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Do you also love trying out new flavours of beloved tea? Then we got you an amazing surprise today.
The classic genuine teas, including green, black, and matcha, are well-known, but a fourth genuine tea has lately garnered fame and scientific recognition.
White tea originated in Asia and has only recently gained appeal in the Western world. White tea benefits various people with different issues.
10 Lesser-Known Awesome White Tea Benefits
White tea is a tea with the least processing, making it a delicate tea with many health advantages. Drinking white tea has several health advantages, including preventing dental decay, improving complexion and hair quality, and enhancing energy and attentiveness.
A cup of tea a day can help prevent the common cold and remove free radicals that cause everything from blemishes to cancer.
All About White Tea
White tea, like black, green, and oolong tea, is made from the Camellia sinensis plant. It is one of the five varieties of tea classified as genuine teas. For the manufacture of white tea, the buds are plucked before the leaves unfold. The buds are generally coated in tiny white hairs, which give the tea its name.
White tea is mostly cultivated in China’s Fujian province, although grown in India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
These leaves and buds are taken even before they fully extended when they have been coated with tiny white hairs and then air-dried, solar-dried, or mechanically dried to wither them.
Types Of White Tea
1. Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yinzhen)
This royal type is China’s and the world’s most prized. The silver needle leaves are around 30 mm long, and the buds are coated with visible silver hairs. They are cultivated in China’s Fujian Province. That’s why it is at the peak of the white tea hierarchy, rendering it the most costly type.
The light yellow colour that occurs with the optimal temperature of the water is the most distinguishing feature of the best-brewed silver needle white tea.
Under the light, the white hairs dangling from the leaves are always visible. The flavour of silver needle white tea is light, exquisite, fresh, and pleasant.
2. White Peony (Bai Mu Dan)
This variant differs somewhat from the one mentioned previously. It comprises new leaves and also the plant’s central needle sprout.
While this is commonly considered the less expensive alternative to silver needle white tea, you might be shocked to learn that white peony tea is favoured among white tea connoisseurs due to its rich flavour and reduced price.
This tea’s plucking procedure is similar to the silver needle, concentrating on the spring season without rain. The best white peony has a ratio of ‘two leaves to a bud’ and is withered to create green leaves used to brew tea.
3. Noble, Long Life Eyebrow (Shou Mei)
The final type of Chinese white tea, Shou Mei, is made from organically withered top leaves and tips of white trees.
This tea, comparable to the silver needles, is produced in China’s Fujian Province and is noted for its greenish hue and robust flavour. The poor qualities give the brew a dark golden colour and should be ignored.
4. Tribute Eyebrow (Gong Mei)
This type is typically regarded as the third most popular one among tea drinkers.
Gong Mei originates from Xiao Bai (little white) trees, which have immature, slightly bent leaves (thus the name “Eyebrows”) and no buds. This cultivar has a dark golden hue and a rich flavour that goes well with dim sum.
5. White Puerh Tea
This cultivar is harvested in the spring from the high peaks of China’s Yunnan Province. This variety’s harvesting is done entirely by hand. It has a very rich and sweet flavour and a wonderful fragrance.
6. Ceylon White
This tea is cultivated in the Sri Lankan area, and it is regarded as one of the best types, making it quite costly. It is an artisan’s work since it is cultivated and harvested by hand. The leaves are sun-dried before being delicately rolled with the palms.
The delicate and light flavour of Ceylon white or silver tips tea is noted for its pale coppery colours.
7. Darjeeling White
Like Ceylon white tea, Darjeeling white tea is a craftsman’s work cultivated in a wet climate. The leaves are very fluffy and airy, with a honey-like scent. Darjeeling white tea is lightly golden, has an exquisite flavour and aroma, and is quite delicious to our sense of taste.
8. Assam White
An uncommon Assamese cultivar with extremely light leaves that is cultivated in Assam, India. When Assam white tea is brewed, it has a sweet-tasting and malty flavour.
9. African White
This African type, cultivated in Kenya and Malawi, has a rich and unique flavour that appeals to a wide range of people. This kind has a greater caffeine concentration than other types.
