The world of tea (Tee) is huge and amazingly all tea comes from one single plant called ‘Camellia Sinensis’. There are thousands of different types of tea the most commonly used are Ceylon, Wuyi oolongs, Sencha, White peony, Darjeling, and Assam. However in order to insert some order into the chaos of the world of tea, tea is broken down into four distinct types i.e. green, black, oolong, and white tea.
White Tea
White tea is harvested in the early part of spring and is then cooked and left to dry in the sun or a special room that monitors and maintains a certain temperature. One of the best ways to detect white tea is though its aroma. White tea has a sweet aroma accompanied by very light colored liquor and a sweet taste. According to many scientists and studies white tea is a possible cancer preventer and fighter. White tea is also an infection fighter which is one reason why it has been used for hundreds of years in traditional Chinese medicine.
Green Tea
Green Tea is fairly common in the Far East and has become increasingly popular in the west owing to its many health benefits. However unlike other types of tea its vegetal taste tends to take some getting used to. Like black tea, green tea is also picked in the early parts of spring but its fermentation time is slightly lengthier than black tea. Some of the most popular types of green tea are the Japanese Sencha, and Gyokuro. Both these varieties can cost hundreds of dollars if not more for a few ounces.
Oolong Tea
Oolong also called wu long is left to oxide longer than any other type of tea before it is baked. Oolong tea is actually a cross between black teas and green teas. The highest quality Oolong tea is imported from Taiwan. The taste can range from flowery to woody depending on a number of factors.
Black Tea
Black tea is most common in South Asia and is harvested in various parts of India and Sri Lanka which is also incidentally the largest producer of black tea in the world. Black tea is commonly packaged in tea bags by manufacturers ranging from Lipton to Tetley. They are also often sold as iced tea however traditionally black tea is supposed to be drunk hot.