White tea is not a cheap drink. To produce it, you need buds and young leaves of tea bushes of only certain varieties. They grow only in China in very small quantities. Previously, this drink could only be consumed by members of the imperial family and senior persons as a sign of great mercy from the ruler. For ordinary people, white tea has long been unavailable at all.
Material Content:
White tea: what is it, chemical composition and calorie content
The value of the drink is that it is impossible to grow raw materials for it in other countries. Now there are white tea plantations only in Fujian province in China in the mountains at an altitude of 1000 m above sea level. Attempts to grow tea in the highlands of other countries each time failed: the raw materials collected were several orders of magnitude inferior to the original. Despite this, in some areas of India and Sri Lanka, bushes of these varieties still continue to grow, but Chinese tea is still out of competition.
The collection of white tea is a painstaking work, as it is necessary to tear off only the top leaves and buds. Use of any equipment is prohibited, the collection is done only manually. Workers are forbidden to eat products with a strong smell and smoke, so that tea leaves do not incorporate extraneous aromas.
There are many useful substances in white tea:
- B vitamins;
- vitamin C;
- amino acids;
- tannins;
- essential oils;
- a large number of micro and macro elements.
Calorie content is very low - only 3-4 kcal per 100 g of product. The amount of caffeine is minimal, for this reason it does not have an exciting effect on the nervous system.
The taste is refreshing and light, with clearly visible floral notes, it does not leave behind a heavy finish.
Health Benefits of White Tea
You can talk about the benefits of the drink for a long time. Many people know how useful green tea is, but white significantly exceeds it in many ways. In the process of tea production, heat treatment is not allowed, therefore, all valuable substances are not lost, but remain in full force. Freshly picked raw materials are only kept for a couple of minutes and then naturally dried in the sun. The leaves do not wrinkle, and do not twist, this avoids the bitter taste in the finished drink. The remaining subtleties of production are kept secret and are not disclosed.
The list of useful properties of the drink is quite extensive.
It positively affects the whole body:
- helps in the fight against excess weight;
- prevents the development of atherosclerosis;
- improves complexion;
- relieves fatigue;
- calms the nervous system, neutralizes the harmful effects of stress;
- strengthens the immune system;
- enhances blood coagulation;
- beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels;
- removes toxins and toxins;
- neutralizes the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation;
- strengthens the walls of blood vessels, preventing varicose veins;
- inhibits the development of cancer cells.
It is not in vain that the Chinese call this drink the elixir of youth and immortality - its regular use helps maintain good spirits and healthy body even in old years.
The drink is very good in the heat, it perfectly refreshes and quenches thirst. It is advisable to drink it between meals without seizing anything. Cakes, rolls and sweets are best left as additives to other drinks. White tea does not tolerate any additions.
What is useful for women
The drink will be especially useful for women who want to lose weight. It activates metabolic processes, which entails the rapid burning of internal fat. It helps to lose weight without much effort, without changing the diet and just consuming several cups per day. But if, in addition to this, you still follow a diet, the effect will be noticeable immediately. Not only fat deposits will go away, but health will also be strengthened, and the body will be rejuvenated.
White tea is often recommended for pregnant women to drink, as it has a beneficial effect on the entire body.
White tea extracts are often used as an active ingredient in cosmetics. The antioxidants present in their composition effectively fight free radicals, which contribute to aging and metabolic disorders.
For men
It gives men strength and energy during physical and mental stress. A cup of tea at the end of the day can relieve accumulated fatigue, and the person again feels awake.
What are the varieties of the drink
Tea is called white, since only young leaves and buds with a thick white fluff are used for its preparation.
The most common varieties:
- Bai Hao Yin Zhen. Translated, this name sounds like "white silver needles." Tea is made only from the kidneys. Dry tea leaves resemble small silver arrows. The finished drink has the color of light caramel. The taste is delicate, with a slight acidity.
- Bai Mu Dan. The name can be translated as "white peony." The composition includes both kidneys and young leaves. Dried raw materials resemble miniature peony flowers. After brewing, it acquires a golden hue. On the palate, vanilla and caramel notes can be recognized.
- Show May. Tea leaves are collected later and subjected to longer processing, so they have a dark color. The drink is dark amber, with a characteristic herbal taste.
- Gong Mei. This is a cheap white tea option.It is made from damaged leaves and buds that remain after the production of premium varieties. Tea is sold in powdered form, but still it also has an elegant taste and delicate aroma.
Even the Chinese themselves rarely drink Bai Hao Yin Zhen tea, only on holidays and special celebrations, since its prices are sky-high. White peony tea is a little cheaper, so more people can buy it. The high price is justified: manual selection of each leaf and kidney, careful storage and complex transportation require considerable investment.
Oolong white tea is considered semi-fermented. It has nothing to do with real varieties of white tea, as it is intermediate between black and green. It is often called dairy, as it has a pleasant caramel taste with milky hues.
White tea: instructions for use
To fully enjoy the taste of the drink, you need to know how to brew tea. An important role is played even by the dishes in which the drink is made. The ideal option is a porcelain teapot and cups. But you can use glassware.
How to make white tea
Water should in no case be boiled, it only needs to be brought to a temperature of 80 degrees, otherwise it will turn into a dead liquid, which does not bring any benefit. Tea can be brewed 3-4 times, it does not lose its taste, but only reveals them from different sides.
Take 150 grams of dry tea per 150 ml of water.
First, warm the dishes by rinsing with boiling water. This will make it possible to “wake up” the infused tea leaves. Then the tea leaves are poured with hot water and immediately poured. Zero brewing is not intended for drinking, but for rinsing tea leaves. This helps to fully reveal their taste and aroma. After that, hot water is poured into the container and insisted. It is not necessary to brew tea longer than 2-3 minutes, in some cases 60 seconds is enough. A properly brewed drink is transparent and has a yellowish, greenish or beige color. Add sugar is not necessary, in extreme cases, tea can be sweetened with honey.
Tea can also be brewed in the cold way: for this, pour leaflets from room temperature water at night and leave until morning. This method allows you to save a maximum of useful substances in the drink. The benefits of brewed tea lasts for a long time - 18-20 hours.
Use for various diseases
The Chinese consider white tea an effective prophylactic against ARVI, colds and flu. In the cold season, it is advisable to drink it regularly, or at least during the spread of colds.
The drink well removes intoxication of the body and removes toxic substances, so it is recommended to use it in case of poisoning of various kinds instead of water.
Drink white tea:
- with a risk of cancer;
- when consuming large amounts of sugar and the risk of caries;
- with excess weight;
- with constant stress and chronic fatigue.
It is useful to drink tea during the festive feasts. It will help the body cope with the abundance of food and digest it faster.
You should not drink more than 2-3 cups of white tea a day. This amount is enough to make a person feel more healthy and strong.
How to store
It is not worth storing tea for a long time. It is better to use it immediately, while it still stores its freshness and intense aroma.
If you still need to store it for a long time, transfer it to a hermetically sealed bag, placing it in a dry, dark place without strong extraneous odors.
To whom the drink is contraindicated, and what harm is caused from it
One of the most important advantages of white tea is that it has practically no contraindications. Almost everyone can drink it, excluding people with an individual intolerance to the product.
People with kidney disease, gastritis, stomach ulcers, insomnia and diabetes should drink tea carefully, taking care of their well-being.Such people should not drink more than 0.5-1 cups per day. From tea, pressure can rise, so it’s better not to use hypertension.
You can buy tea in specialized tea shops that work directly with manufacturers. In ordinary departments it is difficult to find a quality product, since white tea is considered an exclusive product.
