Drinking tea has played an important role in Chinese culture, tradition, and history. Chinese people consider it as one of the most precious beverages. In fact, their love for tea enables them to discover and brew different types of tea over the years. Thanks to their passion we have lots of variety to choose from. One of which is white tea–one of the most expensive varieties of Chinese tea.
What is White Tea?
White tea comes from the native bush in China called Camellia Sinensis–the same species of plant as black, green, and oolong tea. It is traditionally cultivated in the Fujian province of China. Leaves and buds are handpicked before they are fully open and still covered with fine white hairs, typically harvested in mid-March to early April. Then, these are quickly dried and not allowed to oxidize to avoid the leaves from darkening. This minimal processing and low oxidation help the tea to have a taste of delicate and fresh flavour.
5 Health Benefits of White Tea
Did you know that White Tea is considered to be the healthiest among the variety of teas because of its minimal processing? Its health benefits are enumerated below.
Promotes Healthy Skin
Regular intake promotes healthy and youthful skin mainly because it is rich in antioxidants that can fight free radicals. It can also slow down the ageing process.
Boosts Immune System
White tea is a natural immune booster because it has the ability to kill disease-causing bacteria and viruses that weaken your body.
Improves Metabolism
Another benefit of drinking white tea is its weight loss effect. A cup of white tea daily can help you burn fats faster. Since it is less processed, it contains a large number of polyphenols– micronutrients and reducing agents that block enzymes from building fat.
Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Level
White tea can help you lower your cholesterol level thanks to its flavonoids property. Flavonoids (polyphenolic molecules) help regulate cellular activity and decrease the blood pressure level that is caused by the oxidative stress on your body.
Stabilizes Blood Sugar Level
Drinking white tea on a daily basis can stabilize your blood sugar level. The antioxidants in white tea can decrease and metabolize sugar faster, thus can help you lower the blood glucose level in your body.
How to brew White Tea? Step-by-Step Guide
Brewing White Tea can be tricky. Unlike other types of teas (especially darker ones), you need to be extra careful not to ruin its subtle flavour. If you are planning to serve it at your next tea party, keep in mind the following helpful tips so that your guest can enjoy its flavour and aroma.
Step 1: Prepare the Water
The first thing you need to do is to prepare the water. White tea tastes better when you use tap, filtered, or spring water. Avoid using distilled and previously boiled water because it will taste flat. Moderately boil the water until it reaches 170°F. But if you want a little warmer, you can boil it until 185. The ideal water temperature is between 170 to 185.
Step 2: Generously Add the Tea Leaves
As a rule of thumb, you may start putting in 2 teaspoons of white tea leaves for every 6 ounces of water. But you can add more if you want to increase the flavour especially if your white tea is a combination of leaves and buds.
Step 3: Let it Steep
Once you put the leaves into the hot water, let it infuse for about 5 to 8 minutes. But remember that steeping time varies for each type of white tea. You can add 2 to 3 minutes if you want a stronger flavour.
Additional tip:
Preheat your teacups by putting in a small amount of boiling water. Then, pour it. This technique enhances the flavour because the temperature won’t change after transferring it from teapot to teacups. Also, use porcelain and glass teaware to enjoy its flavor. If you want to experience the natural taste of the finest quality of white tea, Baihao Yinzhen White Tea (Silver Needle) would be the greatest choice. Overseas customers can easily purchase through purechinesetea.com for Chinese origin’s product.
