Types Of Tea

The binomial scientific name of the tea plant is Camellia sinensis, which is Latin for Chinese Camellia. Though tea is grown in countries all over the world, its origin is commonly attributed to China. Two primary varieties are used in tea production: C. sinensis sinensis, or small-leaved China plant, and C. sinensis assamica, or large-leaved Assam plant (Assam is a province in northeastern India).

There are four types of teas most commonly made from the leaves of the tea plant:

• White Tea

White tea is traditionally made from unopened, new growth buds on the tea plant. The “whiteness” is due to the lower levels of chlorophyll in immature leaves and the silver-white hairs that cover the buds.

White tea has less caffeine than other teas. White tea has a higher concentration of catechins and is thus stronger in its antioxidant properties than other teas.

White tea is primarily a Chinese tea, though it’s beginning to receive more attention elsewhere. Chinese white teas are often paired with our tea sets as an introduction to more premium teas.

• Green tea

Green tea is the least processed of the four main tea types. Its use is so commonplace in Japan that it is simply referred to there as tea or Japanese tea.

Green tea leaves are dried via rolling, steaming and/or pan firing. This is done immediately after the leaves are harvested to prevent oxidation/fermentation. This lack of fermentation is what gives green teas their distinctive “grass-like” flavor.

Green tea’s popularity in Japan makes it an ideal complement to the gift of a Japanese tea set .

• Black tea

Black teas are the most consumed teas worldwide. They are made from tea leaves that are allowed to oxidize and darken. This process gives black tea a stronger flavor and higher caffeine levels than other teas.

Some of the most popular black teas include Darjeeling tea and Earl Grey tea.

• Oolong tea

Oolong teas are semi-oxidized teas. Less grassy in taste than green tea, oolong tea offers a strong, nuanced taste with a pleasant aftertaste. This rich and complicated flavor is obtained by using fresh shoots with one new bud and three leaves and halting fermentation between 10% and 70% oxidation. Oolong teas are often served with dim sum.

With authentic tea sets and classic and exotic teas, MangoGifts.com is your doorway into the rich history and flavor of tea.