White tea

White Bai Hao Yinzhen tea leaves.

White tea (Chinese: 白茶; pinyin: báichá) is a tea grown and harvested almost exclusively in China, primarily in the Fujian Province.

White tea comes from the delicate buds and younger leaves of the Chinese Camellia sinensis plant. These buds and leaves are allowed to wither in natural sunlight (also known as wilting) before they are lightly processed to prevent oxidation or further fermentation. This protects not only the delicate flavour of the white tea, but also retains high levels of the chemicals responsible for the tea's health benefits.

Studies have shown that white tea contains higher levels of antiviral and antibacterial properties than green tea in addition to containing greater quantities of amino acids and antioxidants, primarily due to the lesser amount of processing that takes place when compared to any other tea.

White tea contains the least amount of caffeine of all teas, with an average of 20 mg of caffeine per cup. In comparison, green tea contains around 30 mg per cup and black tea contains around 50 mg per cup.

The name "white tea" derives from the fine silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds of the tea plant, which gives the plant a whitish appearance.

History

White tea originated in China, however the history of white tea is contested and complicated because finding adequate citation is not easy when discussing China's teas in general because the system of knowledge is often orally transmitted. Scholars and tea merchants generally disagree as to when the first production of white tea (as it is understood in China today) began. What is today known as white tea may have come into creation in the last two-centuries. White tea may have first appeared in English publication in 1876, where it is categorized as a black tea because it is not initially cooked like a green tea, to deactivate internal enzymes and external microbes. It is worth noting that at this time Hanson only identified two types of tea, black and green.

When working loosely with sources, claims are made that white tea is the oldest type of tea for various reasons, though it should be noted among the university appointed tea scholars in China debate focuses on whether red, green or black tea is the oldest form of tea, and white tea is conspicuously absent from this dialogue. Stories do appear referring to a "white" tea as that preferred tea of Chinese royalty, where it was first produced during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). For some time, only the emperor and his courtiers would drink white tea as it was rare and expensive. However this "white" tea was produced differently than it is today. At this time leaves were compressed into cakes. Around the time of the Song Dynasty, by 1200 A.D., the immature silver white leaf-buds were immediately steamed, dried and ground into a powder. Another story that is told discusses the need for those who pick white tea to be virgins so that their fingers will not crush the buds when they are harvested. It is likely that these stories do not refer to white process tea but rather to the picking of undamaged buds, which can then be used to make any of the six types of tea.

White tea has now become more widely available, often being sold as Silvery Tip Pekoe, a form of its traditional name, and now also under the simple designations China White and Fujian White.

Contents

Because white tea is derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, it contains polyphenols, a phytonutrient that is thought to be responsible for the tea’s health benefits.

Catechins

White tea contains high levels of catechins, a polyphenol compound that is responsible for lessening atherosclerotic plaques, reducing carcinogens, reducing risk of stroke, heart failure, cancer (including tumor formation), diabetes and for the protection of skin from damage caused by UV light, more-so than green tea due to the reduced processing involved in the production of white tea.

Manufacturing

The manufacturing of white tea is relatively simple compared to the manufacturing of other teas. The base process for manufacturing white tea is as follows:

Fresh tea leaf → Withering → Drying (air drying, solar drying or mechanical drying) → White tea

White tea belongs to the group of tea that does not require panning, rolling or shaking. Therefore, its manufacture saves time and labour. However, the selection of raw material in white tea manufacture is extremely stringent; only the plucking of young tea leafs with much fine hair can produce good-quality white tea with lots of pekoe.

Processing

Although black, green and white tea all derive from the same plant, they all undergo different processing. The more processing the tea goes through, the darker the tea becomes. Both green and white tea are among the least processed, being steamed as opposed to being air-dried. This process keeps the leaves closer to their natural state and increases the tea's anti-oxidant properties.

Health

The visible white hairs are a unique characteristic of the Bai Hao Yinzhen tea.

White tea ranks higher than many fruits and vegetables on the OCAR scale, a measure of antioxidant potency.

Cancer

White tea contains the same types of polyphenols as green tea, but in different proportions. Those present in greater amounts may be responsible for white tea’s enhanced cancer-fighting potential.

Research conducted at Oregon State University to test white tea to determine whether it has similar cancer-fighting qualities as reported in green tea. Researchers brewed four varieties of white tea and subjected each to a laboratory test using bacteria. The test, called the Salmonella assay, determines whether a chemical can cause or prevent DNA mutations, the earliest steps leading to cancer. The result concluded that white tea inhibited mutations more efficiently than green tea, meaning it may have more potential to prevent cancer than green tea. However, the researchers responsible for the study say more studies are needed to determine whether white tea actually has the potential to protect people against cancer.

Studies

A 1984 study at Pace University revealed that white tea extract may help slow viruses and bacterial growth, thus reducing the incidence of staphylococcus and streptococcus infections, pneumonia, fungus growth, and even dental plaque.

Findings from another study conducted at the Skin Study Center at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University reveal indicators that white tea helps skin cells by boosting immune systems when exposed to harmful ultra-violet radiation.

An article published in the Carcinogenesis journal by scientists from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University found that consumption of moderate amounts of white or green tea may hedge against colon tumors consistent with the prescription drug, sulindac. When used in combination with the drug, the results were more effective.

A study at Kingston University in 2009 showed that white tea has high anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-collagenase, and anti-elastase properties which could potentially reduce the risks of developing rheumatoid arthritis, some cancers, heart disease and slow the enzymatic break-down of elastin and collagen, traites which accompany aging.

References

• Chow, Kit Boey; Kramer, Ione (1990). All The Tea in China. China Books. p. 187. ISBN 0-8351-2194-1.
• Hui, Y. H.; Meunier-Goddik, Lisbeth; Slovejg Hansen, Ase (2004). Handbook of Food and Beverage Fermentation Technology. CRC Press. p. 1000. ISBN 0-2039-1355-8.
• Pettigrew, Jane (2004). The Tea Companion: A Connoisseur's Guide. Running Press Book Publishers. p. 129. ISBN 0-7624-2150-9.
• Ho, Chi-Tang (2008). Tea and Tea Products: Chemistry and Health-Promoting Properties. CRC Press. p. 305. ISBN 0-8493-8082-0.
• Hanson, Reginald (1878). A Short Account of Tea and the Tea Trade. Whitehead, Morris and Lowe. p. 127. ISBN 1-4021-5748-7.
• American Chemical Society (14 August 2009). "White Tea Could Keep You Healthy and Looking Young". Science Daily. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
• American Chemical Society (13 April 2000). "Cancer-Preventive Potential Of White Tea". Science Daily. Retrieved 7 November 2010.