What are the differences in the varieties of tea?
Here's a quick guide to Black, Green, White, Red and Oolong Teas. One difference is the length of time the tea leaves have been fermented. Black tea has been fermented the longest, and white tea the least amount of time.
Black Tea
Black teas give you a robust cup that is especially nice in the morning as a pick me up, and is the variety we know as English Breakfast, Ceylon, Assam and Darjeeling. It is lovely with a bit of milk or served over ice with a little sweetening.
Green Tea
Green tea has a wonderful palate-cleansing flavor that is a perfect accompaniment to Asian food. It's also a wonderful ingredient for the skin. Green tea has been shown in studies to burn calories. Specifically, about 80 calories a day.
That can add up to a couple of pounds lost over the course of a month, so why not add a cup of green tea to your daily diet? Green tea is particularly delicious with Japanese and Chinese food. Its palate cleansing qualities complement these cuisines nicely.
White Tea
White tea is the least processed of teas. It has a very delicate flavor and is usually brewed with hot, not boiled water and steeped for a shorter time. White tea offers the highest amount of antioxidants of all teas. It also offers antiviral and antibiotic properties (similar to green tea but even more so).
But it does have some caffeine, so if you are avoiding caffeine, check the labels.
Rooibos
Rooibos or "red" tea, is actually not a tea at all. It is an infusion of the African red bush. Rooibos has no caffeine so it's perfect for pregnant moms and chidren.
Soothes Colic
Rooibos has a soothing effect on the central nervous system. It has been reported to aid colic and sleeplessness. In some parts of the world, Rooibos is the mom's prescription for colicky babies and kids with stomach upset. It's quite gentle on the stomach. Rooibos also has a soothing effect on the skin, relieving itching and certain skin irritations like eczema and diaper irritation.
Loose Tea is Best
Tea snobs claim that the best tea is loose, so consider buying yours from a supplier that doesn't bag their tea. Bagged tea often contains "tea dust", the lowest quality tea. High quality loose tea can actually be brewed twice, making it more economical
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