white tea

Once a rarity in the Western world, white tea is earning impressive accolades for its potential health benefits. It is produced primarily in the Fujian province of China and comes from the same tea plant (Camellia sinensis)as black, green and oolong teas.

Each tea is distinctly different in flavour, colour and nutritional compounds based on the harvesting and processing methods that are used:

BLACK - Mature leaves are withered to reduce moisture content, rolled and left to fully ferment or oxidise. Darkened leaves are then dried to stop the fermentation process.

OOLONG - Leaves are processed in a similar manner to black tea but with a shorter fermentation period.

GREEN - Leaves, not subjected to the fermentation process, are withered, steamed, rolled and dried to stablise their natural green colour, flavour and nutrients.

WHITE - Least processed of all, immature leaves are harvested in early spring with the unopened silvery, white, downy buds. Leaves and buds are steamed and air-dried to prevent oxidisation and to preserve more of the natural plant nutrients and antioxidant content.

White tea has a delicate, slightly sweet, fresh taste and no "grassy" aftertaste sometimes associated with green tea. A cup of white tea contains less fluoride than other teas and only 15mg of caffeine, considerably less than the 40mg in black tea and 20mg in green tea.

MORE THAN JUST GOOD TASTE
White tea is brimming with naturally occurring polyphenols, powerful health-promoting antioxidants that improve immune function and suppress free radical activity to maintain the body's good health.

A study published in the African Journal of Biotechnology compared the antioxidant benefits of different teas. In the study the antioxidant capacity of white tea was shown to be similar to that of green tea. This can be attributed to the high level of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenol being studied for its effects on cancer cells.

POTENTIAL ANTICANCER AGENT
Laboratory tests on four varieties of white tea showed that it inhibited mutations in DNA, the earliest stage in the progression of a healthy cell to a cancerous one, more efficiently than green or black teas, suggesting increased potential for fighting cancer. A 2003 study published in the journal Carcinogenesis by the Linus Pauling Institute in the US found that white tea was as effective as green tea or sulindac, a prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in supporessing precancerous intestinal tumours in mice. This scientists also found that mice treated with a combination of white tea and sulindac had significantly fewer tumours than they did when treated with either substance alone.

GERM FIGHTER IN A CUP
White tea may also be beneficial in fighting viruses and bacterial and fungal infections. In 2004 researchers at Pace University in the US found that the antibacterial action of white tea may help retard the growth of Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and other bacteria that cause infections, pneumonia and dental caries. The study also showed that white tea has an antifungal effect on Penicillium spores and Saccharomyces yeast cells, rendering them inactive.

Despite the early stages of white tea research, the findings are encouraging, making white tea a good choice not only for flavour but also for its health benefits. Look for Silver Needles and White Peony (also known as Pai Mu Tan), two popular varieties at your favourite natural health store.

AFFIRMATION OF THE DAY: Today my heart brings me to new places of giving and sharing that I have not yet experienced. I am a friend today and get great satisfaction when I put the needs of others first because I want to, not because I think I have to do so.

Source: Alive Australia Magazine Winter Issue 2011 - Michelle Lynde is a clinical herbalist and aromatherapist who enjoys a good cup of tea