The Difference between White Tea and Black Tea

Teas are becoming more and more prominent and as they gain popularity, different types of teas are popping up that we have never heard of before. Now we are not talking about tea brands, but actual tea leaves. The days of only having Tetley black tea as your choice are long gone as you not only now have black, green and white tea, but also variations on all of them.

Black tea is what most people are accustomed to. This is a much stronger flavored tea and the easiest to preserve over time as it is not as delicate as white tea. This is probably the primary reason that most establishments will use it. It is often very cheap and usually available in many brands in very large quantities.

While both black and white tea are made from the same plant, the similarities stop there. As we said, black tea is much stronger, which of course means that white teas tend to be very delicate in taste. If you have never had one, you are in for a pleasant surprise. They get this delicate taste because they are removed very early from the plant itself and do not have the time to completely oxidize like the black tea does. Because of this, it is very important that your tea is stored properly or you risk it losing its flavor.

The color of white tea is also dramatically different from that of black tea. Black tea is not actually black, but a deep orange in color. White tea is also not its namesake white, but a light golden color that is very delicate. For this reason, people who drink white tea will often prefer to drink it from a tea glass so then can enjoy not only the flavor of the tea, but the color as well.

One last feature that makes white tea very attractive is that it is like green tea in the fact that it is rich in antioxidants. Because black tea is allowed to fully oxidize, it does not hold this benefit. For those that do not enjoy the taste of green tea but want its benefits, this makes a great alternative.

As you can see, there are many differences from white tea to black tea. The flavors are more complex yet delicate at the same time. While you will see fruits like oranges in some the flavored teas, white teas tend to go more towards pear and peaches. When you want to try something different and unique, give white tea a try.

brewed on Sep 24th, 2009

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