White Tea Could Be the New Green Tea
Michalis 'BIG Mike' Kotzakolios


Defined Tag: White Tea.

Not long ago, green tea absolutely exploded in popularity in the United States. People tasted it for the first time, loved it, and wanted both hot and cold versions. Today, things are slightly different. People are now demanding white tea increasingly. In fact, it is catching up with green tea rapidly, but it is still considerably harder to find and more expensive, too.

So what is the difference between white and green tea? Are the plants used to brew it different? Surprisingly, no. Both teas are brewed from the same plant: Camellia Sinensis. The only real difference between green tea and white tea is the fermentation (or oxidization process). White tea is not fermented at all. It is picked and immediately processed. In contrast, green tea is allowed to ferment for a period of one to two days to change the flavor. Wulong and black teas are both allowed to ferment for a considerably longer period of time.

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 white colored soft 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. The tea is typically produced in China and Japan and has the added benefit of having less caffeine than other types of tea.

Now, immediately, you might say that this could be an excellent alternative to normal green tea. And you are right. White tea is similar to green tea, but lighter. People usually drink it in the afternoon. It contains many of the same healthy antioxidants as green tea and in fact it could contain even more polyphenols due to the lesser amount of processing. Studies have shown that the tea can fight cancer causing cells and help maintain a healthy immune system. The only downside appears to be the scarcity and higher cost. Of course there are many outlets for the tea on the internet and it is worth a splurge to try something a bit different for many.