The leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant are used to make all types of true tea. Just a few examples of popular sorts of teas are black, green, white, and oolong tea, all from the same leaf. Tea producers may generate teas with distinctive flavor, color, and aroma by blending different tea types. Tea may contain varying concentrations of caffeine depending on how it is processed.
China, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Taiwan are the primary producers of tea. Darjeeling and Assam, both from India, and Ceylon from Sri Lanka are the most popular varieties of black tea. Lapsang souchong and green tea varieties are particularly popular in China, which is the world’s largest tea producer. Many kinds of tea, both Camellia sinensis and herbal infusions, are used for medicinal purposes.
Types of Tea
Before we explore the several types of tea available, it’s critical to understand the difference between “genuine teas” and “herbal teas.” The only genuine kinds of tea are black, oolong, green, and white tea. Caffeine is also found in tea. According to research, brewed white, black, and green teas have between 14 and 61 mg of caffeine per 6 oz. He is currently serving in the military. The caffeine level is increased by allowing the tea to brew for a longer period.
Tea leaves contain more caffeine than coffee beans, despite being less processed. Nonetheless, than that used to make tea, more coffee beans are utilized to brew coffee. As a result, a cup of coffee has more caffeine than black, oolong, tea, or white tea.
Herbal teas, which contain no caffeine and are not technically classified as real tea, are immensely popular. Chamomile tea, ginger tea, rooibos tea, and mint tea are just a few of the most popular herbal teas. Plant leaves, flowers, roots, or bark are immersed in hot water to produce these herbal infusions. Starting with the most popular beverage in the world, black tea, let’s look at the six primary types of tea in more detail.
Black Tea
The most widely consumed kind of tea is black tea. Apart from water, black tea is the most extensively drank beverage on the earth. Exposing the tea leaves to the air produces all types of black tea. This process, which is also known as “fermenting the leaves,” causes the leaves to oxidize and turn brown to black. Black tea has more caffeine than oolong, green, or white tea because of the brown tea leaves that are heated, dried, and crushed. A single 8-ounce bottle Caffeine amounts in a cup of black tea range from 25 to 48 milligrams.
China, India, and Sri Lanka (previously known as Ceylon) are the world’s top producers of black tea. The name usually specifies the area from which various sorts of black tea originate. The bouquet and flavor of Darjeeling tea, for example, give it a light brown color. In comparison to other Indian teas, Assam tea has a deeper color, a stronger flavor, and an aroma. To help tone down the flavor of Assam black tea, it is often served hot with milk.
Sri Lankan Ceylon tea is a medium to robust black tea variety that varies depending on the brewing method. This kind of tea has delicate citrusy flavors and is commonly used to prepare iced tea. In a variety of forms, black tea comes from China. Dianhong tea, also known as “red tea” from Yunnan province because of its powerful aroma and full-bodied flavor that is somewhat astringent, has a strong flavor and aroma.
Most individuals can choose from a variety of black teas because of the differences in flavor. Different varieties of tea with distinct tastes and scents are created by combining certain black teas. Later in the piece, you’ll learn about Earl Grey tea, Chai tea, and other blended black teas.
Pu’er Tea
Pu’er tea (also spelled pu-erh) is a kind of tea that originated in Yunnan, China, and is said to offer a range of health benefits. Raw pu’er tea and aged, or ripened, pu’er tea are the two types of pu’er tea available. Tea leaves are treated at high temperatures immediately after being harvested to create the raw variety. Enzymes in the leaves that are usually oxidized are eliminated as a result of this. Green kinds of tea are commonly drank with raw pu’er tea.
A post-fermented tea is what ripened pu’er tea is called. The sun-dried tea leaves from the Camellia sinensis assamica variety are crushed into a “cake,” which develops polyphenols with antioxidant properties. Some of the most expensive pu’er tea types are aged for up to 50 years, and the tea is aged for many years.
Pu’er tea has caffeine, as do other types of black and green tea. The aging process determines the quantity of caffeine in pu’er tea. Raw pu’er tea has a similar flavor and fragrance to green tea. Pu’er tea becomes dark red in color as it ages or ripens, much like black teas. Pu’er tea comes in leaf form, tea bags, and tiny tea cakes, which you can purchase. Aged pu’er tea is one of the world’s most costly varieties of tea.
