Steeped in Confusion

Thursday, January 29th, 2004

Steeped in Confusion discusses the evidence (or lack of it) for tea’s health benefits. It also explains the differences between black, green, and white teas — which all come from the same plant:

Real tea, and the type researchers are focusing on, comes from the Camellia sinensis, a white-flowered evergreen shrub. But the shade of the tea depends on the picking and processing of the leaves and buds and their contact with oxygen.

Black teas such as darjeeling and ceylon result when the leaves are fully fermented, while oolong comes from partially fermenting leaves. Green tea results from withering, and then heating, dried leaves at a very high temperature, while white tea arises when the plant’s silver-haired buds are plucked by hand in late March before blooming, air-dried and steamed.

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