💝Black tea is the most common type of tea accounting
for up to 85% of total tea consumption in the western world. Black tea
is fully oxidized and has a darker appearance, stronger flavour, and
higher caffeine content compared to other teas. The caffeine content in
black tea is still around half the level of coffee.
Often black teas can be consumed with sugar, milk, or lemon and
offer some of the same health benefits as other teas.
💚Green tea is 'unoxidized' tea. The leaves are heated
soon after picking in order to destroy the enzymes that cause oxidation.
This type of processing preserves a high level of antioxidants,
vitamins, and minerals accounting for the various health benefits of
green tea. The infusion is pale greenish-yellow in color and tastes
light and grassy.
It is best consumed without any additives,although some people
may prefer to add lemon or a sweetener but not milk.
💖Oolong tea is semi-oxidized, so the leaf is allowed
to sit for maybe 2-4 hours, before being heated up to halt oxidization.
The amount of oxidation affects the flavour and appearance of the tea.
Longer oxidization results in a darker oolong which is more similar in
taste to a black tea, while shorter oxidization makes it more similar in
nature to green tea. When steeped, Oolong tea produces golden or light
brown tea with a very delicate flavour resembling neither black nor
green tea.
🤍White tea is the least processed of all teas. Only
the unopened buds and young leaves covered in silver fuzz are used, and
they are merely withered and dried. White tea produces a very
light-colored infusion with a mild flavour. Its caffeine content is even
lower than that of green tea and is considered to have a very high level
of antioxidants.
White tea is best consumed without any additives at all.
💘Earl Grey is the most popular flavoured tea in
Britain. It is prepared by adding an extract of bergamot, citrus fruit
to black tea. It was created in the 1800s to mask the flavour of cheap
tea and to pass it off as expensive tea. Although many supermarket
shelves are still filled with cheaper varieties, it is now possible to
buy premium Earl Grey which has been created by infusing the finest
blend of black tea with the best Italian bergamot.