What You Should Know About White Tea

White tea has long been used in China, dating back to at least the Ming Dynasty.  But it has only been in the last few years that Westerners have discovered the intoxicating taste.  But what is white tea, and how is it different than any other tea? 

White tea is from the Camilla Sinensis plant, which is the same plant which produces black, green, and oolong tea.  These are considered the only true teas.  Black tea involves a long, complex form of fermentation which gives it its black color.  Oolong tea involves less fermentation.  Green tea does not involve fermentation at all, but it is from a more mature plant.  White tea does not have any fermentation, but it is from an immature tea plant.  The buds are picked very early in the early spring, with the best white teas coming from only the buds, which were picked within a two day period.  In less expensive white teas, some leaves may be included with the buds.  The white tea gets its name from these buds.  They are covered in a fine hair that turns white when they are dried. 

Many people have heard of the antioxidant benefits of green tea.  But the health benefits are even bigger with white tea.  They contain a huge amount of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants.  Drinking tea has been shown to have some kind of effect in lowering the risk of heart disease, strokes, blood vessel dilation, osteoporosis, and even cancer, although more testing is needed before doctors can recommend this as a treatment.

Anyone who has had white tea can tell you that it has a sweet flavor.  This does not come from sweetener, but from the natural flavor of the tea.  Because the buds have the least processing, they are thought to have the strongest concentration of flavonoids.  It is not unusual for Westerners to drink white tea without any sweetener having been added.