Properties Of White Tea
Let’s have a look at some of the essential white tea properties:
- Epigallocatechin Gallate And Other Catechins
White tea includes a range of active catechins, including epigallocatechin gallate EGCG, which is beneficial in the battle against chronic illnesses, including cancer.
- Tannins
While the amounts of tannins in white tea are lower than in other types, they are effective in combating various ailments because of their antioxidant properties.
- Theaflavins (TFs)
These polyphenols are responsible for the tea’s bitterness and pungency. When compared to black and green teas, white tea has the smallest amount of TFs. This imparts a sweet taste to the tea.
- Thearubigins (TRs)
Thearubigins, which are moderately acidic, are mostly accountable for black tea’s pigment. When compared to black and green teas, white tea has fewer of them.
White Tea Benefits
There are numerous benefits of drinking white tea; some of the white tea benefits are:
1. Helps With Acne Treatment
If you look around, you’ll see that the vast majority of individuals have acne. Acne is not a hazardous or harmful condition, but it can cause self-esteem issues in some individuals.
White tea benefits consist of antibacterial and antioxidant effects. Antioxidants, according to most dermatologists, prevent the skin from tissue injury produced by free radicals.
Consider drinking white tea to help with acne treatment. Drink one cup of white tea twice a day regularly. White tea’s antioxidants aid in removing toxins from the body, which can negatively influence your skin and contribute to acne.
2. Can Be Drank During Pregnancy
According to a study conducted in Scotland, antioxidants in white tea protect cells from increasing oxidative damage during pregnancy; still, there are certain reservations about drinking white tea when pregnant.
White tea benefits are that it has less caffeine than other teas, except for green tea, which should be avoided during pregnancy. This is because the unborn child does not have the same ability to metabolize caffeine as the mother.
According to some studies, high caffeine use can raise the risk of birth abnormalities, miscarriages, and stillbirth.
As a result, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor.
3. Can Assist With Diabetes Treatment
It’s no surprise that at least one member of every household has diabetes. Diabetes is sadly growing increasingly frequent as people’s lifestyles change and their living habits deteriorate.
On the other hand, White tea benefits are effective in treating and even preventing diabetes in studies.
According to human trials done in a Chinese study, regular drinking of white tea can considerably improve the lives of diabetic patients by decreasing blood sugar levels.
Diabetes can have negative consequences for the cerebral cortex. According to a Portuguese study published in 2015, drinking white tea regularly is a safe and affordable way to avoid the harmful effects of diabetes on the cerebral cortex.
Another Portuguese study found that drinking white tea might be a healthy and cost-effective method to combat the negative effects of prediabetes on male reproductive health. Still, the report calls for more investigation.
White tea benefits contain catechins, which have been proven to play a significant role in treating or preventing type 2 diabetes and must be credited for the tea’s anti-diabetic effects.
4. Helps In Reducing Inflammations
Catechins play a big role here since they decrease inflammation and the risk of illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and atherosclerosis, all connected to chronic inflammation.
Catechins were discovered to reduce muscle inflammation and speed healing after a workout in Japanese research. They were also found to inhibit the effects of fibrosis-causing substances.
White tea benefits also include EGCG, which has anti-inflammatory properties. It cures illnesses like the common cold and flu and kills germs and viruses, including the influenza virus.
EGCG also helps to prevent atherosclerosis, which is caused by inflammation produced by toxins in the environment.
5. Assists With Cancer Treatment
According to a study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, white tea benefits may have anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown that white tea was more efficient than green tea at killing cancer cells.
According to another Malaysian study, the health benefits of white tea extracts offer strong antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties against cancer cells. The tea kills sick cells and shields good cells from DNA damage.
According to Oregon State University, White tea leaves are the least processed of all the types of tea. Antioxidants and polyphenols, both of which are cancer-fighting chemicals, are abundant in white tea.
Tea (particularly white tea) has also been discovered to have specific favourable impacts on the metabolism, which may help prevent some cancer-causing consequences.
White tea benefits also contain a photoprotective agent that may be used with other forms of sun protection to boost its effectiveness. White tea includes the antioxidant EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate).
The use of EGCG as a topical treatment has been shown to protect skin cells from harm. The antioxidant has also been proven to slow the progression of prostate cancer in one American research.
