Ek garam chai ki pyali - Chamomile tea, Matcha tea, White tea, & Oolong tea (Reviews)
When I need a mood boost, tea always comes to my rescue. The awareness while preparing a favorite cup of tea and tasting it truly brightens the soul.
I believe there is tea for all the emotions and seasons. If
you are sad, have the milk tea. If you are stressed, have chamomile tea. If it
is summer and you feel hot, have green tea.
With the right ingredients and methods, one can actually gain a lot of health benefits from tea.
Before I start, I will mention that I am neither a health
expert nor a dietician, but I love to read and research about tea. Born in
Assam, famous for Tea worldwide, played an important role in my life. I have
inherited the tea-drinking habits from my family.
***** Disclaimer: Amazon links for the tea attached at the end*****
All types of teas are produced from Camellia Sinensis plants using different methods. If you are drinking something that does not come from this plant is not tea. Period.
Do you know that tea has a shelf life of two years? (Yes, if stored properly). Matter of fact, stale tea is not bad, there are tea types that taste better with time just like wine.
I have tried a good many varieties of tea in my short life. Today I
will review a few of the healthiest teas that are very popular these days.
If you
are a tea lover, then this going to be real fun.
Chamomile Tea: In
one study of 80 postpartum women experiencing sleep issues, drinking chamomile
tea for two weeks led to improved sleep quality and fewer symptoms of depression.
(Data)
Yes!!! That’s right.
But in reality, this is not tea.
One day I was watching “Little Things” on Netflix, I heard about it for the first time. And from then, I am obsessed. Chamomile
is an herb from a daisy-like flower. To make this herbal tea, flowers are dried and infused
into hot water. How it tastes? In short, it tastes very light and mild with
very humane flavor to it. It gives earthy taste but not bitter. As I imagine
when I take a sip, I always feel like I am somewhere in a garden full of
flowers around me (Seriously! I am not kidding). So, a perfect cup of mild yellow-colored and flavorless tea before sleep. Stirring with a spoon full of honey or
adding a ginger pulp can make it exotic.
Oolong Tea: When
I heard the name for the first time, it sounded like some form of art to me. To
clear the confusion, it is neither a black tea nor a green tea. Its processing
is usually dependent on the tea master. An interesting part is it goes through
multiple steps of oxidization to become oolong tea that we drink. So the color
varies depending on the processing technique starting from green to golden to brown.
It is a wine in the Tea category. It has a bitter taste but not like black tea if
you have tasted black tea before. So if you don’t like black tea then this is a
better option as it has a subtle fruity flavor and a pleasing aroma.
If you are not a coffee lover but want to have some caffeine this is the best choice apart from black tea.
If you are not a coffee lover but want to have some caffeine this is the best choice apart from black tea.
Matcha Tea: If you
love tea or you are concerned with fitness, then you must have tried green tea.
Almost every fitness instructor suggests green tea in the diet for its antioxidant
properties. Matcha contains 100 times more antioxidants than brewed green tea (Whoa
like Whoa!!!) I am absolutely clear about the reason behind the Japanese fitness
strategy. (Umhmm!!) It is a Japanese green tea now popular worldwide like
Ramen. Because of its benefits, it is enjoyed in various versions like lattes,
smoothies, desserts, and even snacks.
Coming to the main point, the color of the match has a darker shade of green (the
greener the better) not like green tea which is pale yellow in color. It tastes
bitter definitely but very smooth and refreshing with water and leaves beguile
sweetness after every sip. To make perfect matcha the bamboo whisker, Chasen is a must. Something to note that it is expensive as compared to green tea. But
if you have read the first paragraph you will know, “you get what you pay for”.
White tea: It is
one of the purest and highly prized tea types typically produced in China. If
you like to celebrate tea as a festival. This is going to be the parfait cup for a toast.
It is raw in nature because it is left to dry without any processing, unlike other tea types. The benefits are similar to green tea like anti-aging properties and good for the immune system except for anti-cancer properties. It contains the highest amount of caffeine amongst all the tea types. But because of its brewing technique, it releases less caffeine than black tea. It is usually brewed in cooler water and for less time.
Concluding with taste and color, flavor consists of honey notes, grassy and strong fruity palate best served in glassware cups, color ranging from pale yellow to light orange.
I had tried the Darjeeling white tea which is widely available but I did not become a great fan of it.
It is raw in nature because it is left to dry without any processing, unlike other tea types. The benefits are similar to green tea like anti-aging properties and good for the immune system except for anti-cancer properties. It contains the highest amount of caffeine amongst all the tea types. But because of its brewing technique, it releases less caffeine than black tea. It is usually brewed in cooler water and for less time.
Concluding with taste and color, flavor consists of honey notes, grassy and strong fruity palate best served in glassware cups, color ranging from pale yellow to light orange.
I had tried the Darjeeling white tea which is widely available but I did not become a great fan of it.
Common about all the Tea types:
- All four contains antioxidants but ranges from low to high. Matcha having the highest.
- These have less caffeine compared to coffee. Black tea has the highest caffeine because it is boiled at high temperatures and for a longer time. But a cup of oolong tea can provide a considerable amount of caffeine.
- All tea types above assist in weight loss.
- Tea boosts the immune system. But herbal ones are best for the same. Amongst the four, it will be chamomile tea obviously.
- Except for matcha, the color palate remains similar for the other three. But the taste varies having high and low touchpoints.
Conclusion:
If you want to have tea for its benefits then you can pick
any of the above. I recommend white tea and chamomile because of mild flavors but great benefits. But if you are
someone who enjoys brewing and sipping tea, then it is a must that you try all
the flavors. These can broaden the horizon of tasting palate for tea lovers.
While shopping for tea, look for those brands that offer information regarding where the tea is from, how it is processed, and very important when was the tea harvested.
While shopping for tea, look for those brands that offer information regarding where the tea is from, how it is processed, and very important when was the tea harvested.
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Related Post: 8 Shades of Tea LOVERS
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