White tea is truly a pearl among various types of tea. It is considered the most expensive, and this is not surprising. After all, white tea is considered by many to be the most useful. It contains a maximum of useful substances and vitamins, which are stored in other varieties in smaller quantities due to special processing.

White teas have a very strict collection and processing procedure. It is believed that you can collect white tea only in the morning, from 5 to 9 o'clock. At the same time, tea pickers are not allowed to eat spices, garlic, onions and alcohol, as well as other strong-smelling compounds, so as not to spoil the aroma of tea leaves. For tea, only the top 1 or 2 leaves are harvested, then they are kept over steam for 1 minute and dried. The main difference between white tea is that its leaves do not curl, which makes the tea look slightly clumsy. However, connoisseurs prefer this kind of tea. Thanks to this, the fermentation of white tea takes place in a natural way without the use of special technological innovations. In fact, the process of drying white tea is the only process by which the manufacturer can somehow influence the final product. That is why it is approached with special care.

High-quality white teas can be determined by how intact the leaves remain. Those. despite the fact that they turn out to be crooked, the leaf itself should be preserved as intact as possible. Another characteristic feature of good white tea is the presence of small hairs on the leaves themselves.

White teas require very careful handling. If you have already spent money on an expensive and good product, try to brew it in such a way as to preserve the maximum benefit and get the most pleasure from this drink. For brewing white tea, water should be used, the temperature of which ranges from 50 to 70 degrees Celsius. In principle, you can also use hotter water. The main thing is that it should not be overboiled, because. such water will not allow the aroma of white tea to open. White tea should be stored in a tin box so that it does not have access to various odors, because. it instantly absorbs all extraneous aromas. When brewed, white tea takes on a light amber hue, possibly with a slight greenish tinge.

The consumption of white tea also has its own traditions and rules. The fact is that the delicate and refined taste white tea is rather weak. Therefore, you should not drink white tea after spicy, salty, tart foods, because. those that leave a strong aftertaste. Naturally, white tea should be drunk on its own, without jamming.

White teas, regardless of the variety, are of great benefit to our body. They are rich in antioxidants and slow down the aging process of the skin, prevent the appearance of malignant tumors. White tea also has an antiviral effect and strengthens the cardiovascular system.

The magic of white tea

Traditional Russian tea drinking sometimes lasts for hours and is not limited to one cup, which is very reminiscent of an oriental tea ceremony. Although today fans of this soul-warming and tonic drink do not gather at the samovar, the assortment of tea has become much more diverse than a dozen years ago. Despite all the many colors of tea: black, red, yellow, green, blue and white, all its varieties are produced from the leaves of the same plant - the tea bush. White tea has been especially popular lately, what is so special about it?

The color, taste and content of nutrients in tea depends on the way the leaves are processed after harvest and on the degree of their fermentation. White tea undergoes the most gentle, minimal processing. To stop the fermentation process, the leaves are steamed for one minute and then dried, sometimes just in the sun. Very often, tea is processed directly at the place of collection. But the exclusivity of white tea is not only this. The fact is that only the most tender, not yet fully blossomed, first leaves are used for its production. They are covered with silvery-white villi, which gave the tea its name. For the most exclusive white tea, only the upper buds are harvested, the Chinese called them with love "white cilia", in order to gain a kilogram of such cilia, you need to pick 150 thousand buds, which is beyond the power of one tea picker per day (this delicate work is done mainly by women). For a more affordable variety of white tea, the top leaf (tips) and the next one are torn off. Since the villi quickly disappear from young leaves, white tea is harvested only two days a year in the early morning hours.

White tea has an extremely delicate and fragile aroma that absorbs surrounding odors very easily. That is why tea pickers are forbidden to eat onions, garlic and hot spices, otherwise they can ruin the original aroma of tea. In the white tea harvest season, which is the beginning of April, orchards bloom in China, which often coexist with tea plantations. The aroma of flowers settles on the silvery villi of the first tea leaves, which gives the drink a characteristic floral aroma. The Chinese are in no hurry to part with this jewel, and white tea enters the world market in very limited quantities. White tea should be stored very carefully, in a tightly sealed container, preventing the penetration of light, moisture and foreign odors. Due to the laborious collection and storage complexity, the price of white tea is much higher than ordinary green tea, and its most exclusive varieties cost more than a thousand dollars per kilogram. Very often, they try to pass off ordinary green tea as white tea, so you need to buy it only in specialized tea shops. White tea leaves should not be twisted or broken, they are light silver-green on the outside and whitish on the back. Freshly harvested tea emits a light floral or herbal aroma.

White tea is valuable not so much for its exoticism as for its usefulness. In the old days in China, this drink was served only at the table of the emperor and was originally used as a healing drug. Due to the fact that tea leaves are minimally processed, they retain all the beneficial properties. First of all, these are catechins (bioflavonoids, polyphenols and antioxidants), which are powerful weapons against cancer cells, in addition, they strengthen the immune system, fight infection-causing bacteria and viruses, as well as free radicals that cause the aging process. White tea is rich in fluoride, which prevents tartar and cavities. Drinking white tea promotes hematopoiesis and prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases. One cup of this magical drink contains more vitamins and minerals than a serving of fresh spinach, broccoli or carrots. In a word, not tea, but a rejuvenating drink. It is thanks to these properties that white tea extracts are used in the manufacture of medicines, anti-aging creams, toothpastes, and thanks to the elusive subtle aroma and in perfumery.

Delicate white tea leaves require special handling and therefore a special brewing method. In no case should white tea be brewed with boiling water, otherwise the finest essential oils contained in it will be destroyed. It is best to use filtered or pure spring water, which should be brought to a boil (but not boiled) and allowed to cool for a few minutes. It is also not recommended to use already boiled water. The ideal temperature for brewing white tea is 60-75°C. Water is poured into a preheated teapot, it is best to use glass or ceramic teapots. Since the leaves are not twisted and therefore more voluminous, a little more tea is taken per cup than usual - about 2 teaspoons. Brewing time for white tea depends on its type, usually about 5 minutes for the first brew and 2-3 for subsequent ones. You can brew white tea 3-4 times. If you use white tea for medicinal purposes, then you need to infuse it for 15 minutes. One of the ancient recipes for normalizing blood pressure prescribes drinking white tea 3 times a day for 3-4 weeks. White tea infusion has a light yellow or golden green color. The Chinese even have an ironic saying about this: “he treats guests with white tea”, which means the onset of hard times, it is understood that just boiling water is poured into cups. White tea is a delight for gourmets, and drinking it becomes a real ceremony. How can you drink such carefully collected and processed tea "on the run"! The taste of white tea should be enjoyed in its purest form, by no means with a bite of chocolate or cake. Unlike other types of tea, white tea contains very little caffeine and tannin, which makes it taste especially mild. To perceive the delicate taste of white tea, you need to prepare, choose free time, a special cup. The cup and teapot for white tea must be absolutely clean, without the smell of detergents or other drinks. If you are a fan of strong black teas, then you need to gradually switch to white and first “taste” green, otherwise you simply won’t feel the taste and aroma of white.

White tea is collected mainly in China, in the mountainous regions of Fujian province. The most famous varieties are: white peony, green snow, silver needles, snow bud. There are also Ceylonese white tea (Sri Lanka) and Darjeeling (India). White tea is an expensive pleasure that not everyone can afford, its