What types of tea are there? This is a rather complicated question. Teas come in many varieties and types, but few people know about their classifications. However, understanding this is not so difficult. The article will focus on what types of tea are.
Place of production
Before you know what tea is, you need to find out where it is produced. It is grown in many countries. But only a few of them are leaders. So, most of the world's tea is grown and processed in China. This country is the birthplace of the drink, so here they make teas of all possible varieties. The next after the leader is India. Most of the production is cut and granulated teas. It is important to note that they immediately make Darjeeling tea, considered elite.
Sri Lanka (Ceylon tea) takes an honorable third place and produces 10% of the global volume. Production technology in this country is similar to Indian. Japan makes mainly green varieties, and then not for export. In Africa (Kenya) they make only a black variety. In addition, this drink is produced in almost all former English colonies and some other countries.
Types of bushes and leaves
What is tea? First of all, it depends on the types of tea bushes. They are of three types: Chinese, Cambodian and Assamese. Chinese grow on the territory of Georgia, Vietnam, Japan, China. They also make Indian Darjeeling. Assamese variety includes African, Ceylon, Indian tea. Cambodian bushes grow in some regions of Indochina and are a hybrid of the first two species.
What is tea? The answer to this question also depends on the degree of machining.
- Loose or loose teas are the most popular. In this case, the leaf can be of three different types - whole leaf, middle leaf, crushed.
- Pressed can be tiled, tableted or brick. Whole leaves are used for brick production, sometimes together with shoots, and for tiled and preformed shredded ones - often powdery material.
- Extracted, they are soluble or instant. Can be sold in crystalline form or extract. This also includes granular and tea bags.
Treatment
Depending on the additional processing, tea can be fermented, not fermented, or even smoked.
Smoked tea is just one - Lapsan Xiao Zhong. It is made in South China. The reason why it is called smoked lies in the manufacturing technology. The processing of twisted sheets in large baskets is carried out above or near the fire. And during drying, it is heated on pine wood. As a result, sophisticated lovers feel notes of wood and smoke in it, and beginners - smoked sausages, smoked cheese or even rubber, turpentine.
Fermentation not only changes the taste of the future drink, but also its color. It is thanks to her that there are different colors of tea, which will be discussed below. A particular color is obtained depending on the duration of the fermentation and whether it is carried out at all.
Fermented species undergo a lengthy processing process before packaging to give the tea a new taste or remove the excess. Unfermented tea does not lend itself to particularly lengthy processing - here you can include green and white varieties.
In addition, tea can be additionally roasted and steamed to achieve a better flavor, color.
Additives
What is tea? In different types of drink can add a kind of additives. They not only change the taste, but also the color of the tea, its aroma, and sometimes its shape, if we talk about modern teas that can take the form of blossoming flowers or buds in water.
Tea can be added:
- essential oils and flavorings;
- buds and leaves of flowers and grass;
- some fruits and berries.
What types of tea are there?
The most obvious method for distinguishing different teas is by color. Depending on this, its features, benefits and even the place of production change, because some colors of the drink are produced only in a certain area.
White tea
Made from half-bloomed sheets. This variety is made exclusively in China and is used there. Only a small part of the total production is exported. The reason for this is the difficulty in transportation and storage. This variety is the most expensive and rare. During production, they practically do nothing with leaflets - they do not ferment, they only wither and dry. The taste of such a drink is delicate, floral, and the aroma is extraordinary. As for the benefits, there is no more healing variety and type of tea than white. It has anti-cancer properties, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, protects against viruses and bacteria.
Green tea
What are green teas? These varieties are among the most useful. Color can be light green, green and even yellowish - depending on the type, processing method and strength. The classification above also applies to green tea. It can be Indian or Ceylon, in bags or crumbly, with or without additives, etc.
Its feature is the availability of caffeine. Although many people think that this drink is incredibly good for the heart, but because of the high level of this substance, which is sometimes more than in a black drink or even in coffee, you need to use it wisely and in moderation.
Black or red tea
Black tea in Asia is called red. It is the most fermented. After collecting leaves on the plantations, it goes through a lot of processing steps, which changes its color, saturation, taste and so on.
Its benefits depend on the type of bushes, processing, as well as the manufacturer and additives, but among other varieties it is the most harmful. What is black tea? We have already talked about this above. It, like any other (green, white, etc.), can be classified according to several parameters (leaf size, packaging, place of production, etc.).
Yellow tea
Partially fermented variety. Made exclusively in China. To obtain this variety, special types of tea bushes with full, golden yellow buds are used.
It has an incredibly pleasant aroma and a delicate, velvety taste. This variety is one of the most delicious, and therefore expensive. By price category, it can only be compared with white. During drinking you can feel incredible bliss. It also has a significant stimulating effect and is strong.
Red chinese tea
Known in China, but not widely distributed in the world. It has an amber golden color. Taste with fruit aroma. It is considered the best alternative to coffee because of its stimulating effect. But, unlike coffee, less harmful and even healing. Contains antioxidants and vitamins.
Turquoise Tea or Oolung (Oolong Tea)
Translated as "black dragon." This variety is incredibly tasty, which is why it has gained wide popularity in different countries. The degree of fermentation can be weak, medium or strong. For the manufacture of fully ripened leaves with cuttings are collected, in which there is a mass of healthy oils.
It has a cleansing and immunostimulating effect and is recommended to all without exception. Even cores and people with pressure can drink it all day without consequences.
Puer
Such a drink is made using sophisticated technology. Initially, the collected leaves are brought to the state of green tea, and then fermented. This process lasts for different times, which is why it can have a brown or black color in the final form. Its feature is that it is pressed into flat cakes, cubes, bowls, pumpkins, tiles and so on.
In China, this variety is considered effective against all diseases. It helps with problems with the intestines, nervous system, fights toxins, improves immunity. But besides this - this is the only tea in the world that you can drink on an empty stomach!
Herb tea
Herbal teas do not have tea leaves in their composition, they are sometimes called herbal teas. These are very healthy drinks made from different herbs and flowers.
What are herbal teas? Among the most popular herbs used for their production, one can distinguish: chamomile, hibiscus, mint, lemon balm, oregano, St. John's wort, currants and raspberries, thyme, rosehip, rooibos and mate.