Everything You Need to Know About White Tea

White tea is among the most unique of all tea varieties globally because it undergoes very little tea leaf processing. Brewing white tea is a delicate procedure developed over years of practice that you can learn more about.

What is considered white tea? White tea gets its "white" tea label from the young buds it is harvested from. The tea leaves have white fine hair-like strings. White tea’s young tea leaves come from the Camellia Sinensis plant that is harvested for just a few weeks each spring in India and China.

Read on to learn the ins and outs of white tea.

What is White Tea?

The real question is what is the difference between white tea and other blends of tea? The answer is there’s not much difference. All known teas, including black tea and green teas, also come from the Camellia Sinensis, the evergreen bush mentioned above that has its origins in China.

What is Considered White Tea?

White tea is labeled white for its new, young tea leaves and buds that have white hairs on the tea plant when the leaves are open all the way.  

What is White Tea Good For?

White tea is an excellent premium tea made from new growth buds. White tea holds high concentrations of catechins that are present in fresh tea leaves. 

What is Another Name for White Tea?

White tea is also labeled as Silvery Tip Pekoe style tea in some regions. Simpler names on some packages also label white tea as Fujian White or China White tea. 

Where is White Tea Produced?

The highest quality white tea comes from Fujian Province, China and in India. Throughout several centuries, Chinese dynasties and empires have tried and tested the art of brewing tea until they gave the world the wonder of white tea.

How Much Caffeine in White Tea?

The purest form of white tea contains at least 39 grams of caffeine. The amount of caffeine, though, varies by the manufacturer. This amount of caffeine makes this tea variety the most caffeinated of all teas in dry leaf form. However, the accurate test of caffeine content comes down to the brewing process. The longer you brew any caffeinated beverage, the higher the amount of caffeine you release.

The amount of caffeine also depends on the heat applied to the beverage and the steeping time.

What Does White Tea Taste Like?

White tea is a very light tea with a delicate flavor that leans towards sweetness. The tea often has hints of florals and lemon. As a result, you can drink this tea all day long with little to no additives.

The light flavor also makes it easy to have different blends for different tastes. It is important to note that you stand to gain more benefits from brewed tea without sugar. Sugar may inhibit the antioxidant properties of tea.

Furthermore, the light flavor is a result of zero fermentation of the young buds of the tea. The buds are often plucked with care and sun-dried slightly to prevent them from full fermentation before storage.

The harvesting period is labor-intensive and a time-conscious period because these young buds are only available within the three weeks of the harvest period. Therefore, the harvest happens once a year during spring.

Is White Tea Healthier Than Green Tea?

White tea has a higher number of flavonoids, or antioxidants, than green tea, which may be enough for some people to choose white tea over green tea if antioxidant levels are important to them.

Find out the qualities that make green tea good for you. 

What Makes White Tea Different?

While white tea and black tea are made by infusing the same tea leaves, the production process is what makes all the difference. White tea is less processed while black tea leaves have a longer oxidation process.

How to Make White Tea

If you are a beginner in the prestigious lover of tea community, you will soon find out that white tea will be your prized possession. White tea rarity and the expenses of harvesting and drying, makes this variety of tea harder to come by.

The small white hairs on young buds and flowers ought to be retained long after drying. These processes require an immense amount of patience from farmers and laborers. After all, there is no machine to pick tea. It is a process of handpicking the best quality.

Follow these directions to make a delicious cup of white tea:

Heat Water to the Desired Temperature

Allow your fresh cold water to come to a boil. Let the water cool 1 minute.

Additionally, stay away from tap water that is not neutral or water sourced from wells or city copper pipes. If you use this water, you will alter the taste of your tea. Ideally, use spring water or thoroughly filtered water.

How Long to Steep White Tea?

Steeping refers to pouring water over your tea bag. In most cases, the stronger you want your tea, the longer it should steep. We recommend pouring your hot water over your white tea bag and steeping for 1-2 minutes. Set aside time to relax when brewing white tea and enjoy the process.

When Should You Drink White Tea? 

The best time to drink white tea for many people is in the morning. White tea is also a tasty treat after meals. Monitor your caffeine levels though if caffeine causes you trouble sleeping in the evenings. 

What Are the Benefits of White Tea?

All tea varieties possess flavonoids, or antioxidants, that are important to your overall health .You may be wondering whether white tea is much healthier than the others. Due to the delicate processing, white tea retains most of its antioxidant properties.

Flavonoids, also known as antioxidants, can help boost your body’s immune system. There are several positive effects of antioxidants on parts of the body that include:

• Cardiovascular
• Metabolic
• Neuroprotective

White tea is undoubtedly the most prestigious and valuable of all tea varieties. However, its value derives from the cost of harvesting and processing.

Where to Buy White Tea

Salada offers a great cup of tea with the finest ingredients from people that care about the taste and quality of the tea you drink. A fine example of this is that Salada has a patent for the heat-sealed paper fiber tea bag!

Salada Pure White Tea- 40 ct is harvested in the misty cloudy mountains of China and provides a delicious subtle and mellow white tea taste sensation. Come savor Salada White Tea and take a look at all of the Salada teas available for you to purchase today!