White Tea – Have You Tried It Yet?

Green tea, black tea and now white tea; the choice of teas nowadays is wide ranging and tea lovers are spoilt for choice. White tea, though, is the least processed and contains a higher level of antioxidants, making it perhaps the most beneficial tea to our health.

Where is white tea grown?

White tea is primarily harvested in China, and mainly in the Fujian province, but it is now also being produced in Taiwan, India, Eastern Nepal and Sri Lanka.

What exactly is white tea?

The fine hairs on the unopened buds gave the tea it’s ‘white’ name, as they are a pale silver in colour and give the tea plant a white appearance.

To make the tea, shortly before the buds of the tea plant have completely opened, the buds and immature tea leaves are picked and left to wither and dry out naturally in the sun.

Because white tea endures the least processing, it contains even more health benefits than black or green tea, and is arguably the healthiest tea available on the planet!

What are some of the health benefits of white tea?

White tea has been proven to contain antioxidants and anti-aging properties that can help us all to maintain good overall health and skin, protect us from harmful UV rays, and with its antibacterial properties, protect us from infections, too.

It can also decrease the symptoms experienced by diabetic people, lower cholesterol levels, protect our hearts and give us stronger bones.

As white tea contains less caffeine than other types of tea – and significantly less than coffee – it’s a great choice for those seeking to reduce their caffeine intake, too.

What do the different varieties of white tea look and taste like?

There are four main varieties of white tea:

• Silver Needle perhaps the most popular of the white teas, silver needle is made of the very best white buds and has a delicate, light and ever so slightly sweet taste.
  

• Long Life Eyebrow this type of tea is made from the leftover leaves after the Silver Needle and White Peony have been harvested, making it rank lower in the quality standings. It is darker in appearance and much richer in flavour
  

• Tribute Eyebrow similar in its ranking, taste and colouring, to Long Life Eyebrow tea, tribute eyebrow is made from a certain type of tea bush and is processed differently to other white teas
  

• White peonythis tea tends to have a stronger flavour and is darker in colour, than Silver Needle, but is of a similar quality. It consists of buds and leaves, both of which are covered in silvery white hair.
  

So why not start reaping the health benefits of this delicious tea, and buy yourself some today? Try brewing it in your favourite teapot, and find out which type of tea best suits your palate.