Tea for You and Me

by Christine Chan — April 15, 2008

Legend has it that tea was discovered in 2737 B.C. by Chinese Emperor Shen Nung when a few wild tea leaves blew into his cup. All water was boiled back then for sanitary reasons, so when the leaves hit the hot water, a pleasant fragrance emerged. The Emperor was so pleased by this lovely beverage, which was fit for a king, that he had the entire kingdom consuming it in no time.

Almost 5000 years later, the entire world is drinking tea. Americans alone consume 140 million cups of tea a day. There seems to be a tea for everybody...black tea, green tea, oolong tea, white tea, herbal tea...it can be overwhelming to find a good fit. Here is a guide to the basics of black and green tea. Thursday, I'll give you the scoop on other varieties.

All tea starts as leaves from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, but the difference occurs in the processing. As soon as tea leaves are picked, they start to wilt and oxidize in a process called fermentation. The amount of fermentation that the leaves undergo determines what kind of tea they will become.

Black tea has the strongest flavor of the teas. Its leaves are allowed to wilt and oxidize completely while they are drying. Earl Grey is one of the most famous black teas; its robust flavor comes from a blend of black tea and bergamot oil.

Green tea is only allowed to wither slightly before the oxidation is cut off by rapid heating, in the Chinese style, or by steaming, in the Japanese style. It is appreciated for its subtle flavor. Green tea contains less caffeine than black tea.

Many health studies have focused solely upon the health benefits of green tea. However, recent studies are showing that black tea may be just as good for you. My advice is to find a tea that you love, whether it be black or green, and drink up regularly.