Everyone loves tea — the kind that you drink, of course. Tea has so many wonderful benefits that help our bodies stay nice and healthy. Every type of tea comes from the Camellia sinensis, which is an evergreen shrub that is found in East Asia. This beautiful plant can be turned into so many different types of teas once it is harvested, so let’s break down some of these teas and all of their benefits!
Black Tea
When the Camellia sinensis leaves are picked, they are left to dry and ferment and completely oxidize. Since the leaves are completely oxidized, it creates the strong, dark flavor we associate with black tea! One of the main benefits of black tea is that it helps heart health. All of the antioxidants in black tea are known to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, reduce bad LDL cholesterol and inflammation in blood vessels. Also, if you ever somehow get poison or a sexy skin rash, taking a black tea bath will ease the inflammation! Some of the most popular black teas are Earl Grey, Darjeeling, and English Breakfast, but there are so many other wonderful black teas to explore.
Green Tea
The leaves of our lovely tea plant are processed with heat when trying to make green tea. In Japan, the leaves will be steamed, whereas in China they will be processed with heat either by roasting them or pan-firing them. Similar to black tea, green tea is wonderful for lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure! Green tea also may have an impact on liver, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Its most popularized benefit is its fat burning properties — it is known to boost metabolism! Matcha is the most popular type of green tea to exist and has recently grown in popularity around the world. Matcha is slightly different from other forms of green tea, since it is turned into an ultra fine powder that we mix with water, it is the only tea where we ingest the leaves!
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is the perfect balance between black tea and green tea. This is mostly because the two techniques used to process the leaves for oolong tea combines both techniques of black and green tea. Unlike black tea and green tea, it is not fully oxidized which gives it an “in between” sort of feel to it. Most oolong teas come from Taiwan and China; however, oolong tea from Taiwan is favored. Like the other teas listed above, oolong tea helps reduce the risk of heart disease and helps boost metabolism! It also helps with tooth decay and cavity prevention due to the natural fluoride that is found in the tea leaves. One benefit to oolong tea that is not found in many other teas is that it can help reduce anxiety and increase alertness! So if you are ever a little stressed out, go get a nice cup of Baozhang, Da Hong Pao, or Jin Xuan!
White Tea
White tea is also taken from the Camellia sinensis plant, and similar to green tea, is the least processed tea you will find! The leaves and buds are harvested when they are new and young, and immediately steamed or fried once they are harvested. Since the leaves and buds are “young” when they’re harvested, it leaves us with a lighter, fruity flavor. Just like oolong tea, white tea is also wonderful for your teeth — it will fight plaque, strengthen your teeth, and make them more resistant to sugar and acids. White tea is known to also fight off some forms of cancer due to the amount of antioxidants that are found. Some white teas that you can find are Silver Needle and White Peony. (Personally, I love the Trader Joe’s Pomegranate White Tea :))
Pu-erh Tea
Last but not least, we have pu-erh tea — this is one of the least known “true teas” that exist. Pu-erh is a fermented tea, so once it is harvested it is tossed in giant woks to stop any oxidation from happening and is then left to age in an extremely humid environment. Unlike other true teas, the aging process leaves the tea with a darker and richer flavor. One of the most notable benefits of pu-erh tea is that it helps weight loss greatly. In Asia, pu-erh tea is actually marketed for weight loss, and has been found to reduce 3% of body fat. With that being said, this tea should NOT be treated like a laxative and used excessively. Pu-erh tea also has the same benefits as other teas like improving cardiovascular health, rich in antioxidants, and wonderful for bone health. Pu-erh tea “flavors” are only based on the stage of how ripened and aged it is, so you can find young raw pu-erh, aged raw pu-erh, and ripe pu-erh. This type of tea is considered earthy and woodsy, so if you want to feel like you are drinking a forest, this is perfect for you!
Tea has so many wonderful benefits to it and I have only managed to cover 5 of the teas that exist in the world! There is a large variety of teas that are available to us, each with their own special background and ways they can help our lives. So go boil some water, plop your tea bag or tea infuser into a mug of your choice, and have a nice cup of tea!
https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/december/health-benefits-of-tea
https://blog.piquetea.com/types-of-tea/
https://www.eater.com/2015/3/18/8242563/these-are-the-worlds-five-most-popular-types-of-tea
https://www.asweetpeachef.com/benefits-of-green-tea/
https://serasana.com/oolong-tea-benefits/