Let's Get get familiar with the different types of tea

All types of tea are made from a plant called Camellia sinensis. However, based on the type of tea leaves harvested and the degree of oxidation or processing, tea is classified into five main types, including black, green, oolong, white and puerh. Unlike most Western countries that are more accustomed to drinking coffee, Eastern countries and the British prefer tea.

Discovering which of the different types of tea is your favorite can be a delicious journey in itself. From black tea to light and fruity white teas, there are so many varieties of this soothing drink that it's not impossible to find one that suits your taste. Here we will introduce different types of tea and provide brief explanations about each of them.

black tea

Black tea is the most common type of tea, accounting for 85% of the total tea consumption in the world. Black tea is fully oxidized and compared to other teas, it has a darker color, stronger flavor and higher caffeine content. The amount of caffeine in black tea is half of the caffeine in coffee. Black tea can often be taken with sugar, milk, or lemon, and has some of the same health benefits as other types of tea. Some studies have shown that black tea can reduce the risk of stroke and regulate cholesterol and blood pressure.

Green tea

Green tea is unoxidized tea. After picking the green tea, the leaves are immediately heated to destroy the enzymes that cause tea oxidation. This preserves a large amount of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that are among the various benefits of green tea. Green tea is yellowish green in color and has a mild herbal taste. It is better to consume this type of tea without any additives, however, some people prefer to drink green tea with lemon or sweetener. Increasing metabolism, lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart failure are among the features of green tea consumption.

White tea

White tea is less processed than other teas. This tea is produced by drying unopened buds and young leaves of the tea plant. White tea has a mild taste and its caffeine content is even lower than green tea. Antioxidants in white tea are very high and no additives are added to it.

Oolong tea

Oolong tea is semi-oxidized, so the leaves are left for 2-3 hours before heating to prevent oxidation. The degree of oxidation affects the taste and appearance of tea. Longer oxidation results in darker oolong tea, making it taste closer to black tea. While the shorter oxidation makes this substance more similar in nature to green tea. Oolong tea is golden brown or light brown in color and its mild taste is not similar to black and green tea. Some studies show that oolong tea can help reduce the risk of diabetes. In addition, this type of tea has a wide range of antioxidants.

Puerh tea

Puerh tea is another type of tea that comes from the Yunnan province of China and is known for its earthy taste. This tea is made from wild tea trees instead of tea bushes. During a process, the raw leaves of this plant are compressed and then stored through microbial fermentation. Depending on the amount of oxidation allowed in the process, puerhmi tea can resemble black or green tea. Pu-erh tea can help digestion and also has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce joint pain. In addition, Pu-erh tea can help with mental alertness.

Earl Gray tea is the most popular type of tea among the English. This tea is prepared by adding bergamot extract to black tea. Earl Gray was first produced in the 1800s to remove the flavor of cheap teas and market it as an expensive tea. Although many supermarket shelves are full of cheap varieties of this tea, today you can buy a premium Earl Gray that is made by combining black tea with the best Italian bergamot.

jasmine tea

Jasmine tea is accompanied by the aroma of jasmine flowers. This type of tea is the most popular aromatic tea in China and is usually prepared with green tea, but white, oolong and black teas are also used to prepare it. The method of infusing the aroma of jasmine flowers into tea is very laborious and takes several days. Tea and jasmine flowers are stored in a special room with controlled humidity. This is done at night, because jasmine flowers bloom at night. This process is repeated over several nights to transfer the desired amount of aroma to the tea.

masala tea

Masala tea is a black tea mixed with traditional Indian spices such as cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and ginger. This tea is usually prepared with boiling water, milk, tea and spices and sugar is used to sweeten it. Masala tea is the most popular way of drinking tea in India. However, this has not always been the case. When tea was first cultivated in India, it was not a popular drink among the locals. Hence, some Indian vendors added tea to a local drink called "kadha", which consisted of water and milk boiled with spices.

fruit tea

Fruit teas are prepared from unprocessed and natural fruits. Fruit teas are naturally sweet and have no added sweetness. These types of teas are very rich in antioxidants and vitamin C and there is no caffeine in them, this feature makes them an ideal and relaxing drink before bed. Also, these teas can be used to prepare iced tea or iced tea to become a healthy alternative to carbonated drinks and even some fruit juices.

herbal tea

In addition to the wonderful aroma and natural beauty of many flowers, herbal teas have healing and soothing properties. One of the most common herbal teas made from flowers is chamomile tea, which is produced from chamomile flowers and acts as an effective antioxidant. Unlike coffee and teas such as green and black tea, teas do not contain caffeine. The amount of antioxidants and minerals in these teas depends on the herbs you choose. Among the types of herbal teas, we can mention thyme tea, patchouli tea, chamomile tea.