 What is White Tea? Prized by connoisseurs as the ultimate of extremely fine teas. It consists of only the youngest, most delicate spring buds which are still covered with fine whitish hairs picked just before the leaves unfurl. They are immediately enveloped in a light steam to stop the fermentation process. A very rare tea, produced only in China, its pale yellow color produces a very mellow, slightly sweet taste with the subtlety of spring frost. Very low in caffeine. What is Green Tea? Varietals grown specifically destined to become green teas are processed with varying rounds of steaming, rolling and panfiring to preserve their natural "green" flavors. Renowned for their health benefits, green teas are favored as the traditional afternoon tea served in porcelain "China," or as a wonderful accompaniment to evening meals. Naturally low in caffeine, with a light yellowish green to a dark green liquor, the flavors tend toward clean and refreshing. What is Oolong Tea? Picked at the critical moment when the leaves reach their peak; the processing begins with a withering ritual involving exposure to direct sunlight and repeated shakings in bamboo baskets to bruise the leaves until the leaf edges become reddish and the veins translucent. This oxidation produces an orchid-like fragrance and a flavor more full-bodied than a less processed green tea but not as robust as a black tea--a perfect center for experiencing the best of both worlds. What is Black Tea? The most commonly served tea in the world, most familiarly in the form of an Earl Grey or English Breakfast. The variations are numerous and the quality range is vast. The finest Black teas are full-leaf varietals that undergo laborious processing; hand-rolling against bamboo trays as many as 300 to 400 times in order to achieve the right amount of oxidation. With their extensive processing and longer fermentation, Black teas are far different chemically than Whites, Greens or Oolongs. Hence, their flavors as well as health benefits, are dramatically unique. What are Tonic Herbal Teas? Tonic Herbals are different than ordinary herbal teas. Tonic Herbalism (a 5,000 year old tradition) calls for an "Emperor" herb to anchor and set the direction of the formula (to calm, to cleanse, to energize, etc.). "Support" herbs are added to enhance the benefits of the Emperor. Based on the notion of balance, (Yin and Yang), "Assistant" herbs make the formula whole and complete. The net effect, resulting from the cumulative wisdom of thousands of years of inspiration and refinement, is a synergized blend of exotically delicious and healthful herbal beverages formulated to enrich, inspire and delight the mind, body and soul. Good vs. Bad quality tea: How can I tell the difference? In a nutshell, loose, whole-leaf teas are best. They are the higher grade teas. By their nature, they retain more of their full flavor range and health enhancing properties. The subtle aromatics, the volatile oils, are best retained in whole-leaf teas. Whole-leaf is the baseline for measuring the quality of tea. From there, go by your own tastes. Refining your eye, nose and palate is a life-long pursuit. Self-education is most rewarding. Be conscious when you enjoy tea. You'll get the most value from the experience and you'll elevate your senses to new heights. You'll be more discerning and knowledgeable and soon you'll have a following and a syndicated talk show. Whole-leaf teas are to tea lovers what whole-leaf, hand-made cigars are to cigar lovers and what single malt scotches are to scotch drinkers. Tea bags vs. Loose Tea: What's the difference? Look past the tea bag selection. Flow-through was not a break-through. DOA tea dust, bits and pieces are what are found in tea bags. They infuse very quickly but after that, they offer at best, a simple palate of obvious flavors what's left of them. Stick to loose, whole-leaf tea. For convenience, you can always pre-bag your favorite whole-leaf tea. We have nothing against bags themselves. But if you bag your own, use as large a bag as possible for proper diffusion. Click on "Preparing an elixr Tea" above for full details. Tea vs. Herbal tea: What's the difference? Tea (whites, greens, oolongs, blacks) all come from the same camillia sinensis plant. Tonic Herbals are described above. Herbal teas can be just about anything, botanical or not, that responds to hot water. The term tea, though technically only referes to the camillia sinensis variety, has devolved by common usage to mean just about anything that, again, responds to hot water. How much caffeine is there in tea? Tea contains varying amounts of caffeine, depending primarily on the type. In order, from less to most, are whites, greens, oolongs, and blacks. Green tea has about 8-36 mg of caffeine per cup, black has 25-110 mg per cup. Coffee, for example has 60-180 mg per cup. How about decaffeinated tea? Tea is available in decaffeinated form. Depending upon how it is decaffeinated, it can be good or bad. Keeping our high quality standard in place, none that have been offered to us have made the cut. Therefore, we stick to the old monks- who- meditate- AND- drink- tea- before- bedtime method. It's worked fine for them for the last few millenia, so here it is. Drink green tea at night, not black (don't push your luck). Leaves in the pitcher, pour a little bit of hot water, enough to float the leaves. Swish, swish, swish the leaves around and around. After 30 seconds pour out the water. Along with the water, you'll lose up to 80% of the caffeine in the leaves. After that, enjoy as usual! Amazing guys, those monks, no? Which tea, green or black, is best for your health? According to Lester Mitscher, professor medicinal chemistry at the University of Kansas, green tea contains especially high quantities of what he has identified as the most powerful of common antioxidants. These substances neutralize the body's free radicals-- metabolic by-products that, left on the loose, can damage our DNA, causing cellular mutation and degenerative illnesses. The substance in question --epigallocathechin gallate-- has been found only in the tea plant. Mitscher says it's more than a hundred times as effective at soaking up free radicals as vitamin C and twenty-five times more powerful than vitamin E. We at elixr, recommend keeping a thermos of green tea at your desk along with a nice- to- the- touch, hand crafted ceramic cup in front of you all day. Hold it, sip it, enjoy it throughout the day. Not only will you be more in command of your space, you will be more alert, less driven by hunger cravings, less likely to die of cancer, arteriosclerosis, obesity, or a host of other nasty things, and you'll be more focused and centered than anyone else around. |
