Tea is not only one of the world’s most popular beverages, it is also one of the world’s healthiest. Numerous studies report that tea drinkers of any variety have a lower risk of heart disease rate than those who don’t drink tea. The polyphenols in tea prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which can lead to artery-clogging plaque. In addition, tea appears to offer powerful protection against many different types of cancer. There are several varieties of tea, including black tea, green tea, oolong tea and white tea. All of these teas are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis, also known as the tea plant. The difference between the four tea variations lies in the process of making them. Each type of tea has a distinct flavor and offers different unique health benefits.

● Black Tea – This strong-flavored tea is the most popular type in the West. Black tea is made of heavily oxidized Camellia sinensis leaves. A cup of black tea has more caffeine than any other types of tea but less than in any cup of coffee.

● Green Tea – This lightly oxidized tea has been popular in China, Japan and Korea for centuries. Rumors of its health benefits have recently increased its popularity in the West as well. Green tea is lightly oxidized, dried, but not fermented. Some green tea variants taste bitter, so it should be brewed in lower temperature than the boiling point. If you need another reason to drink green tea, in a recent study, people who drank it burned more calories than those who consumed caffeine alone.

● White Tea – White tea is rarer and more expensive than the other types of teas. It is made of young Camellia sinensis leaves, which go through a long process of steaming or frying, inactivate fermenting and drying. Since the leaves are harvested while the buds are still covered by white hair, it is called white tea. White tea has the most delicate taste, and contains the smallest amount of caffeine and the largest amount of antioxidants that help prevent cancer.

● Oolong Tea – The traditional Chinese tea is commonly served in American Chinese restaurants. It has a lighter flavor than the popular black tea and stronger than the delicate green tea.