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Tag: white tea

  • Different Varieties of Tea

    Different Varieties of Tea

    Tea is a form of drink that is enjoyed by people in so many countries. Its popularity has been increased a lot in these years. People love to have a few sips of this amazing drink when they are tired and want to have some freshness. There are many different kinds of tea available in the market like Black Tea, Red Tea, Green Tea and many more. Even though they offer different benefits and have different features they all are originated from the similar plant-‘Camellia sinensis’. It has been found out that tea also provides so many benefits to the health and keeps the body fit and fine.  Among the various kinds of tea that we have, some are listed below along with their features and advantages.

     

    Green Tea:

    green-tea

    This particular kind of tea is quite prevalent in the regions of Asia and is enjoyed by the people a lot. China and Japan are the chief producers of green tea. It comes in the marketplace with so many essences and tastes. It includes various vitamins beneficial for the health. It’s a sweet smelling and delightful beverage that is relished by the people from all over the world. It is very helpful in burning fat, reducing the danger of strokes and neurological sickness and improving the level of cholesterol. So green tea is a good blend of taste and health benefits. Further if you want to lose weight this is the tea which you need to start drinking.

     

    Black Tea:

    Black-Tea

    It has been widespread in the marketplaces of Europe and US. ‘Chai’- a very much liked drink all over the world is made from black tea. In India Darjeeling and Assam are the biggest producers of black tea. It is gaining popularity and love for its deep and intense flavors. From children to adults, it is appreciated and liked by all. The greatest amount of caffeine is found out in black tea. It is too beneficial for reducing the amount of strokes and offers a great amount of protection to the lungs too.

     

    White Tea:

    white-tea

    As the name suggests it is the cleanest type of tea, it is the purest of all the kinds. It is processed in a slightest amount as compared to other kinds of tea and this kind of tea is produced in the rarest amount. The drinks formed from white tea possess a bright color and taste. It has become so prevalent and common recently. It is quite similar to green tea except its light color and flowery taste. The sprouts of the plants are included in the white tea which gives a way to floral taste. It possesses strong and powerful anticancer characteristics. Antioxidant as well as detoxifying advantages is delivered by white tea.

     

    Oolong Tea:

    Oolong tea

    It is quite popular among the people as the Chinese drink as it basically comes from China. It is dissimilar from the others of its kind. It has very intense and powerful flavor in addition with sugary and sweet smelling fragrance. Oolong tea is a kind of semi fermented tea. It is extensively utilized by the in people as it offers great amount of digestive advantages. It is moreover famous as ‘Wu long’ tea with deep essence and delightful smell. It is also considered as a supplement for the loss in the weight.

     

    Red tea:

    red_tea

    It is another tea which comes with purity as the additives are not included in it. It is known for its clean and genuine form with no preservatives.  The amount of caffeine is quite low in it. This drink is quite suitable for the people having hectic and occupied routine life. All over the day, it can be consumed numerous times. It acts as eminent drink to quench the thirst. Apart from using it in the various drinks it is also utilized in baking as well as cooking. This tea has a gentle and relaxing effect and is sweeter as compared to usual tea.

     

    Herbal Tea:

    herbal tea

    It is also known as ‘tisane’ and it usually does not include any caffeine in it. Apart from using it as a drink it is also utilized for various medical advantages offered by it. It is an easy and efficient tea that is available to the people at a very low cost.  It is very enjoyable and pleasurable in flavor and provides so many advantages of the herbs.  Similar to other drinks, it can be served up as hot and cold both.  So it is a very pleasant beverage to enjoy along with its medicinal advantages. Herbal tea is highly preferred in most parts of the world.

    So as you can see there are so many kinds of tea which are available now days. Every tea has its own advantages and flavors. Drinking tea is the part of the daily routine and it leaves behind a very soothing and relaxing effect which is required in such as busy routine. In the market you are provided with a great deal of different kinds of tea. So you certainly have many options to select from and enjoy the benefits of that particular type of tea.

  • Bring Out the Teapots!

    Bring Out the Teapots!

    Every time I come home to Assam for the holidays, I notice just how much the Assamese people love their tea. It is that first warm sip in the morning that gets them going for the day – and not without reason. Regarded for thousands of years in the East as a key to good health, happiness, and wisdom, tea has finally caught the attention of researchers in the West, who are discovering the many health benefits of this potent elixir. But before you start chugging, making sure that your “tea” is actually tea. “Tea”, in layman’s language, is the name given to a number of brews. But “real” tea, according to experts, includes only four varieties – green, black, white, and oolong – all derived from Camellia sinensis, a shrub native to China and India. Anything else, like herbal “tea” for instance, is an infusion of a different plant and isn’t technically tea.

