Spilling the Tea on National Tea Day

I recently stumbled upon an adorable tea shop in Mystic, Connecticut. The weather had finally turned warm which compelled one of my adult children and I to enjoy a bit of time sauntering about this really unique side of New England. The huge tea drinker that I am, I couldn’t wait to get inside and familiarize myself with all of the splendid blends. I was in heaven, resulting in a lapse in time as well as a small bag of two new flavors tucked in my purse prior to leaving. I am sipping one of my finds now as I am writing this — warm bread pudding black tea.

I’m obsessed and frankly, I am not alone when it comes to tea. Plenty of people sit right alongside me when it comes to these precious leaves of bliss. It’s something we can certainly thank the Chinese for but also a Portuguese woman named Catherine of Braganza who popularized the beverage in England in 1662 when she married King Charles II. Her dowry included several crates of loose leaf tea, which became the hit of the entire royal court as well as plenty of aristocrats in the United Kingdom. Subsequently, the rest of the nation took notice and adopted the tasty brew.

With National Tea Day being April 21st, I thought I might recognize the day by addressing the differences and health benefits between white tea, herbal tea, green tea, black tea and oolong tea for you. It can be confusing and if you aren’t an avid tea drinker like me (or a tea drinker at all), you might think that these five options provide the same experiences and results–something that couldn’t be furthest from the truth. So let’s begin with white tea, shall we?

White tea is the gentlest of teas, grown in both China and India. That said, it is believed that white tea packs the most powerful of punches among all the teas when it comes to preventing certain cancers as well as cavities due to the antioxidants it offers as well as the fluoride, catechins and tannins. In particular, white tea helps your choppers resist acid and sugar, keeping your teeth strong and pearly white. It also offers the least amount of caffeine among the caffeinated teas. For those determined to remain serene, white tea is your best choice when herbal tea isn’t available.

Herbal tea is the king of the decaffeinated teas. And although it might seem obvious to some, the reason this particular tea is called “herbal” is that the tea leaves are blended with spices, fruits, and other plants, lending credibility to the name. This tea “keeps it honest,” folks. The health benefits of herbal tea depend solely on “what’s inside each blend.” But from curing insomnia to fighting constipation, high blood pressure, migraines, kidney stones, and every other ailment under the sun, herbal tea holds a variety of keys to improved health.

Now, onto green tea. Green tea originates from China, where the leaves are processed with heat using a pan-firing or roasting method and Japan, where the leaves are more commonly steamed. Exceptionally high in flavonoids, green tea is your heart’s best friend, reducing bad cholesterol and blood clotting. It’s also known to help keep your skin clear and glowing. And for those who have jumped on the trend of drinking matcha, you are basically drinking green tea leaves mashed, thus receiving the benefits of a normal cup of green tea ten-fold.

That leads me to black tea. Did you know that black tea is made from the same leaves as green tea (the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant) except that their leaves are dried and fermented, giving black tea a darker color and richer flavor. The most caffeinated of all teas, black tea supports immune function while fighting inflammation. Black tea can also be used to soothe cuts and scrapes as well as rashes, reducing pain and swelling even that of poison ivy. Spring is here, right? So keep this in mind when you pull the wrong plant in an effort to clean your yard and flowerbeds.

Finally oolong tea. Oolong tea is made from the same leaves as both black and green tea but partially oxidized, giving it its appealing color and unique taste. Dubbed “the mental health tea,” oolong tea helps to prevent cognitive diseases such as Dementia, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. It is also known to help fight the risk of certain cancers as well as the onset of type 2 diabetes.

As in the case of the evolution of coffee in the United States, you may believe that the joy of tea can be maximized further by dolling it up into an almost unrecognizable form. The truth is, however, the benefits of tea alongside the delicious flavor is better suited to simplicity. In other words, pass on the tea lattes and bubble teas, which are full of sugar, and revel in the naked truth. A good cup of clean tea is one of the few joys that needn’t be paired with anything but a willing palette. Don’t muddy it thinking you are doing something good. You aren’t.

Now that I have walked you into an elevated understanding of tea, I bid all of you a Happy National Tea Day. You now know much more about tea than you ever expected when you got up this morning!

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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