So you like tea or just want to try it, but which one is right for you? Is taste all that matters? What is the difference between green tea and black tea, oolong tea and white tea? What is rooibos (or red) tea? Let’s start by considering the source of these teas.
Camellia sinensis is the plant from which most teas are made. The leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant are processed to produce tea. The plant is native to South China and Southeast Asia, but it grown around the world to produce teas.
White, green, oolong, pu-erh and black teas all begin with the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The differences in the teas come from the processing of the leaves. The least oxidation produces white tea and the greatest oxidation produces black tea and the others fall in between. The less oxidation there is, the lower the amounts of caffeine. So white tea is naturally caffeine free; green has small amounts of caffeine, oolon and pu-erh have less than black tea, which has the most caffeine.
Rooibos, or red tea, comes from a different plant entirely. Red tea is made from the South African red bush tree. It brews to a reddish color and is caffeine free.
Much has been written about the health values of tea. Recent research indicates that black tea has as many health benefits as green tea. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you should consider white or red teas which have no caffeine. In comparison, even black tea which is the highest in caffeine contains much less caffeine than coffee.
If you are unsure where to start to choose a tea that is right for you, several tea companies offer sampler packs of teas. Besides the basic teas, many tea companies offer varieties with fruits, spices, or other flavorings added. These make your options almost endless. Pick up a sampler pack and start experimenting until you find your favorite. Then enjoy!