Four

White Tea

This chapter discusses the health benefits of white tea and describes some types. It is necessarily a short chapter because white tea is a form of green tea, and green tea has already been discussed.

White tea is so named because the silver fuzz that still covers the immature buds and leaves after they are picked turns white when they are dried. As you learned in chapter 1, white tea is a kind of green tea. Therefore, most of the health benefits described in chapter 3 also apply to white tea. However, a few studies have been performed that relate specifically to white tea.

White teas contains a high level of antioxidants because the leaves and buds are steamed and dried immediately after harvesting, locking in their antioxidant qualities. Because of this kind of processing, white tea contains far less caffeine than other types of tea. Also, as you will discover in chapter Seven on brewing, this type of tea is brewed at a slightly cooler temperature.

Here are some specific health benefits inherent in white tea:

• The polyphenols in white tea can help fight fatigue and wrinkles due to aging. This conclusion is the result of a study done by T. S. A. Thring, P. Hili, and D. P. Naughton at Kingston University in London and published in the Journal of Inflammation.
• Because of its high antioxidant content, white tea can help prevent various cancers better than other types of tea by destroying free radicals. The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University in Corvallis conducted a study on mice published in the journal Carcinogenesis, using subjects that were genetically predisposed to cancer. The results of this study suggest that white tea can prevent cancerous colon tumors.
• For the same reason, white tea can effectively bolster the body’s immune system against a variety of bacteria and diseases. M. Schiffenbauer conducted a study at Pace University on “The Anti-Bacterial, Antifungal, and Anti-Viral Effect of White Tea” that showed how white tea kills Staphylococcus and Streptococcus infections as well as bacteria that cause pneumonia.
• The same study mentioned above suggested that the fluoride in white tea can help prevent tooth decay by slowing the growth of dental plaque.

Types of White Tea

Fewer varieties of white tea exist than green or black teas. As with green tea, white teas are often found scented to add flavor. Fruits make popular additions and health wise, add extra nutrients, specifically vitamin C. Here are some varieties:

• Silver Needle—This type of white tea is said to be of the highest quality, and therefore, is the most popular. Ivory colored when dried, this variety is made from exclusively from the buds coming from the Fujian province of China.
• White Peony—Is also a popular tea that looks whitish to clear in the cup. The buds and the top leaves are picked before they open and are allowed to wither only slightly. After withering, they are dried by a hot air process that prevents further oxidation and preserves nutrients and freshness. A high-quality white peony will have both the bud and leaf covered in silvery white hair.
• Long Life Eyebrow—This tea is concocted from the leaves left over after harvesting for silver needle and white peony. This, however, does not mean that the health benefits are fewer as this tea is processed in much the same way as the other white teas.
• White Darjeeling—This type of tea is produced in a similar way to silver needle tea, but because it is grown and processed in the Darjeeling region of India, it tastes more earthy and contains more caffeine and fewer antioxidants.
• Yin Zhen—This very slightly oxidized white tea uses only first flush leaf shoots. Yin zhen is the most expensive, but it is famous for its antioxidant and body cooling properties, so it makes a good tea to drink during the hot summer months.

White Tea in Color Healing

Most white teas look yellow to clear in the cup. The yellow hue is a sunny balance between the red and blue ends of the spectrum. The color yellow is linked to creativity, inspiration, mental agility, magnetism, communication, and altruism. Drink yellow-colored teas when you aspire to make a sudden change in your life, achieve success in the performing arts, medicine, diplomacy or counseling, or when you want to charm or persuade. Yellow teas can help you modify your own attitudes, too. Overcome a bad habit, accept a situation you cannot change, and gain the confidence to reach your highest goals with yellow-colored teas. The yellow-colored white teas combine especially well with ginger, both of which are aids to digestion. The vanilla milk tea recipe toward the end of this book in the Recipes section makes use of both white tea and ginger.

White teas can also look clear to whitish in the cup, so in color healing, they also fit the white category. It is difficult to get a tea to look completely white unless you add milk because the nature of tea coloration is to be clear. This color represents clarity, spiritual enlightenment, cleansing, clairvoyance, healing, and truth seeking. As to physical health, white teas are good for detoxification.

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