Green Tea
Green tea is one of the most popular kinds of tea in the world, and it’s an unfermented kind. Freshly picked tea leaves are dried in the sun, in ovens, or on pans to make green tea. Steaming is used to treat certain kinds of green tea. Green tea leaves don’t oxidize because of the processing steps utilized, and they retain all of their healthy polyphenols. Tea masters roll the leaves into small balls that look like pearls as green tea dries. Green tea produced using other drying processes resembles little twigs in appearance.
Green tea contains just 25–29 mg of caffeine per cup, as compared to black tea, which contains slightly more. Tea is served in large glasses. Green tea comes in a variety of flavors and aromas and is available in a number of varieties. Sencha green tea from Japan is one of the most popular types of green tea.
Sencha tea has a flavor that is described as fruity and floral with grassy undertones by some people. The tea is generally light green in hue. Sencha tea comes in a variety of flavors, such as Fukamushi Sencha and Hachijuhachiya Sencha.
Gunpowder tea from China is one of the green teas that look like pearls. This tea has a stronger flavor than the green teas of other varieties. This tea has a powerful kick and creates a green tea with smokey, grassy notes. Longjing (Dragon Well) and Lapsang souchong green teas from China, as well as Japanese matcha tea, are some of the other types of green tea available.
Green tea is linked to cancer prevention, weight loss, and heart health improvement. It is a very healthy drink. Green tea is a excellent source of flavonoids, which may help reduce inflammation and prevent the formation of arterial plaque, according to Harvard Medical School researchers.
Matcha Tea
Due to its many health benefits, matcha tea should be included in the list of green teas. Tea producers protect the leaves from sunlight by covering the tea shrubs two weeks before the harvest to make Matcha tea. This allows for the creation of unique chemical compounds.
The bright green powder that makes up matcha tea is a one-of-a-kind product. The umami taste of this Japanese tea variety is another distinctive trait. Matcha tea has a sweet, “grassy” flavor that many individuals describe as spinach or wheat-grass, according to most Matcha tea drinkers.
Premium-grade Matcha tea is the finest variety to drink. Catechins – a kind of antioxidant present in green teas with numerous health benefits – are plentiful in this Japanese green tea variety. Matcha tea has 137 times the amount of catechins as Chinese green tea, according to research.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is a light floral-flavored semi-fermented beverage from China. Oolong tea is the most popular type of tea consumed in China, according to certain research. After being softened, the leaves are dried and rolled after they have been harvested. The oxidation process is stopped in order to preserve the tea leaf’s enzymes, unlike black tea.
Yunnan, Fujian, and Guangdong provinces in China are known for their oolong teas. Depending on the oxidation process, there are a variety of methods to make oolong tea. Caffeine level in oolong tea is comparable to that in green tea; nonetheless, some types may include more caffeine. Oolong tea has fewer catechins than green tea.
Oolong teas have floral scents and a light amber or light green color in general. Depending on the region where the tea is harvested and the manufacturing process, oolong tea comes in a variety of flavors, similar to other types of tea.
For instance, oolong tea varieties such as “Phoenix” have floral scents and flavor reminiscent of blossoming orchids. “Iron Goddess of Mercy” is one of the finest quality Chinese teas. Milk oolong tea (Jin Xuan) is a Taiwanese specialty that has a distinct buttery, milky flavor. Oolong tea has a lighter, less bitter flavor than black tea varieties and offers many of the same health benefits as green tea.
White tea
White tea is a light-colored tea with floral tastes that has undergone minimal processing. White tea of high quality is more costly than green, oolong, or black tea in general. White tea is distinct from other types of listed teas in that only young leaves are utilized and dried in the sun. White leaves may only be collected for a few days at the beginning of the harvest in early spring.
White tea retains more antioxidants than green or black teas because it involves less processing. One investigation discovered that white tea has more caffeine than traditional tea or green tea, despite the fact that it is commonly accepted that white tea has less caffeine than green. Silver Needle tea and White Peony are the two most common types of white tea. The buds of the tea plant are used to make these varieties of white tea, with the White Peony variety using young leaves as well.
When it comes to flavor and aroma, white tea is one of the mildest kinds of teas. The tea has delicate floral scents and is light yellow in color. When consumed hot, the tea has a naturally sweet flavor that is very enjoyable.
