Fight Aging With White Tea
Whether a tea leaf winds up in a cup of green, black, or oolong tea depends entirely on what happens after it is plucked. Black tea derives its dark color and full flavor from a complex fermentation process that includes exposing crushed tea leaves to the air for a strictly defined number of minutes. Tea leaves meant for more mellow tasting green tea are not fermented at all, but merely withered in hot air and quickly steamed or pan-fried. A gentle rolling and final heating stabilizes the tea’s natural flavors. Oolong teas fall somewhere in the middle: partial fermentation gives them a distinct reddish color and a “flowery” flavor.
So, where does white tea fit into the picture? White tea is made from immature tea leaves that are picked shortly before the buds have fully opened. The tea takes its name from the silver fuzz that still covers the buds, which turns white when the tea is dried. The exact proportion of buds to leaves varies depending on the variety of white tea.
White tea is a specialty of the Chinese province Fujian. The leaves come from a number of varieties of tea cultivars. The most popular are Da Bai (Large White), Xiao Bai (Small White), Narcissus and Chaicha bushes. According to the different standards of picking and selection, white teas can be classified into a number of grades, further described in the varieties section.
Using white tea for relaxation has long traditions throughout the Oriental culture and throughout the world. White tea, like all other forms of tea, has a stress reducing effect on the body; the entire process of boiling the water and steeping your tea leaves to actually sitting comfortably and sipping a hot cup of white tea is very calming for the soul. What many people do not realize is that the calming effects of white tea are not merely in the mind.
White tea leaf has been the luxury drink of Chinese aristocrats for centuries, at one point being only consumed by the Chinese emperor himself. Held in high regard for its smooth, mild flavor as well as its high antioxidant content, white tea benefits surpass many of its cousins, such as green tea and black tea.
White tea is produced in a different way to all other teas. The leaves come from special varietal bushes and are not processed but are dried in the sun. Only special leaves are selected, the ideal is two leaves wrapped around a new shoot. After drying the leaves are again selected and sorted by hand.
White tea leaf is especially potent in that it is has three times as many antioxidant polyphenols as green or black tea and has been shown to be 100% more effective in mopping up free radicals that cause skin to sag. Some of the worlds top cosmetic companies are becoming very interested in white tea for skin creams and the result is that high grade white tea is becoming even more rare than before.
I remember what a revelation it was to discover, many years ago, that green olives and black olives come from the same plant; the difference is that green olives are harvested (and cured) before they ripen, whereas black olives are left on the tree longer. Later, I learned that black pepper comes from the same plant as white pepper; in the latter case, the dark outer hull of the peppercorn is removed. Still later, and even more surprising, was the discovery that black tea, green tea, and even oolong tea (in all their many varieties) come from a single plant, a shrub known as Camellia sinensis. These teas vary not only in color but in chemical composition everything from the taste to the nutritional properties is extremely different from one type to another. The latest rage in designer tea, white tea, once again comes from the same plant. But it’s still full of surprises.
*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. White tea is not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medication or adding Vitamins to medications.
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