    Katherine Tallmadge, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, says, “There doesn’t seem to be a downside to tea. I think it’s a great alternative to coffee drinking. First, tea has less caffeine. It’s pretty well established that the compounds in tea – their flavonoids – are good for the heart and may reduce cancer.” Indeed, teas have been studied to be chock full of the powerful antioxidants called flavonoids, the most potent of which (known as ECGC) may help prevent cancer, heart disease, and clogged arteries.

    Experts suggest that to maximise the benefits of tea and minimize the calorie and sugar content, it is best to brew your own rather than buy it bottled. Here are a few simple recipes to help you get started on that journey down tea lane.


    Green Ginger Tea

    Green tea

    Green tea is a wonderful beverage. But if you’re not familiar with a few basic techniques, you can wind up with a tea that’s grassy, bitter, or just too strong. Don’t worry, though – with patience and practice, you’ll perfect your own recipe. Here’s a simple one for you to try out.

    Ingredients:

    (Makes one cup)

    • 1 tsp. (or 5 g) green tea leaves
    • Ginger or dry ginger powder
    • 1 cup water

    Directions:

    • Place the green tea leaves and the ginger (or ginger powder) in a tea strainer or sieve.
    • Fill a non-reactive pot or pan (glass or stainless steel) with water. Heat it to about 180°F. You can either use a candy thermometer to watch the temperature or simply keep an eye on the water to make sure it doesn’t boil.
    • Place the filled tea strainer or sieve into an empty mug or cup.
    • Pour the heated water into the mug, over the tea leaves.
    • Steep the tea leaves for 2 – 3 minutes but not any longer, or else your tea will become slightly bitter.
    • Remove the tea strainer from the mug.
    • Let your tea cool down for a few moments and enjoy your perfect cup of green tea.

     Lemon Black Tea:

    Lemon Black tea

    Here’s a blend for those of you who love a lemony flavour. You will notice that unlike the almost overpowering sourness of the commercial lemon teas, this brew has a subtler, more restrained in its lemony taste. But it’s still got the tang!

    Ingredients:

    (Makes 1 cup)

    • 1 tsp. black tea leaves
    • ½ tsp. dried lemon peel
    • ½ tsp. coriander seed
    • 1 cup water

    Directions:

    • Heat water to about 180°F.
    • Add the black tea leaves, dried lemon peel, and coriander seeds.
    • Steep for about 10 minutes.
    • Strain out your tea; discard residue.
    • Let cool for a few moments before serving.

    White Tea

    white tea

    Containing up to three times as many antioxidants as green tea, this least-processed tea is arguably the healthiest of all teas. It has a mild and sweet flavor that is velvet-like in smoothness, and has none of the grass-like flavors some green teas can produce. The best white teas come in loose-leaf form. Like green tea, white tea is best brewed with pure water that is very hot, but not boiling. Follow the steps below to make sure your white tea retains all its fine qualities while brewing.

    Ingredients:

    (Makes 1 cup)

    • 2 tsp. white tea leaves
    • Pure water

    Directions:

    • Bring water to a boil and remove from heat.
    • Warm your spotlessly clean teacup with hot water. Pour away the water.
    • Add the white tea leaves
    • Fill the cup with pure water. Cover and steep tea for about 5 minutes. For stronger flavor, steep for a few minutes longer. Re-steep the leaves once or twice to extract all the nutrients.
    • Serve as it is, unadulterated. Pouring milk or sugar will drown out the already subtle flavour of the tea.

    Traditional Oolong Tea

    Oolong Tea

    Preparing Oolong tea correctly is an art. While the ritual can be very detailed and complicated, here is a simplified recipe for your daily cup.

    Ingredients:

    • Good quality oolong tea from a company you trust
    • Water Boiler
    • Teapot with a built-in strainer
    • Ceramic drinking cups

    Directions:

    • Bring water to rolling boil, then rinse and warm up the tea set.
    • Add oolong tea leaves to the teapot. Tea leaves take approximately 5 percent of space in the teapot.
    • Pour rolling boiled water (212°F) into the teapot.
    • Use the cover to push away the white floating bubbles.
    • Cover the teapot and steep for a couple of minutes. Pour the tea into the cups.
    • The last few drops are the richest in flavor. They should be carefully and evenly distributed across all cups.
    • This tea is as much enjoyed for its aroma as its taste. Remember to smell before you sip.

    Now that you have the recipes down, go brew yourself a cuppa. Sip your way to health!