Heaven of Tea

All tea comes from the same plant, yes, but White Tea is simply a different animal than most other teas. Why? White tea is made from buds that are picked before they open and simply withered or steamed and dried. This makes them the least processed of all teas. This means a few things:

• White teas have very little caffeine. Caffeine increases as the tea is processed, which is why black teas have the most caffeine (not including tisanes like mate). White teas typically have 1% of the caffeine in a typical cup of coffee, so they can be consumed even in the evening.
• White teas are loaded with antioxidants. In fact, they have more antioxidants than green teas. As tea is processed the antioxidants are reduced. Antioxidants are pivotal for helping your body to avoid cancer.
• White teas are very delicate. White teas require more skill to make properly and are more likely to become bitter if infused incorrectly. The internet is full of tea reviews that pretty clearly show the reviewer made the white tea wrong - if you see “bitter” defining a white tea, it was steeped incorrectly.

The unusual processing also gives white teas a “silvery” appearance, which is very apparently in teas like Silver Needle (a popular white tea). White teas are the most rare type of tea, since they are only made on a limited scale in China and Sri Lanka. White tea is very light and delicate to drink. It has a very pale, straw-colored liquor. White teas are prized because of their subtle complexities, natural sweetness and outstanding health benefits. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to add a little Silver Needle white tea to your other favorite teas; it won’t change the flavor, but will add lots of antioxidants, in particular.

White teas are the best tea for your skin and complexion as well. They do an excellent job of hydrating your skin and cleansing or detoxifying your body. White teas also help to lower your cholesterol level and have the most antioxidants. Antioxidants help reduce free radical damage in your body and help you avoid cancer.

Making white teas requires a quick hand and your undivided attention. Most white teas have some type of flavor added through other leaves or fruit pieces. When making these white teas, use 1.5 teaspoons of tea per 8oz of water. Heat your water only to about 175 degrees, which is well before the boiling point. If the water is too hot, it is likely to make the tea taste bitter. Steep for only 45 seconds - no more than 1 minute. Typically white teas are best without any sugar or honey, but you can adjust to your tastes.

When making Silver Needle white tea, which is a pure white tea with no flavors, you can steep it much longer: 4-5 minutes. Because of the purity of this white tea, it will not get bitter like the other white teas. Use 1.5 teaspoons of tea and heat the water to 175 degrees, just as above. Silver Needle can be resteeped several times, just heat the water a bit more, 180-185 degrees, and steep for a shorter period of time, around 3 minutes.

Because of the nature of white teas, they are best when hot - ice a Rooibos, but leave the white teas steaming for a delicious cup of tea. Our most popular white teas are Silver Needle Organic white tea (of course), the strawberry-flavored Scarlet Cloud White tea and the nighttime Lavender Dreams White tea. Why not step out of your comfort zone and try a delicious white tea? Your body will love you for it!