Catechins, a kind of antioxidant, are well-known for their cancer-fighting abilities. White tea benefits have been shown to have the greatest catechin content, making it one of the best meals for cancer prevention and therapy.
6. Makes Your Hair And Skin Better
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, white tea’s anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antioxidant properties improve connective tissue and help decrease allergies like dermatitis and eczema.
White tea benefits have antioxidant properties that can also aid in the treatment of hair-related issues such as hair loss. White tea includes EGCG, as we’ve previously seen. Human hair growth can be aided by EGCG, according to Korean research.
EGCG has also been shown to help hair cells survive in research conducted in the United States. The antioxidant was recognized as one of the helpful components in treating scalp seborrheic dermatitis in a study done at Konkuk University in Korea.
EGCG was shown to effectively treat skin infections caused by gram-negative bacteria (bacteria resistant to numerous medicines).
EGCG 1is also known as the “fountain of youth” for skin cells since it has been shown to help with psoriasis, wrinkles, rosacea, and wounds.
White tea’s high phenol content improves elastin and collagen (two essential connective tissue components), making the skin stronger and reducing wrinkles.
7. Improves Heart Health
White tea benefits the heart in many ways. In research done in Greece, white tea benefits were revealed to have antioxidant properties on the heart.
Adriamycin, an anticancer drug that can induce oxidative stress in cells, was used in Spanish research. White tea use for more than a year was shown to repair the oxidative harm inflicted on cardiac cells.
The heart had regained its antioxidant function, but only after receiving the maximum dose of white tea.
When compared to other varieties of tea, white tea benefits were determined to have the highest antioxidants2.
The catechins in white tea have been proven to lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and enhance blood vessel function, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Tea catechins were also discovered to have a protective effect against coronary heart disease in American research.
8. Beneficial For Oral Health
White tea benefits are high in fluorides, flavonoids, and tannins, which may help teeth in different ways. According to research done in India, fluoride in tea may aid in the prevention of dental cavities.
Tannins stop plaque from forming, and flavonoids prevent plaque bacteria 3from growing. Another thing to remember is that white tea extract does contain tannins, although only in trace amounts.
As a result, it is less prone to stain your teeth than other teas (except for green and herbal teas).
Consumption of white tea has also been shown to deactivate viruses and kill germs that cause tooth decay.
According to the findings, white tea extracts were added to a range of toothpaste, and the antibacterial and antiviral properties of the toothpaste were improved.
9. Beneficial For Kidneys
White tea drinking was associated with a reduction in the negative consequences of environmental pollution on the human body, particularly the kidneys, according to a Polish study published in 2015.
Another research done in Chandigarh, India, discovered that catechins found in white tea may help kidneys from failing due to their antioxidant action.
10. Improves liver health
Catechins have been discovered to protect against hepatitis.
White Tea benefits have catechins which were shown to prevent hepatitis B infection in one Chinese research. According to an American study, catechins have antiviral properties that can help inhibit the hepatitis B virus’s life cycle.
Excessive catechin consumption, on the other hand, is harmful to the liver. As a result, before drinking white tea for the liver, take caution or visit your doctor.
How To Make White Tea?
Making your fresh cup of tea provides you with all white tea benefits, and it also provides a sense of accomplishment that cannot be matched.
Let’s have a look at how to make this cup of perfection in the comfort of our own home.
What We Require:
2 tsp tea leaves (white)
1 cup water
Stevia of choice (optional)
What We Should Do:
Bring the water to a boil until it reaches 75-85 degrees Celsius4 (170-185 degrees Fahrenheit).
Leave it for a minute before adding loose-leaf tea.
When compared to other tea types, white tea leaves are less compact and thick. As a result, add two teaspoons of white tea leaves to the water for a cup of tea.
Allow the mixture to steep for five to eight minutes or longer, depending on your liking.
Pour the tea into a cup after straining it.
Your cup of white tea is ready when you add the sweetener!
White tea consumption is like one of those delicate flavour meals that may dramatically enhance your life over time, with less caffeine in them. Make it a habit to incorporate it into your diet and remain healthy!
Green Tea vs. White Tea
Naturally, learning about another type of tea leads to a discussion about which is better.