White tea has significant antioxidants that may benefit your health, as do other types of teas. White tea has been associated to lowering the risk of osteoporosis, enhancing cognitive function, and reducing the incidence of several kinds of cancer.
Types of Blended Tea
Blending a variety of black teas used in tea bags or adding natural flavors to tea to produce aromatic teas are two approaches to make blended tea. Depending on climatic conditions, the taste, flavor, aroma, and color of teas may change from harvest to harvest. The consistent quality of tea sold in tea bags is one reason for blending tea.
To create blends of tea that always taste the same as the previous batch, tea makers mix a variety of black teas. Flowers, herbs, essential oils, and other natural components are used to modify the taste of ordinary tea in another form of blended tea.
Earl Grey tea Bergamot flowers or essential oils are added to this aromatic black tea. This kind of tea is usually made from Indian Darjeeling teas. The bergamot flavors are not overpowered by the natural light flavor.
Breakfast tea a blend of teas from Ceylon, Assam, and Kenya that is a popular strong tea. Breakfast tea blends are created to be drunk in the morning, as the name suggests. Some people wake up thanks to the rich, robust flavor and caffeine content.
Chai tea It’s a popular kind of tea that incorporates spice mixtures from India, such as Assam or Darjeeling. Some spices may be found in different chai tea varieties, including cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, pepper, cloves, and star anise.
Jasmine tea Jasmine-scented tea is a common variety that has a jasmine scent. White and black teas are also utilized as the tea base, however green tea is often utilized. The fragrance and flavor of green tea are delightfully refreshing as a result of this.
Types of Herbal Tea
Herbal tea is a term that refers to caffeine-free, hot water infusions made from non-tea Camellia sinensis plant components. Herbal teas, which are sometimes served hot and don’t contain caffeine, are commonly taken for their health benefits. Here’s a list of the most common sorts of herbal teas (infusions) available:
Chamomile tea Chamomile tea is made from the leaves and/or flowers of the chamomile plant. Chamomile tea has a lovely floral fragrance and a light neutral flavor, as do all varieties of floral teas. Chamomile tea may help you relax, feel less stressed, sleep better, and digest better.
Rooibos tea (red bush tea) It is a popular caffeine-free variant of tea from South Africa and is one of the most common varieties. The natural sweetness of red bush tea is tempered by a peppery flavor. Because of the health-boosting chemicals (polyphenols) present in rooibos tea, it is very healthy.
Ginger tea Fresh ginger root is infused or ginger powder is mixed in hot water to make this kind of medicinal tea. Ginger tea is a light-yellow drink with a spicy flavor that cleanses the palate. If you have digestive issues or want to reduce inflammation, drinking ginger tea is a good idea.
Turmeric tea Anti-inflammatory teas come in a variety of flavors. By chopping or grating fresh turmeric, or by adding turmeric powder to boiling water for a few minutes, you may make turmeric tea.
Raspberry leaf tea It’s a renowned antioxidant-rich caffeine-free tea. Before eating, the leaves of the raspberry plant are steeped in hot water. Women who are pregnant or have digestive problems have been shown to benefit from raspberry leaf tea.
Peppermint tea Due to its refreshing nature, it is one of the most popular types of herbal teas. Tea bags or loose dried Peppermint leaves are widely accessible. You may juice a few leaves of peppermint and steep in boiling water to make your own tea if you cultivate it in your garden.
Cinnamon tea It’s a kind of hot drink that promotes immunity and reduces inflammation. By simmering a stick of cinnamon in a pan of water for 15 minutes, you can easily make your own herbal cinnamon tea. Once the heat is removed, allow it to infuse for 20 minutes.
Nettle tea Another form of natural leaf infusion with medicinal properties is. A light grassy flavor refreshes your taste buds, and tea made from “stinging nettle leaves” has a mild flavor.
Dandelion tea The dandelion root or leaves steeped in hot water is what this drink is called.
Moringa tea It’s a kind of moringa tea that’s created from leaves. This kind of tea is available in powdered form, and it’s easy to mix with hot water.
Licorice root tea It is a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea that is delicious. You may use fresh licorice root or purchase licorice root tea bags, powder, or both.