Aside from water, tea is the world’s most popular and frequently ingested beverage. Humans have been drinking tea since the beginning of recorded history and there is a seemingly endless variety of teas and flavours. Because tea can be made from the leaves or flowers of virtually any beneficial plant or mixture of plants, the possibilities for different combinations and flavours are limited only by one’s imagination. Generally speaking, however, there are only two basic types of tea: those that contain caffeine and those that do not.
Naturally caffeinated teas are divided into three categories, black, green or white, and are all harvested from the same plant, camellia sinensis. Their colour names refer to the level of the processing they undergo. Many health benefits are realised from drinking these caffeinated teas, with green tea garnering the recent spotlight due to its recognition as a powerful antioxidant. Flavours are added to caffeinated teas to enhance their taste by a process known as scenting. Bergamot is an example of a caffeinated tea that has been scented or infused with additional flavour, providing antibacterial properties to the stomach. Drinking Jasmine tea, another flavoured or scented caffeinated tea, promotes weight loss and also has powerful antioxidant properties. Continue reading ‘The Types and Flavours of Tea’ »