However, tea has traveled far beyond being just a beverage of refreshment. If you are a food services professional, you are probably well aware of the different associations of tea. Tea is also a great way to remove stress. If you are considering a job in related industries, this article will help you understand, at a very basic level, what ''tea'' could comprise of.
Young leaves and buds are plucked, often before sunrise in certain varieties, and processed differently to yield different kinds of tea. The most common form of processing natural tea leaves involves drying them to begin oxidation. Also known as ''fermenting'' within the industry, oxidation is what lends the leaves their dark color. After they have been processed in this manner, tea leaves are further brewed in hot water to release their flavor and color. Unless brewed at the right temperature, tea can get bitter and unpalatable due to the amount of tannins released.
There are many different kinds of tea and each is prepared differently. This article explores four different kinds of tea.
Green Tea: Highly favored for its anti-oxidant properties, green tea has been used in the Far East for ages now. Being an unfermented tea, it is believed to retain most of its beneficial components. Research has shown that green tea reduces the risk of many types of cancers, increases metabolism and lowers cholesterol. It is usually served brewed in water, without sugar or milk.
Black Tea: This is a stronger tea made when leaves of the tea bush, Camellia sinensis are oxidized for a longer time. Black tea is also higher in caffeine than other tea varieties. It is one of the more popular tea types and can be served with milk or lemon and with or without sugar. It can also be consumed without any of these, and simply brewed on its own.
White Tea: Probably one of the lesser known teas, white tea is made of young leaves and buds of the tea bush that are not allowed to oxidise. As a result, it is noticeably more delicate in taste. When picked, leaves of white tea retain fine hair on their surface, also known as ‘down’.
Oolong Tea: This is the traditional Chinese tea, served along with Chinese food. It is not as highly oxidized as black tea, and retains some of the nutritional qualities of the tea leaf. When brewed, it has more body than the green tea, but it lacks the distinct sweet fragrance of the black tea.
