Tea 101
Tea 101
Tea is one of the oldest herbal remedies in existence, dating back more than 4700 years when infusions of the plant Camellia Sinensis were first brewed in China. Although modern medicine has diminished tea’s credibility as a cure-all solution, the benefits of tea still remain relevant today.
DEFINING TEA
THE FABULOUS FIVE
What makes these five types of teas distinct from one another? The preparation and maturity of tea leaves determine both the flavor and the nutritional content of each beverage. The leaves used to make black tea are both wilted and fully oxidized, meaning that they are dried and modified through prolonged exposure to air. Green tea goes through the wilting process, but not oxidization, while oolong tea leaves are wilted and oxidized, but not to the prolonged extent of black tea leaves. White tea is the young tea bud, and is neither wilted nor oxidized. Finally, Pu-erh tea leaves are fermented.