Utah Tea Enthusiasts Educational Feature

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):

1. White
2. Green
3. Yellow
4. Oolong
5. Black
6. 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:

1. Plucking
2. Sorting
3. Cleaning
4. 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)
5. Rolling, specific to each type of tea
6. Final firing or drying
7. Sorting
8. 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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