What makes black tea special?
Four types of tea - white, oolong, green and black - are made from the Camellia Sinensis plant, but their flavors differ from each other . This is because they are processed differently to achieve different levels of oxidation. Black tea is more oxidized than the other three types, so its flavor lasts for several years , while green tea may lose its flavor within a year or several. Ceylon (Sri Lanka) is best known for its strong and aromatic black tea !
What further distinguishes Ceylon black tea from green tea is that during the production process the leaves may become completely oxidized before they are heat treated and dried. During oxidation , oxygen interacts with the cell walls of the tea plant , changing the color of the leaves from dark brown to black , for which black tea leaves are famous. Oxidation also changes its flavor profile , helping to add malty , fruity , and even smoky notes, depending on the tea.
However , when green tea leaves are processed, they are minimally oxidized . Once harvested, they are quickly heated and dried to prevent excessive oxidation, which would turn the green leaves brown and change their freshly picked flavor.
What are the methods of producing black tea?
- Orthodox : In this more time-consuming production method , the tea leaves are left whole or only partially broken during processing . They are picked from the garden, dried to reduce moisture, rolled in various ways to crush the leaves and begin oxidation, the process that produces color and flavor, fired to apply heat to stop oxidation, and then graded for quality .
- Unorthodox or CTC : In this accelerated version of the manufacturing process, tea leaves are cut into tiny pieces instead of rolled. Smaller pieces of leaf are oxidized more quickly , creating a one-dimensional, consistent and strong black tea blend .
Our best black tea blends
Earl Grey
English Breakfast
English Afternoon
Masala Chai
What health benefits does black tea offer?
- Abundant in antioxidants - Polyphenols are a type of antioxidant common in tea, and black tea has three types of them , including catechins, theaflavins and aurubigins. Antioxidants can reduce the risk of chronic disease because they help get rid of free radicals in the body, which reduces cell damage .
- No risk of type 02 diabetes - studies show that daily moderate consumption of black tea can reduce the risk of type 02 diabetes by 70% ! In both healthy adults and prediabetics, consuming black tea can lower blood glucose levels .
- Immune booster - the sugar-free drink is full of amino acids , antioxidants and alkylamine antigens that can strengthen our body and immune system , helping us fight minor ailments that we experience every day.
- Help reduce the stock of cancer cells - multi-tasking polyphenols also prevent the formation of new cancer cells . A study that looked at the effects of polyphenols on breast cancer found that these organic compounds in black tea stopped hormone-dependent cancers from spreading in the body.
- Goodness of Caffeine - Initially, people may think that caffeine is not good for health, but its content in black tea is quite low compared to coffee. A small amount of caffeine is needed by the human body to improve concentration and awareness . Black tea also contains an amino acid known as L-theanine, which improves brain activity and gives you energy after drinking a cup.
How to brew black tea?
- Bring the water to a boil in the pot.
- Measure the tea leaves . A teaspoon of loose tea leaves in 200-250 ml of water is ideal.
- Place the tea leaves in a teapot and pour boiling water over them . Close the cover .
- After two minutes , remove the lid and stir the tea. Close the lid again.
- Leave the soaked tea leaves for another 3 minutes .
- Once the tea is sufficiently steeped, place the strainer over the cup and pour in the brewed tea .
- Serve and enjoy !