Green tea is undoubtedly the most popular tea for various reasons, but white tea might easily overtake it if it weren’t for its price. So, let’s evaluate them to see what we can learn.
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Antioxidants
White tea offers comparable antioxidants as green tea, but the amount and quality are far higher, making it the healthiest option.
We all know that antioxidants protect us from various illnesses, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, excessive cholesterol levels, and cancer-related dangers. They can also assist with weight loss.
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Caffeine
Another advantage of white tea is that it contains just 15 mg of caffeine compared to 20 mg of green tea. If you’re searching for a normal beverage with less caffeine, white tea is a good choice.
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Taste
We’re all aware of how bitter green tea can be. However, let’s be honest: not everyone can drink a cup of green tea without adding sugar! If only it weren’t so expensive and difficult to come by! White tea is the victor in this area since its flavour is smooth, mild, and somewhat sweeter.
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Availability
In this category, green tea is the clear winner! While excellent-grade green tea may be found at any time without costing a fortune, obtaining flawless white tea is like obtaining water in the desert.
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Antimicrobial
It may come as a surprise, but numerous studies have found that white tea is more effective than green tea at fighting viruses, germs, and fungus-like salmonella and staphylococcus.
As a result, we may infer that white tea is superior to green tea in many ways, but only when pure white tea is available. Keep an eye out for duplicates and impure items.
Read more about the differences between green tea and white tea.
Side Effects Of White Tea
Even though white tea is typically safe due to its low caffeine content and high nutritional content, white tea could nevertheless offer certain dangers to consumers. The following are a few of the linked risks:
- Although we know that caffeine in white tea is very modest, it is still present. Furthermore, as compared to white tea obtained from older leaves, white tea derived from young leaves is known to have more caffeine. Caffeine 5levels in green tea might sometimes exceed those in black tea.
- Caffeine can create various lifestyle and health problems, such as sleeplessness, anxiety, restlessness, dizziness, and other central nervous system consequences. When consumed in high doses, white tea extracts might cause gastrointestinal problems, so be cautious.
- White tea contains flavonoids that bind non-haem iron, preventing it from being absorbed in the body by up to 70%. To avoid this problem, you may be advised to drink this tea before meals and at the same time as taking your iron supplements.
Conclusion
White tea is high in antioxidants, making it a very healthy beverage. Studies have shown white tea and its components have been linked to several outstanding health advantages, including a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.
However, due to its lack of popularity, the white tea plant and other teas, such as green tea, have not been explored.
More human research on white tea benefits would be beneficial. Overall, white tea is a healthy addition to your diet that is also simple to make. It has a delicate yet refreshing flavour and may be consumed hot or cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is white tea good for?
White tea has the highest antioxidant content of all real teas since it has undergone the least processing. White tea contains catechins, which may help reduce blood pressure, boost circulation, and decrease the likelihood of cardiovascular or heart diseases.
2. Does white tea reduce belly fat?
White tea aids in the breakdown of fat and restricts the growth of new fat cells. White tea can also increase your metabolism by 4%, leading to an additional 70–100 calories burned each day.
3. What is white tea made from?
The minimally processed and most delicately flavoured tea is white tea, which is made from the Camellia sinensis.
Read more from us here.
Also read: What Essential Oil Kill Toenail Fungus?
- Almatroodi, Saleh A., et al. “Potential therapeutic targets of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the most abundant catechin in green tea, and its role in the therapy of various types of cancer.” Molecules 25.14 (2020): 3146. ↩︎
- Gulcin, İlhami. “Antioxidants and antioxidant methods: An updated overview.” Archives of toxicology 94.3 (2020): 651-715. ↩︎
- Kawasaki, Machiko, et al. “Oral infectious bacteria in dental plaque and saliva as risk factors in patients with esophageal cancer.” Cancer 127.4 (2021): 512-519. ↩︎
- Thrän, Daniela, Göran Berndes, and Annette Cowie. “Roles of bioenergy in energy system pathways towards a” well-below-2-degrees-Celsius (WB2)” world.” (2020). ↩︎
- Rodak, Kamil, Izabela Kokot, and Ewa Maria Kratz. “Caffeine as a factor influencing the functioning of the human body—friend or foe?.” Nutrients 13.9 (2021): 3088. ↩︎
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
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