We’ve all heard of green, black and white teas, but it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to tour the Salada Tea factory last week that I really understood the difference. Did you know that all of these teas come from the same Camellia Sinensisplant? What makes them different is when and how the tea leaves are processed after they are harvested.Green tea is made of tea leaves which are steamed or baked immediately after harvesting. This keeps the leaves from oxidizing and gives the tea a lighter, more herbaceous taste.To make black tea, the harvested leaves are spread out to “wither” for many hours, then rolled to start the oxidation/fermentation process and finally heated in an oven to stop the process. It is through this process that the leaves turn from green to black and the tea takes on its signature strong and robust flavor.
Finally, white tea consists of very young tea leaves, harvested while they are in their earliest bud stage and still covered with white and silky hairs – hence the name. White tea is known as the lightest of the teas and its flavor is delicate and slightly fruity.
Although the process to create these teas only varies slightly, each type has a unique and wonderful flavor. If you haven’t had the opportunity, I suggest giving each of these types of tea a try – and Salada has them all! Perhaps brew up a batch of each and have a taste test with your family! It could be a fun and delicious way to decide which Salada Tea to incorporate into your healthy lifestyle.
And remember, a few small steps can lead to big changes.
Article first appeared in unbottleyourtea.com/tara.
