Types of Tea
For all the types of tea we can choose from, there are generally five basic groups: white, green, oolong, black tea/red tea, and Pu-erh. These teas come from the tea plant Camellia sinensis, native to Southeast Asia. In fact, sinensis means Chinese in Latin, and China along with India are the biggest producers of tea in the world. Of course, we also enjoy many types of tea from other countries such as Japan, India, Taiwan, and Sri Lanka to mention a few.
Blended teas are a mixture of these teas and are the ones you'll most often find in tea bags. Other brews called "teas" are actually harvested from plants other than the Camellia sinensis such as herbs, flowers or fruit and might be called a tisane or herbal tea. All types of tea go through a period of harvesting (oxidation or fermentation) and processing, and the amount of time for this harvesting basically determines whether you'll get white, green, oolong, or black tea. No matter the type, tea has been a popular brew for centuries, due in large part to the promise of health benefits. Many believe that tea can combat heart disease, lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, protect your skin, and strengthen your bones and teeth. Since ancient times the Chinese used tea as a medicinal tool to treat everything from headaches to depression. Let's take a closer look at these types of tea...
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White Tea Think of white tea as the youngest of all types of tea. The newest buds and leaves are used to make this delicate brew. They are steamed or fired immediately in order to prevent oxidation. This technique lets more catechins, or anti-oxidents found in the buds and leaves, to be preserved. Hence, many believe that white tea health benefits are greater than those of other teas. Most white tea comes from China which offers several grades. The grades are determined by a combination of the buds and/or leaves selected as well as the time they are picked. Other varieties include Ceylon White Tea, a more expensive Sri Lanka tea with a golden liquor (brewed tea liquid) and hints of pine and honey. Tea from India is mostly black but they also produce a Darjeeling White Tea, golden with a mellow, slightly sweet taste. Because of it's delicate nature and taste, more leaves may be needed when brewing a cup of this exceptional tea. Green Tea Another tea highly praised for its health benefits, green tea has long been popular in Japan and China. The difference between white tea and green tea is that green tea has gone through a minimum amount of oxidation. It is then heated either by steaming (a traditional Japanese method) or pan fried (a traditional Chinese method). Both China and Japan have many types and qualities of green tea. From China we can find one of the most famous teas, Longjing Tea, from the Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Of very high quality, this tea is processed primarily by hand and is expensive. It has a gentle, sweet, rich flavor and is said to contain powerful anti-oxidents. Another popular Chinese green tea is Gunpowder Tea. These green tea leaves are rolled into pellets or balls and open as they are steeped. The best Japanese green teas come from the Uji region of Kyoto. Some of these teas are Gyokuro (jewel dew), a sweet tea and the highest grade tea in Japan; Sencha (broiled tea), the most common Japanese green tea; and Matcha (rubbed tea), used in tea ceremonies.
Oolong Tea Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea. It's oxidation process falls between that for green tea and black tea and takes two to three days. Oolong teas should have a strong brew yet a touch of sweet, floral aftertaste. The most famous and expensive Chinese Oolong teas come from the Wu-Yi Mountain area of the Fujian Province. It is there you will find four different kinds of bushes which are the source of Oolong - Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe), Shui Jin Gui (Water Turtle), Tieluohan (Iron Warrior Monk), and Bai Ji Guan (White Cockscomb). There are other varieties of Oolong and it is quite common in Chinese restaurants. Countries such as Taiwan and India produce varieties of Oolong as well, with Taiwan producing one of the world's best Oolongs - Formosa Oolong (Taiwan was formerly known as Formosa). With this Oolong you'll enjoy a pale yellow liquor with a taste of peach. Black Tea/Red Tea These tea leaves oxidize completely which means it could take from two weeks to one month to process. Because of this, the taste of black tea is generally stronger and will contain more caffeine than other types. Of all types of tea, black tea is the one Westerners typically drink. There are many grades of black tea dependent on the way it's produced, where it comes from, the year it was produced, and on and on. Have you heard of Orange Pekoe before? You may believe that it is a type of black tea, however it is a classification of black tea. The Chinese word for "pekoe" means white flower and refers to flower bud content in the tea. How the newest flower bud and possibly one or two of the youngest leaves are used produce different grades of tea. As for the "orange" there is no orange in the tea. The term likely came about due to the orange-yellow color of the dried tea buds. Check out the Orange Pekoe classification system for use in identifying tea quality. Something of interest is the literal translation of the Chinese word for black tea which means red tea. Yet many who refer to red tea might be talking about rooibos tea, a popular tisane harvested from a plant in South Africa and naturally caffeine-free. India is well known for its black teas. Two excellent teas from India are Assam Tea and Darjeeling Tea. One important factor in determining the quality of tea from India is the size of the leaf used. These teas can be made from the smallest broken leaf parts all the way to the whole leaves. Tea processed from the largest whole leaves are the rarest and of the highest quality.Pu-erh Pu-erh tea is from China and goes through extended oxidation and processing where it is formed into bricks or discs. Looking at the various types of tea, it doesn't appear to take long to process them but the aging of Pu-erh can range from one to four years! And, requires hours to steep or boil! In China this tea is known as a medicinal tea. Many studies have been done to determine its health benefits. Some of these studies have supported claims that Pu-erh tea can reduce cholesterol levels and lower saturated fats in the body, as well as assist in weight loss.
These are the five main groups of traditional types of tea. And what a range of brews! From the delicate fragrant flavor of white tea to the full-bodied flavor of black tea, you simply can't go wrong in finding one to satisfy your mood.
 Try Tea of the Month Club at Golden Moon Tea.
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