Tea has been known as one of the most nutritious drinks that you can have. For hundreds and even thousands of years, people have been using tea not only for health, but for ceremonies. The Japanese and Chinese regard this drink as something formal, and tea ceremonies are regarded as a proper way to welcome your guests. The health benefits of tea have been proven and some skeptics just drink it as an alternative to coffee because of the caffeine content of all teas.
There are basically three kinds of teas that we consume nowadays. Green, Oolong, White and Black teas are the most common teas you can get from any store. These teas can come from the same plant, however differences in color and effect are based on the fermentation and oxidation process they experience.
Green tea is made when the tea leaves are oxidized in a minimal manner and then left to dry in the sun. The colors can be achieved naturally and this will take more time than the regular tea making process.
Black or Red tea is oxidized more compared to the green tea. This type of teas is oxidized for more than a week and sometimes for two weeks. It produces a red color when blended with hot water, and this is why it’s sometimes called red tea.
Oolong tea is achieved when the time of oxidation is between the green and black tea. The process is not as long as the black tea but not as short as the green tea. It’s the most difficult tea to process.
White tea is the newest form of tea to hit the market. This tea is made from the fresh buds of the tea leaves.
When you talk about oxidation, the most common way of oxidizing tea is just to boil it. Leave it there for a few hours and days depending on the way you want it. If you want something stronger in terms of caffeine, you might want to have a green tea which is quite easy to create. Just boil it for a day or two and then leave it under the sun. However, the recommended way is to steam them and to keep the leaves from breaking.
The effects of these teas are also different. Black tea is known to have a higher caffeine concentration and Oolong is the most effective when you are trying to lose weight. Even if you don’t want to lose weight, tea is good for you since it will act as a cleanser and will flush all the toxins by sweat or by any other excretions you might have. It’s also a tasty drink for some and it’s even a choice for an afternoon drink in some Asian countries instead of having coffee to give them jump start for the day or the afternoon.
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