White Tea

White tea is catching up with green tea in popularity, though it’s much harder to find and more expensive.

The origin of this tea is the same as that of green, oolong and black tea. We’ve talked about oxidation and length of aging, but another difference between teas is fermentation.

Green tea is unfermented. Oolong is semi-fermented and black tea is fully fermented. Those differences are pretty clear cut and result in completely different tastes.

So where does that leave the white variety of tea? This type of tea is actually produced from tea leaves that are harvested prior to full maturation. In fact, the leaves are not completely open when they are picked. The tea is referred to as white because at the point the leaves are picked, the buds of the plant are covered with a soft white fuzz.

Very little processing is involved in making this tea since there is no fermentation whatsoever. The resulting taste is described by many to be light, sweet and delicate. White tea is typically produced in China and Japan and has the added benefit of having less caffeine than other types of tea.

White tea contains many of the same healthy antioxidants as green tea and may in fact contain even more polyphenols due to less processing. Studies have shown that the tea can fight cancer causing cells and help maintain a healthy immune system.

If you’re having trouble finding white tea, there are many online stores selling it and it is worth a splurge. If you’re looking for a change to your typical green tea, give white tea a try for a boost to your taste buds.