White tea, pure antioxidant power
June 7, 2007 by Carolin
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Pure, natural and unprocessed. White tea contains 3 times more antioxidants than its popular cousin green tea. Read on to learn about the delicate white tea.
Black, green, white and oolong tea all comes from the same source: the Camilla Sinensis tea bush. The difference depends entirely on what happens after it is plucked.
White tea is made from immature tea leaves that are picked shortly before the buds have fully opened. The tea takes its name from the silver fuzz that still covers the buds, which turns white when the tea is dried. The exact proportion of buds to leaves varies depending on the variety of white tea. For example, White Peony contains one bud for every two leaves, while Silver Needles, the creme de la creme of white teas, is made entirely from downy buds picked within a two day period in early spring.
Tea leaves destined to be sold as white tea undergo even less processing than green tea leaves. Instead of air-drying, the leaves are merely steamed. The result is a pale tea with a sweet, silky flavor. People who have tried both note that white tea lacks the “grassy” aftertaste so often associated with green tea.
Studies indicate that white tea is even better for you than green tea. Leaving tea leaves so close to their natural state means that white tea contains three times more of the powerful antioxidant polyphenol, than green tea. This has made white tea a popular anti aging product.
White tea is also said to be antiviral and antibacterial.
It’s fluoride rich which helps prevent dental plaque.
How to brew white tea
Don’t use boiling water as it will damage the delicate leaves. A temperature around 170 - 185 degrees Fahrenheit (76 to 85 degrees Celsius) is best.
Use 2 teaspoons of white tea leaves for every cup of water and brew for about 5-8 minutes.
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