White Tea: Drink Your Way to a Healthier Life

Ever wondered why the Chinese people are known for their longevity? Yes, the Chinese living longer than other countries with similar living standards. This is because they are more prone to choosing healthy food and drinks more than junk or fast food. But the main thing that sets them apart from most of us is that they drink tea. From hundreds of years ago, this practice was ingrained in them.

At the pinnacle of the Tang Dynasty, white tea became the most sought-after drink of choice of the emperor and his family. White tea was chosen in particular because of its rarity. There used to be only two days in the whole year for the plucking and gathering of the camellia sinensis leaf shoots to make white tea that was suitable for the emperor’s beloved beverage.

White Tea Picking

Modern-day farming and technology have widened that window period to about a few weeks a year. This starts at around the last part of March to the first part of April. For black and green teas, the processing is longer and the actual young to mature leaves are used. This is where the secret of the white tea lies:only leaf shoots are used to make this type of loose-leaf tea. Plus the oxidation process that it goes through is shorter than the other two main kinds. This makes the white tea nearest to its natural state more than green or black tea.

White Tea Is Becoming More Available Outside China

Apart from modern-day farming and technology, the growth of commerce through the Internet has ensured that all the tea kinds are readily available to people who want to make them a part of their daily regimen. So yes, tea shops and tea stores have now become virtually accessible for everybody. Nowadays, anybody can buy Chinese tea online and can choose to include loose leaf or pre-bagged teas in their quest for a healthier and better life.

Interestingly, modern science has started to prove the belief that the Chinese had regarding the health benefits of drinking tea. Preliminary studies of white tea’s merits point to the fact that this light golden-brown beverage is indeed quite a powerhouse.

White Tea Cakes

Health Benefits

So what exactly makes this tea a powerhouse? Here’s a list of all the things this tea has been shown to do or proven to have the ability of doing:

§ In Pace University’s studies, it was found that white tea can kill bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It was also shown it had the ability to kill streptococci and staphylococci.

§ In early studies of this tea variety, it was also shown that extracts from the leaf shoots can prevent the growth of tumors in laboratory mice.

§ Another proved that white tea can reduce the possibility of plaque.

§ White tea is also loaded with antioxidants, making it good for fighting free radicals that can cause havoc cell’s DNA.

§ A compound of white tea mixed with honey can be used for facial masks as it has been proven to make skin look and feel younger.

§ In some cases, this tea has also been seen to work as well as medical drugs. The main advantage is that white tea does not produce the same side effects.

§ White tea and its varieties have also been known to prevent heart diseases by helping to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

§ Another similar effect is that it helps raise the number of good cholesterol while eliminating the bad cholesterol.

§ Other newer studies point to the possibility of white tea being able to lower blood sugar and encourage better blood flow.

§ It has also been found to reduce stress. Reduced stress means increased energy.

Steeping

This is because aside from the health benefits, the fact that it is lightly oxidized does not take anything away from the flavor of the drink. Ideally, to get the best taste and merits, it is to be prepared with water at around 80 degrees Celsius. Much like coffee, green or black tea but more powerfully packed to fight against diseases, white tea is the ideal way to drink yourself to good, if not, excellent health.