The world of tea: types and effects of tea

Tea has transcended regional cultures and become a common language in the world. From the Eastern tea ceremony to the Western afternoon tea, the fragrance of tea spreads in every corner of the world. However, with so many types of tea available, do you know the differences between them? This article will take you to explore the subtleties of Eastern tea and the charm of Western tea.

1. Oriental tea: six major tea categories, each with its own charm

Oriental tea, represented by Chinese tea, is mainly divided into six categories according to the degree of fermentation:

green tea: It is not fermented and retains the original freshness and freshness of tea. Representative teas include Longjing, Biluochun, etc.
White tea: Slightly fermented, the surface of the tea leaves is covered with white hairs, the taste is sweet, and the aroma is rich. Representative teas include Silver Needle, White Peony, etc.
Yellow tea: After slight fermentation, the tea soup takes on a unique "golden yellow" color and has a mellow taste through the "boring yellow" process. Representative teas include Junshan Silver Needle, Mengding Huangya, etc.
Green tea: Semi-fermented tea, also known as oolong tea, has a fermentation level between green tea and black tea. It has a fragrant aroma and mellow taste. Representative teas include Tieguanyin, Dahongpao, etc.

Green tea selection︱frozen top oolong tea bag
black tea: Fully fermented, the tea leaves are deep red in color, the tea soup is bright red, and the taste is strong. Representative teas include Keemun black tea, Lapsang souchong, etc.
Dark tea: Post-fermentation, after microbial fermentation, the tea leaves are dark in color and mellow in taste. Representative teas include Pu'er tea, Anhua dark tea, etc.

2. Western tea: blending and creativity, infinite taste

Western tea, based on black tea, has developed a variety of blended teas, herbal teas and fruit teas, focusing on the richness of aroma and taste.

black tea: The main base of Western tea, it has different flavors depending on its origin and grade, such as:
- Keemun Black Tea: China's famous black tea, famous for its unique "Qimen Fragrance".
- Assam black tea: Indian black tea with a strong taste, suitable for pairing with milk and sugar.
- Ceylon Black Tea: Sri Lankan black tea, with fresh aroma and diverse taste.
Mix tea: Different types of tea are blended to create unique flavors, such as:
- English Breakfast Tea: Usually a blend of Assam and Ceylon black tea, it has a rich taste and is suitable for morning drinking.
- Earl Gray tea: black tea with bergamot oil added to it, which has a unique aroma and is popular all over the world.
Herbal tea: It does not contain tea leaves, but is brewed with flowers, herbs and other plants, such as:
- Chamomile tea: has the effect of soothing mood and helping sleep.
- Peppermint tea: cooling and refreshing, helps with digestion.
Fruit tea: Use dried fruits as the base, add flowers, herbs or spices to brew a sweet and sour tea, such as:
- Fruit tea: usually mixed with a variety of dried fruits, such as apples, strawberries, mangoes, etc., sour and sweet to relieve greasiness.
- Roselle tea: Made from the calyx of the Roselle flower, it is sweet and sour to quench thirst and is rich in anthocyanins.

3. Eastern and Western tea: a blend of cultures, each leading the way

Oriental tea pays attention to the aroma and taste of the tea itself, pays attention to brewing techniques and tea tasting etiquette, and reflects the harmony between man and nature; Western tea focuses on blending and creativity, pursuing rich taste and aroma, and embodies the diversity and harmony of Western culture. tolerate.

However, Eastern and Western tea cultures are not distinct. Under the wave of globalization, the two continue to communicate and integrate, creating a more diverse tea drinking experience. For example:

Hong Kong-style milk tea: a classic drink that combines Western black tea and Eastern condensed milk and has become a unique representative of Hong Kong’s food culture.
Japanese matcha latte: Combining traditional Japanese matcha with Western latte coffee to create a drink with a unique flavor that is popular all over the world.
New tea drinks: In recent years, a new tea drink trend has emerged in China, which combines traditional tea with fruits, fresh milk, cheese and other elements, such as cheese milk tea, fruit tea, etc., showing the innovation and vitality of oriental tea. .

4. How to choose the tea that suits you

Faced with a dazzling array of tea types, how to choose the tea that suits you? You can choose based on your personal taste, body type and needs.

If you like a lighter taste: you can choose green tea, white tea or herbal tea;
If you like a thicker taste: you can choose black tea, dark tea or blended tea;
Pursue health benefits: you can choose white tea, yellow tea or herbal tea with specific effects;
If you want to refresh yourself: you can choose green tea, green tea, or tea with added ingredients such as mint and lemon;
Prefer sweet and sour taste: you can choose fruit tea and choose different flavor combinations according to personal preference.

5. Conclusion

Eastern and Western tea cultures each have their own charms. With the blending of cultures, tea drinks have become more diverse in form and taste. I hope this article can help you understand tea better and find your own peace and beauty in the fragrance of tea.

The world of tea: types and effects of tea