Tea – part 3 – types of tea

Many of us cannot imagine life without this drink and everyone has their own favorite type of tea. Black, red, green, fruit tea – each type has a unique taste, aroma and assets.

Brewing is an extremely important part of drinking tea and allows you to use the various properties of this drink. If you brew the tea for less than three minutes, it will have a stimulating effect, but if you brew it for longer than five minutes, it will bring relief. Tea brewed for several minutes may irritate the stomach, but at the same time it has a good effect on the intestinal mucosa during diarrhea.

Tea – varieties

The most well-known kinds are black tea and green tea, they differ in taste and the method of production from tea tree leaves.

Black tea

It is a completely fermented tea, dried in a hot air stream. It gives an infusion with an intense color, distinctive taste and aroma. It contains a lot of tannins, caffeine and catechins. It stimulates and detoxifies the body, strengthens teeth and has a bactericidal effect. Producers often enrich it with fruit, flowers, vanilla or rum. Earl Gray produces black tea flavored with bergamot. The leaves are poured with water at a temperature of approx. 85 degrees C and cover. The infusion is ready after 3-5 minutes.

Green tea

It is produced only by drying, freshly picked leaves are left to dry and then heated to stop the fermentation process. The bitter infusion is lemon-yellow in color. It contains less caffeine and tannins than black tea, but the catechin content is five times higher. That is why it is believed that green tea is the healthiest. It is the best way to remove toxins and stop the aging process. It protects the heart, has antibacterial and antiviral properties, lowers cholesterol and normalizes blood pressure. It is the only tea that brings relief to people suffering from hyperacidity. It is often flavored with fruits and flowers. The leaves (a teaspoon per cup) are poured with water at 80-90 degrees Celsius and brewed for about 3-5 minutes. Some species can be brewed two or three times, with the first brew giving a stimulating infusion, the second – a calming one.

In addition, the most famous types of tea include:

White tea

It is made from buds and leaves picked by hand in early spring, which are then only dried; white tea contains a lot of polyphenols, thanks to which it has a strong oxidative effect, moreover, it is highly rated by gourmets of this drink, the light yellow infusion is delicate in taste, it contains relatively little caffeine, but is rich in valuable catechins. It has all the health benefits of green tea. Available in the form of twisted leaves and rolled balls in the shape of a strawberry or smaller ones, the size of a pearl. They are brewed at 85 degrees C for 7-10 minutes.

Yellow tea

It is almost unknown in Europe. It is prepared from the youngest shoots and leaf buds, which undergo partial (12-15%) fermentation during the rolling process. Its taste and aroma are similar to the highest quality green tea and it has the same effect. It is brewed just like green tea.

Red tea

Subjected to a very long fermentation process. The Pu-erh variety must also be aged (up to 50 years). The infusion has an intense flavor and a slightly muddy smell. It contains the most trace elements and caffeine. It lowers cholesterol levels, improves memory, helps in the fight against excess weight, normalizes blood pressure, and has a diuretic effect. It is poured with boiling water, brewed covered for 3-5 minutes and drunk without sugar, as it may neutralize some of the medicinal properties of the drink.

Oolong tea

Fermented for a relatively short time and then dried, it is an intermediate product between green and black tea.

“Tea-like” drinks

The recently fashionable Yerba Mate or Rooibos – although we call them tea – have nothing to do with the tea bush. But – just like tea – they make a tasty, healthy infusion.

Yerba Mate

It is made from holly leaves. The infusion is green-brown, tart and aromatic. Contains, among others: caffeine, which combats drowsiness and fatigue, and large amounts of vitamins A and C, which strengthen the body. It has a diuretic effect and suppresses appetite, so it helps with weight loss. It comes in Green and Brown varieties (the leaves are dried in the smoke of a fire and give a more tart taste and a more pronounced aroma).

Brewing method: pour a teaspoon of the herb with a few tablespoons of cold water and pour it off after a while. Pour hot water (not boiling water!) over the leaves and after 5 minutes the drink is ready. The leaves can be brewed again 3-4 times.

Lapacho

The raw material is the finely cut bark of Tabebuia avellanede, a tree growing in the Andes. The infusion contains a combination of minerals and microelements that is very beneficial to our health, which strengthens the defense forces and detoxifies and deacidifies the body. It has antibiotic and antiviral properties. It has also been confirmed to lower blood sugar levels.

Brewing method: pour a heaped tablespoon of Lapacho with about half a liter of cold water, bring to a boil, cook (over low heat) for 5 minutes, leave covered for about 15-20 minutes. Add lemon juice to accelerate the absorption of minerals.

Rooibos

Dried, cut leaves and small twigs from a red bush growing in southern Africa. Tea is rich in vitamin C, minerals and antioxidants. It soothes stomach problems, calms down, has a mild sleep-inducing effect and helps with headaches. And because it contains a lot of fluoride, it strengthens teeth and protects against gum disease. It does not contain caffeine, so it can be safely given to children.

Brewing method: pour boiling water over the herbs (a teaspoon per glass of water) and leave for about 5 minutes. The infusion can be sweetened with honey.

Honeybush

Dried leaves, young stems and flowers of the honey bush found in southern Africa. The infusion is sweet, yellow-red, with a distinct honey and refreshing scent. It contains compounds that lower blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol levels. It has a beneficial effect on the respiratory tract and increases the body’s overall immunity.

Brewing method: pour a teaspoon of the herb with a glass of boiling water, cover and brew for about 5 minutes. It tastes good with milk and as iced tea.