Types of Tea and Their Temperament

Farzollah Gholizadeh and Fariba Bayrami

How white, green, black, oolong, pu-erh and matcha tea are made, and the temperament of each in traditional medicine.

The word “tea” (chai) comes from Chinese and passed, pronounced in almost the same way, into Turkish, Persian and many other languages.

Today tea is grown not only in China and India but also in Japan, Java, Brazil, Argentina, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Kenya, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran and many other places.

Tea’s botanical name is Camellia sinensis. In the wild the tea tree can grow taller than 10 metres, but cultivated plants are usually kept below 2 metres. The leaves are dark green. The fruit is a three-chambered capsule holding one or two seeds.

According to Chinese tradition, tea was discovered in China nearly 5,000 years ago.

How tea spread around the world

• In the 9th century tea reached Japan from China and became an important part of Japanese culture.
• In the 16th century Dutch and Portuguese traders brought tea to Europe.
• In the 17th century the British entered the tea trade through the East India Company, and tea spread to India and Iran, then to Turkey and throughout Britain.
• The British began growing tea in India and Ceylon (today’s Sri Lanka), moving the trade from China to their own colonies.

How the different teas are made

All true teas come from a single plant, Camellia sinensis. What decides the type of tea is how the leaves are processed after picking. This produces everything from very delicate white tea to dark, full-bodied black tea.

The leaves are picked, processed (oxidised, often called “fermented”) and dried. The degree of processing changes the type of tea and its properties. If the leaves are withered, crushed or rolled and then dried, the result is black tea. If they are steamed or pan-heated and then dried, the result is green tea. Very lightly processed, unoxidised leaves give white tea, and partly oxidised leaves give oolong.

1. White tea

White tea is the simplest and most natural tea. Very young, silvery buds and leaves are picked and simply dried, usually in the shade. They are neither rolled nor deliberately oxidised. White tea is generally low in caffeine. Its temperament is cold and dry, so it suits people with a hot temperament or excess heat in the body. It is very relaxing, rich in antioxidants, light and valued for healthy ageing.

White tea is close to green tea. It is processed even less, but the two taste quite similar. Green tea tends to have a grassy taste; white tea does not, and is light and slightly sweet.

White tea is among the most prized and most expensive teas in the world. It is made by hand-picking the youngest leaves and buds, covered in fine silvery down, which gives the brewed tea its soft taste. It is called “white” because of this white-silver down on the leaves, even though the brew itself is pale yellow.

White tea shares the benefits of green and black tea. Because it is made from young, unopened buds and is so little processed, it keeps a high level of antioxidants. The caffeine in a cup depends largely on how it is brewed: the hotter the water and the longer the steeping, the more caffeine is released.

Benefits of white tea in traditional medicine

• Aids digestion
• Quenches thirst
• Helps the body clear harmful matter
• Relieves constipation
• Helps the body release harmful sweat and lightens excess moisture
• Helps clear excess fluid and waste
• Lifts tiredness and brightens the mood

Other benefits attributed to white tea, “the king of teas”, include:

• Antioxidant and antibacterial properties
• Support for healthy ageing
• Help against infections
• Some protection of the skin against UV damage
• Oral and dental health, and bone strength
• Support for blood sugar control
• Support for eye health
• Immune support
• Support for weight management and healthy blood pressure
• Easing of headaches

Because white tea is difficult and costly to produce, it is made in smaller quantities and is less widely available than other teas.

Popular white teas

• White Peony (Bai Mu Dan): made from the first and second spring pickings, using a bud with young leaves.
• Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen): the most expensive white tea, made only from needle-shaped, silvery buds.
• Blooming white tea: White Peony or Silver Needle tied together with flowers into a bundle that opens in hot water.

2. Green tea

Right after picking, the leaves are heated, either by steaming (the Japanese method) or in a hot pan (the Chinese method). This deactivates the leaf enzymes and stops oxidation. The leaves are then rolled and dried. Because they are not oxidised, they stay green. Green tea is high in antioxidants and may support weight management, skin and heart health. Its temperament is cold and dry, so it suits people with a hot temperament.

The heat stops oxidation, the process in which the leaf reacts with oxygen and darkens. Keeping the leaves green gives green tea a lighter taste than black tea. Good green tea leaves should not be brown, and the brewed tea should be a shade of green.

Studies show that green tea leaves contain roughly twice as many catechins as black tea.

3. Black tea

After picking, the leaves are withered for a while to soften them, then rolled. This releases the enzymes and starts oxidation. As the leaves are exposed to air they darken until they are almost black. They are then dried at high temperature and packed. Black tea has its own rich aroma, dark colour and strong taste. Its temperament is hot and dry (some sources say close to moderate), so it suits people with a cold and moist (phlegmatic) temperament.

Because black tea is fully oxidised, it is richer, stronger and more astringent than green tea, and it generally contains more caffeine and tannins.

One of the biggest differences between teas is the length of oxidation, meaning how long the leaves are exposed to oxygen after harvest. The longer the exposure, the darker the leaves and the deeper and stronger the flavour. Tea makers start or stop oxidation by bruising, shaping or breaking the leaves, or by steaming or pan-firing them.

Tea is a natural source of caffeine, theophylline, theanine and antioxidants, while containing almost no fat, carbohydrate or protein.

4. Oolong tea

Oolong sits between green and black tea. After picking, the leaves are withered and partly oxidised, but not as much as black tea. Its taste is soft and balanced, neither very bitter nor very mild. Its temperament is considered moderate: neither very hot nor very cold. Oolong comes mainly from China and Taiwan.

5. Pu-erh tea

Pu-erh is a very special tea that goes through a long fermentation. After light processing, the leaves are aged in special conditions for months or even years. It is dark in colour, with an earthy, deep taste. Its temperament is hot and dry, so it suits people with a phlegmatic or melancholic (sawda) temperament.

6. Matcha

Matcha is a special green tea grown in the shade. The leaves are steamed, dried and ground into a very fine powder, which is whisked into hot water rather than steeped. It is high in caffeine and antioxidants and is known for improving focus and giving energy. Its temperament is cold and dry.

What processing changes

The more a tea is processed, as with black tea or pu-erh, the lower its antioxidant content tends to be, but the stronger its flavour and stimulating effect. Less processed teas, such as white and green tea, keep more of the compounds linked to health and healthy ageing, but taste lighter. Black tea is more stimulating and better for alertness and fighting fatigue.

A note on caffeine

All true teas contain caffeine. People who are pregnant, have anxiety, insomnia, heart rhythm problems or iron-deficiency anaemia should keep strong tea moderate and avoid drinking it with iron-rich meals.

Source: Temperament and Benefits of Medicinal Plants, Farzollah Gholizadeh