White tea belongs to the group of extremely rare teas and it got its name after its white leaves. White tea is grown in China, in Fujian province. The best time for harvest is early spring and the leaves are picked by hand. For the best quality white tea, the leaves are picked before they’re fully matured and shortly before the buds are fully open. White tea leaves are processed differently than other teas; the leaves are not dried, they are steamed and they are fermented only by 2%.
Throughout history, white tea was reserved only for the upper class, but after tea spread to every part of the world, it became more common. White tea is first mentioned during the Tang dynasty in China (618 – 907) and it was said to be very expensive and not many people could drink it. Song dynasty (960 – 1279) made white tea very popular and it was their favorite choice. The first mention of white tea in England was in 1876. At that time, there were only two types of tea in England, black and green, and they put white tea in the category of black tea. Nowadays, white tea is becoming more and more popular and that’s due to its excellent taste, numerous health benefits and affordable prices.
The color of white tea is very pale, it’s rich in antioxidants, even more than green tea, it has less caffeine and a discrete taste. Silver needle is one of the most famous white teas and it’s of the highest quality, although there are other varieties like Pai mu tan, Shou Mei, Gong Mei.
White tea is known as the elixir of youth as it promotes longevity and beauty. It is also extremely beneficial for your health. That is not surprising because it comes from the same plant (Camellia sinensis) as black tea and green tea for example, but white tea leaves are not treated and processed as much which means they contain more nutrients and healthy substances and less caffeine. All of that makes it one of the best, strongest and most healthy teas in the world.
Health Benefits of White Tea
White tea works really well in preventing cancerous cells. At Oregon Institute, it was proven that consuming white tea can help protect against colon cancer. White tea can also lower the risk of other types of cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.
White tea helps the body to fight against viruses and bacteria because it’s rich in antioxidants. Studies have shown that it can even relieve the symptoms of HIV.
Another benefit of white tea is that it minimizes the exhaustion of elastin and collagen and in that way it helps to slow down the aging process. It has an overall beneficial effect on the body’s immune system and it keeps the body healthy and strong. White tea reduces stress which also helps to make the body stronger and less susceptible to different ailments.
If you are having problems with your teeth, white tea can be beneficial for oral health; it helps prevent bleeding gums and plaque which is very important for your teeth.
White tea is extremely beneficial for weight loss. If you want to lose weight, make sure to drink white tea regularly and add it to your diet. It helps to speed up the metabolism which prevents storing fat in your body and in that way aids you in losing the weight. But keep in mind that white tea is not a replacement for a normal meal, you should definitely not starve yourself because that actually has the opposite effect in losing weight and it’s not healthy. You should drink white tea in addition to a healthy meal.
White tea also helps to lower down high blood pressure and betters the function of arteries and that helps to maintain a normal blood pressure. High blood pressure is very common but there are many dangers related to it. Regulating your blood pressure with white tea can significantly lower the possibility of a stroke.
You should drink up to 3 cups of white tea daily for to obtain all of its health benefits. It is also great to drink white tea before bedtime because it calms you down and relaxes your body which is very important. However, if you suffer from high blood pressure, you should stick to 3 cups of white tea at different times of the day to keep your blood pressure at a normal level. You can buy high quality organic white tea here.
