Utah Tea Enthusiasts Educational
March 23, 2013
By M.C. Rivetti, Ph.D.
Types
There
are six major types of tea that come from the Camellia Sinensis plant
(a seventh variety, known as Poochong, is less oxidized than Oolong
making it closer to a Green Tea, but is not considered one of the major
types):
- White
- Green
- Yellow
- Oolong
- Black
- Pu’Erh
The
basic explanation for what makes these types differ is the way in which
they were processed, what part of the plant the leaves came from, and
how much oxidation or fermentation was allowed to occur. There are
literally hundreds of different methods used to achieve different
varieties, but they are offshoots from this basis.
While the variations of tea are numerous, they all go through 8 common elements:
- Plucking
- Sorting
- Cleaning
- Processing (Fried or Steamed) for Whites, Greens, and Yellows; Oxidation for Oolongs,
Blacks, and Pu’Erh*; and Fermentation for Pu’Erh. (*Only Ripe Pu’Erh is Oxidized, Raw is
not) - Rolling, specific to each type of tea
- Final firing or drying
- Sorting
- Packing
One
of the things you should know about the oxidation and fermentation
process is that as more oxidation occurs in the tea leaves, the more
caffeine and tannins form. On top of this the tea leaves lose a great
deal of their beneficial properties. Some would argue this fact;
however, research continues to show that many of the synergistic
qualities that create the great health benefits are destroyed during
oxidation and fermentation. It is for this reason that research focuses
on Green Tea, which contains the highest levels of all the goodness that
is found in the plant. For convenience sake, we will assume White Tea
and Yellow Tea are synonymous with Green Tea. Therefore, whenever we
speak of the health benefits of Green Tea you can apply the same to
White Tea and Yellow Tea, as there is little difference between the
three types as far as health benefits go.
White Tea
White
Tea comes from the youngest and most delicate buds from the plant. The
buds are withered in natural sunlight before they are lightly processed
to prevent oxidation from occurring. Because there is no steaming or
frying of the leaves, as is done with other types, it gives the White
Tea a unique flavor. The reason White Tea is called such is not because
it is white or produces a white liquid. The name actually comes from the
little silvery-white “hairs” on the unopened buds of the Camellia
Sinensis plant. These little hairs give the leaves a white appearance,
hence the name “White Tea”.
There
is a belief that White Tea may be the oldest form of tea, however,
expert opinion often differs on whether White or Green Tea is actually
the oldest.
Green Tea
Like
White Tea, Green Tea undergoes little, if any, oxidation and therefore
retains the vast majority of all the nutrients and benefits. Once the
leaves are plucked they are almost immediately processed to halt the
oxidative process. Green Tea can be placed under two types; grown in the
sun, and grown in the shade. Green Tea that is grown in the sun
undergoes more oxidative stress than Green Tea grown in the shade. Green
Tea grown in the shade is also a bit sweeter than its counterpart.
Green Tea is by far the most popular of the Camellia Sinensis varieties
worldwide, except in the U.S. and the U.K. where Black Tea is still the
most popular.
Green
Tea has been the focal point for research because it has been shown to
retain the highest nutrient level among the different varieties. While
some would argue that there is little difference between the different
varieties, as far as nutrient content is concerned, however, the vast
majority of research shows that this is false; Green & White Tea
have substantially higher levels of antioxidants, nutrients, etc. Aside
from the nutrient content there is the fact that White & Green Tea
have smaller amounts of “caffeine” (more on that later), tannic acids,
and other not-so-great compounds.
Green
Tea has not become popular in the U.S. or Europe until recently,
primarily because of transportation and preservation reasons. Until the
last decade and a half, transportation of Green & White Tea was
difficult because it took too long to arrive and usually did not survive
the voyage. Because of this, Oolong & Black Tea were the primary
imports because they could last much longer in storage, a byproduct of
the oxidation and fermentation process.
Now
that shipping methods from the Orient are much faster, Green Tea has
seen a huge increase in sales and consumption. The primary factor behind
its popularity is the increasing amount of research showing the amazing
health benefits that this incredible plant offers.
Yellow Tea
Yellow
Tea is similar to Green Tea in that it does not undergo an oxidative or
fermentation process. What makes Yellow Tea different from Green Tea is
that after the final drying process the leaves undergo an additional
step called Men Huan (Sealing Yellow). In this step the leaves receive a
very light steaming and are then covered with a cloth, allowing the
leaves to dry and reabsorb their own aroma. This smothering step can
last anywhere from a couple of hours to several days. This process tends
to create a sweeter and less astringent cup of tea. Because of the
extra time involved in creating Yellow Tea, it is far rarer than any
other type of tea.
Oolong Tea
Oolong
Tea, also called Wu Long (Black Dragon) Tea, is made by a slight
oxidation process that occurs after plucking the leaves. Each grower
will have a slight variation in processing, but in general the leaves,
after being picked, will be slightly rolled or bruised to release some
of the aromatic oils. After this slight bruising, the leaves are left to
oxidize in a warm place, usually under the sun, for several hours.
Oxidation length determines the type of Oolong created and how “dark”
the final brew will be. After oxidation is complete, they are pan fried
or sun dried to remove all moisture.
Black Tea
Black
Tea, also called Qi Hong (Red Tea, not to be confused with Rooibos Tea
which is also called Red Tea) due to the red color of the tea liquid
once brewed, is made in much the same way as Oolong Tea except it is
oxidized for a longer period, usually upwards of 1 – 2 days. This
oxidative process greatly reduces many of the health benefits found in
Camellia Sinensis as well as producing higher levels of caffeine and
tannic acid.
If
your purpose in drinking tea is for the health benefits you will
probably want to avoid Black Tea. That is not to say that Black Tea does
not have health benefits, it does, but not nearly at the level of
White, Yellow, and Green Tea. If you are caffeine sensitive this is also
a tea you will want to avoid, along with Oolong and Pu-Erh.
Pu-Erh Tea
Pu-Erh Tea is probably the most unique of the Camellia Sinensis teas.
Pu-Erh Tea comes in two forms: Raw and Ripe. Raw Pu-Erh Tea is
technically a Green Tea as it does not undergo an oxidative process.
However, it is in the fermentation process that Pu-Erh becomes unique.
For Ripe Pu-Erh, after the first oxidative process that Oolong and Black
Tea go through, Pu-Erh Tea is put through a fermentation process. Raw
Pu-Erh skips the oxidation step and goes straight to fermentation.
During this process organisms grow in the tea (fermentation) and
free-radical oxidation occurs. This step can last from several months to
many years; some even reach ages of 20 or more years! This can be
likened to a hard, aged cheese, such as Parmesan. Think of Ricotta
cheese being the White, Green, or Yellow Tea, Havarti the Oolong,
Cheddar the Black, and Parmesan the Pu-Erh.
Pu-Erh
Tea has grown in popularity over the last couple of years but is still
the least consumed among the varieties. While Pu-Erh has undergone
extensive fermentation and oxidation, losing a number of the benefits of
pure Green Tea, the fermentation process creates many beneficial
enzymes that have their own unique health attributes.
About us: The Emperor's Tea is an online and retail premium tea purveyor and owned by Eternal City Industries, Inc. Visit us online at www.theemperorstea.com or come and see us at TEAramisu by The Emperor's Tea located at 929 East 4500 South Salt Lake City, Utah.
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