Tea Guardian's FAQ for tea
Tea Guardian's forum
Tea Guardian's directory for tea businesses, schools, exhibitions, websites, producers, etc…
White Teas: Health & Buying tips
 |
 |
Two teas from exactly the same cultivar, but are different in nature; only one is a white tea. They have the same name too: Silver Needles. Left: A baked green tea; right: a white tea. Read more » |
|
| origin | production | tasting notes | health notes | Buying tips | tea list |
Health notes
Some findings have stated that white teas are more potent than green teas for anti-mutagenic, anti-oxidative (1) and even anti-fat-accumulative effects (2), triggering a wave of white tea products ranging from tea bags to skin lotions. Although white teas are prized for their higher salutary contents, the reader has to be aware that modern Silver Needles are a lot lighter oxidized than they used to be. They are a lot colder in TCM than the more oxidized White Peony varieties. It is advisable that an infusion of Silver Needles should be drank hot for effects of riding of unwanted body heat (TCM term) and toxins, and to take in its unique combintaion of flavonoids and theobromine (the same stimulating substance as in chocolate).Warm or room temperature liquor should not be drank by the weak or on the verge of colds or flus, to avoid possible “dampness” (TCM term) that would attract ailments.
The more fermented (or oxidized) white teas, ie White Peony varieties, are friendlier choices for most health types. However, it is still advisable to drink it hot for both taste and health. White Peonies are also ideal dinner table teas, but it is advisable to use the Zhenghe variety which is darker and warmer by TCM term, thus more suitable for weaker stomachs during eating. As a beverage throughout the day, the Fuding variety helps rid excessive body “heat toxins” a lot more effectively.
| go to tea health chapter | top |
Buying tips
In addition to traditionally made ones, there are also machine processed white teas for the mass market.
The old Pekoe Tea, also called Small Pekoe (Xiao Bai Hao), is now being imitated through this machine method, because of popular market demand for White tea for its health benefits mentioned in recent findings. It is now produced in various plantations outside of the origin and outside of China, with different tea plant cultivars. Only that it is being marketed in the West as an expensive tea. It usually appears in pyramid tea bags or the likes, or as an “organic” product in the health food section.
They are withered in a conveyer belt setup or in chutes with more heat, quick and light rolling of the leaves (thereby slight breakup of the cell walls for quicker “fermentation”, as in black teas, only much lighter) and also a piling step for fermentation. It tastes like a cross between traditional white teas, black tea and green tea. Some are even basically green teas.
In China, a mass market variety is made from the leaves of the same cultivars as those for traditional quality ones. This machine made version is referred to as “New Technique White Tea” and is labeled as “Sau Mei” (Translation: Longevity God’s Eyebrows. The same name was first used in one traditional white tea). A low grade of this is used popularly in the dim sum restaurant.
Another thing to watch for is the deceptive look. The distinguished appearance of White teas is often imitated. Some producers would give up the proper White tea process, which is tedious and demanding, and go for a much quicker green tea process. The tea is baked after a very brief withering (like in green tea), and then dried. Because of a simpler process and no fermentation, the white is whiter and the green is greener in the resultant teas. The nicer colours give a better visual impression. Consequently, the imitations command even a higher price than genuine products.
Some of these, especially the green tea versions of “Silver Needles”, are scented with jasmine for even easier marketing. Green teas taken to imitate white teas have neither the distinctive slight “fermented” taste nor the characteristic “hay” smell. Their chemical composition is that of green teas and not that of white ones. (more about tea health)
| origin | production | tasting notes | tea list | top |
footnotes
1. There are a few such studies, one being by G Santana-Riosa et al, Potent antimutagenic activity of white tea in comparison with green tea in the Salmonella assay, Mutation Research, 495, 2001
2. J Söhle et al, White Tea Extract Induces Lipolytic Activity and Inhibits Adipogenesis in Human Subcutaneous (Pre)-Adipocytes, Nutrition & Metabolism May 2009, doi:10.1186/1743-7075-6-20
Site map | Terms of use | Advertising | Tea Business Directory | "Dialogues" | FAQ | Contact
TeaGuardian.com (Tea Guardian) is a self-financed, independent reference guide created with the initiative to promote the better understanding of tea, the daily beverage that so many have come to misunderstand. By sharing with the readers unbiased and in-depth information, we aim at empowering them with the ability to find and enjoy better quality tea for taste and for health. A lot of the information included can be helpful to people of the tea trade and the academics.
While we gladly receive any forms of support, including advertisements and other sponsorships, no such actions will in anyway affect our editorial direction or its independence.
This website is designed for smooth, non-obstructive reading. It is therefore recommended that it be viewed using modern browsers such as Opera, FireFox, Chrome or Safari. If you need to use IE, please update it to the latest version.
All writings about health are interpretation of personal experiences and readings. They reflect the understanding of the related topics by the respective writer and do not constitute any professional medical advise. For details, please refer to the Terms of Use page in the "about" button of the vertical menu bar.
Copyrights © 2010~2013 Leo Kwan. All text, photos, designs, drawings, voice and video recordings in this site, unless otherwise stated, are created by Leo Kwan, who holds all related intellectual property rights. For citation, quotation or other usage please refer to the Terms of Use page.
