Tea is an aromatic beverage commonly prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of the Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub native to East Asia. After water, it is the most widely consumed drink in the world. There are many different types of tea; some, like Darjeeling and Chinese greens, have a cooling, slightly bitter, and astringent flavour, while others have vastly different profiles that include sweet, nutty, floral, or grassy notes. Tea has a stimulating effect in humans primarily by its caffeine content.
The tea plant Camellia sinensis originated in the region encompassing today's Northeast India, north Myanmar, Southwest China and Tibet, where it was used as a medicinal drink by various ethnic groups in the region. An early credible record of tea drinking dates to the 3rd century AD, in a medical text written by Hua Tuo. It was popularised as a recreational drink during the Chinese Tang dynasty, and tea drinking spread to other East Asian countries. Portuguese priests and merchants introduced it to Europe during the 16th century. During the 17th century, drinking tea became fashionable among the English, who started to plant tea on a large scale in India.
The term herbal tea refers to drinks not made from Camellia sinensis: infusions of fruit, leaves, or other parts of the plant, such as steeps of rosehip, chamomile, or rooibos. These may be called tisanes or herbal infusions to prevent confusion with "tea" made from the tea plant.
Black tea , or red tea in China, is one of the most popular tea flavors and is fully oxidized. The leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant are withered, rolled, oxidized / fermented, and dried or fired to produce a strong, full-bodied flavor. Assam, Darjeeling, Nilgiri, and Sri Lanka are a few well-known black tea producing regions, and the flavor will vary based on the region and type of black tea.
Flavor Profile of Black Tea: malty, full-bodied, strong
Popular Varieties of Black Tea: Assam tea, Darjeeling tea, Earl Grey tea, and English Breakfast tea
Green tea is the most popular tea globally, is unoxidized, and has less caffeine than black tea. Camellia sinensis leaves are picked, dried, and heat-treated to prevent oxidation. Chinese people often pan-fire leaves, which creates a duller green color, while Japanese people will typically steam them and achieve a brighter green shade.
Flavor Profile of Green Tea: Â vegetal/grassy, earthy, bright
Popular Varieties of Green Tea: Matcha, Sencha, Gunpowder Green tea, Dragonwell (Longjing) green tea
White Tea Made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant in only the Fujian province, white tea varieties are the least processed of all teas. The leaves are simply left to wither and dry on their own, which gives them a very delicate, naturally sweet, and well-rounded flavor. It has very little caffeine.
Flavor Profile of White Tea:Â floral, delicate, fruity
Popular Varieties of White Tea: Silver Needle (Baihao Yinzhen) and White Peony (Bai Mudan)
Herbal tea doesn't come from tea leaves like other varieties. It's made from dried herbs, fruits, and flowers, which can create a wide range of delicate flavors. These tea types are caffeine free, making them ideal for customers with dietary restrictions. Common ingredients for herbal infusions include chamomile, ginger, lemongrass, peppermint, rosehips, hibiscus, and dried fruits.
Flavor Profile of Herbal Tea::Â delicate, fruity/herbaceous, sweet
Popular Varieties of Herbal Tea:Â hibiscus, chamomile, peppermint, Yerba Mate
Rooibos tea, or African Red Tea, is an herbal tea that comes from the South African Red Bush, and the leaves are ground and bruised before they're fermented and dried. Green rooibos tea doesn't go through an oxidation / fermentation process and has a lighter flavor.
Flavor Profile of Rooibos tea:Â sweet, smooth, earthy
Popular Varieties of Rooibos Tea:Â red rooibos and green rooibos
Oolong, or wulong, tea is semi-oxidized and picked later in the season than green tea. The leaves come from the Camellia sinensis plant but are bruised by being tossed or shaken in baskets, which changes the oxidation process. They're heat-treated to stop the oxidation, which can vary based on region and create different flavors.
Flavor Profile of Oolong tea:Â ranges from light and fragrant to dark and full-bodied depending on the oxidation level
Popular Varieties of Oolong Tea:Â Ti Kuan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy) and Dan Cong (Phoenix Tea)
coded by Sophia Laux