Black Tea Health Benefits, Black Tea Types

Well, did you know that green tea as well as black, white and oolong teas are all derived from the same plant – Camellia sinensis. The only difference is the way of processing. Green tea, as opposed to black and oolong, is the one that’s processed the least – the process of oxidation is skipped here. This is the reason why it retains its green color.

Although green tea is steadily gaining up on black tea in popularity, majority of tea aficionados, particularly in the west, still prefer black over green. One of the reasons is because black tea has a stronger taste and aroma than its green counterpart. Black tea is also known to have more caffeine and generally has a longer shelf life.

Black tea is one of the most popular teas in the world. The citizens of England just adore it and use it as a main ingredient in many of their breakfast teas. Black tea comes from the same plant that green tea, white, and oolong tea come from, but it has a distinctively strong flavor and characteristically dark color. Why does it exhibit these characteristics?

First, the leaves are withered. Then, they are rolled around to release the beneficial polyphenols present in the leaves. Next, the leaves are left out in the open and exposed to heat and humidity to start the fermentation process. After full oxidation or fermentation is done, the leaves are then dried and packed.

The Chinese call it hong cha because of the color of the infused liquid and the red edges of the oxidized leaves. At one time, it is said that China black tea was considered of lesser quality and not desired by the Chinese themselves, and was therefore exported. This is probably why, to this day, black tea is what everyone outside of China thinks of when talking about tea, whereas, tea in China is understood to mean green tea. Regardless, the black teas of today have come a long way from being considered as low quality tea.

The best known and most expanded type of tea is black tea. After picking leaves, the scatter a thin layer and allowed to Vein 12 to 18 hours. Thus, soft sheets wailing when it lives cell membrane are crumbling, and juices and essential oils out of them. In the process of fermentation, under the influence of enzymes, leaves lose primary acerbity and develop the characteristic color and flavor. At the time when the aroma and taste of tea, fully developed, further fermentation stops frying ballots in large furnaces. This fermented juices full of aromas drying on the surface of leaves and remain there until they do not plunge into the cup of boiling water.

There are several different kinds of black tea available in the market today. Often, the difference lies in the names, which are usually taken from the districts in the countries where they are grown. Hence, you may have heard of Assam (India), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and Yunnan (China). Each of these black tea types possesses different characteristics, depending on the local conditions in the various regions where they are grown.