Of all the varieties of tea, white tea is considered one of the most valuable and expensive . Famous for this amazing drink is not only an exquisite taste and aroma - white tea also has unique properties. It is a drink of longevity, an elixir of health, tea, which for many centuries was served only to the table of the emperor.
The birthplace of white tea is the mountains of China's Fujian Province. Similar varieties are grown in Sri Lanka and the province of Nilgiri. But, despite the similarity, white Chinese tea greatly exceeds both the quality and the properties of white teas grown in other regions.
Properties of white tea
Unlike other varieties of tea, white tea is subjected to the least processing, due to which all useful substances and taste qualities are preserved. This drink contains a huge amount of vitamins, amino acids and trace elements. It increases immunity, normalizes blood pressure, cleanses internal organs, removes toxins. Moreover, it effectively fights free radicals, that is, it significantly slows down the aging process. Cosmetic companies actively use the extract of white tea to achieve rejuvenating and tonic effect of their products.
White tea is a powerful tool that prevents the development of cancer and heart disease. In recent studies, it was found that white tea contributes to the active burning of internal fat in the body. And the content of white tea caffeine and toning is much lower than in other varieties, so that its taste and aroma is much thinner.
How to brew white tea?
In the process of preparing white tea, the quality of water plays an important role. It should be soft, well-cleaned, without any taste or smell. The water temperature should be about 65 degrees, in any case not boiling water, otherwise taste and healing properties will disappear.
Since white tea came to us from China, it is best to use the traditional methods of brewing, allowing to reveal all the qualities of the drink to the fullest. The most common way to drink tea is to drink china - requires a little bit of attributes, it allows you to enjoy genuine taste and aroma.
The first time white tea is brewed for 5 minutes, with repeated brewing 2-3 minutes. Tea can be brewed 3-4 times.
Note that when preparing white tea, the dishes should not have any smell, otherwise it will break the delicate aroma. After tea, do not rush to pour the tea leaves - use it as a skin care product, brewing again and rubbing your face with the resulting infusion.
Features of white Chinese tea
During the processing of tea, gentle white villi are retained on the leaves and kidneys, so the tea is called white. Leaves, unlike other varieties, are not twisted, as they are processed by natural methods (sun-shadow fermentation) and slightly dried in the oven. For white tea, only the youngest buds and the two upper leaves are collected. For the highest grade of Bai Hao Yin Zhen only the best kidneys are taken. Bai Mu Dan is made up of kidneys and a second leaf. The May Show is made from the remaining raw material, not suitable for the first two varieties.
White tea is very difficult to store and transport. Therefore, this white tea you will not find in the factory packaging, mostly the leaves are pressed into pancakes. Sometimes they are twisted with lily or jasmine flowers, but in this case the tea loses its flavor and flavor. This white tea can be purchased only in tea shops, while it is worth paying attention to the integrity of the leaves, their color (gently green with white fluff). Very often white tea is tried to give out green.
Keep the tea in a tightly closed ceramic container. Be sure to keep in mind that white tea absorbs all odors very quickly.
A delicate aroma and taste of white tea can be appreciated only by a real gourmet, so if you are not a special connoisseur, then it is better to tasting white tea by drinking good grades of green tea.
It's funny that even a high-ranking person could not afford real white tea, he was considered an imperial drink. And the poor people called ordinary white hot water, even there was a saying - he lived to see that guests are treated to white tea. Nowadays, not only emperors can enjoy white tea , and yet it remains a very expensive drink, since no modern technologies can influence the acceleration and simplification of the production of this healing elixir of youth and health.