do you know some other benefits that we didn’t mention?
