Tea is becoming more and more popular, challenging coffee as the typical go-to hot beverage. That's because there are so many different kinds of tea on the market: the options are almost endless. If you're new to tea and want to give it a try, here is a simple list to find the best brews for you:
The first thing to know about tea is that it all comes from the same plant. What makes individual blends different is the processing applied to the tea leaves after they’re picked. This processing releases different levels of chemicals – including caffeine – from within the tea leaf, changing the flavor and composition of the cup.
The most common type of processing is oxidization – the natural fermentation process that occurs in vegetable matter after it’s separated from the root plant.
Green tea undergoes the least oxidization process, cooking the leaves as soon as they’re picked to keep the flavor as fresh and botanical as possible. Also, green tea is naturally low in caffeine content because of this process.
Oolong tea is what’s known as a semi-oxidized blend – the leaves are carefully aged to about 50% oxidization, creating a flavor profile that is strong but nuanced.
Black tea is created when the leaves are allowed to oxidize completely before being cooked. This blend is the most common and popular and is the preferred brew for homemade iced tea. These leaves brew to a dark, strong liquid that has the most caffeine per cup.
One newly popular kind of tea is white tea. This drink is brewed from the tender young leaves of the tea plant, which are often kept shaded from the sun so they develop less chlorophyll. This tea is higher in some natural antioxidants that can have real health benefits.
Building off of the styles above, spices, herbs, and fruit are then added to the leaves to create unique combinations like orange spice, peppermint, or chai tea.
