Comparing Varieties of Green Tea, Black, and Oolong Tea
Green tea comes from the same plant as black or oolong tea. However, green teas usually the most active antioxidants within them.
This is because this variety of tea has not been oxidized during production. Of course, this comes as a disadvantage, in that green tea is typically less sweet than black tea. However, this is often remedied by making a modified version of it, which is known as Oolong tea.
Oolong tea usually retains between 10% to 70% oxidization levels when produced. Therefore, it has a varying amount of benefits as compared to traditional green tea leaves. It has often been called semi-green tea because of the fact that it still contains more antioxidants than black tea.
Besides, oolong contains a higher amount of thearubigin and catechins than black tea. Yet, it is still sweeter than this beverage or supplement in its rawest produced form. Therefore, oolong can often be enjoyed more than green tea without adding any sweetener.
On the other hand, it all is a matter of preference. Some people may not even mind bitter teas. However, they may not even know where to start when choosing a particular type of tea. For the people curious about what is out there, it may help for them to note examples of different selected worldwide plant sources used to make this very popular beverage.
Examples of Chinese and Japanese Green Tea
Most people probably associate tea with China, where variations of it are used for many different purposes. Dragon Pearls, Dragon Well, Gunpowder, and Jade Spring are among the most used in this country.
The Dragon Pearls the sweetest of these three and usually the leaves flatten when steeped. A sharp contrast to the Dragon Pearls Tea is Dragon Well. It is strong and rich tasting, and a household favorite.
Gunpowder tea is not as sweet as others, and often is bitter when overcooked. Therefore, when used careful attention to preparation is usually required. If consumers prefer a tea that still has an appealing taste after being re-steeped they might consider Jade Spring.
Japan is another area of the world that most people would think of when they seek out quality teas to drink. Gyokura, Sencha, and Bancha are three types of Japanese tea consumed most often.
Gyokuro is the sweetest of these three, but the Sencha tea is also quite popular. Both of these are used quite often, even every day.
On the other hand, the Bancha varieties of teas are usually more course in texture. One type in particular is a shade of yellow and is known for its full and refreshing flavor. This one is more costly and often reserved for special occasions.
Additional Types of Tea
All types of teas that are distributed around the world are enhanced in many ways. For instance, in order to reduce the bitterness of certain green tea varieties other natural plant flavors are often added. For instance, many people enjoy cinnamon apple varieties of unsweetened green tea leaves.
Some of these tea blends are also naturally decaffeinated and yet still contain the same health properties and benefits as the caffeinated versions. Flavored variations of black tea and oolong tea are also distributed throughout the world.