White tea is a loose leaf tea and is one of the most delicate teas in the world to process. It’s soft and light, with a subtle fragrance and slightly sweet floral flavor.
The level of caffeine in white tea is much lower than the amount found in coffee and other types of black teas because it avoids the oxidation process.
White tea was introduced in the Fujian province of China, it is said to have originated somewhere between 600 and 1300 A.D. At the time, tea drinking was exceedingly popular throughout the country.
During this time, citizens were forced to bring rare and fine white tea to the emperors each year to pay their tributes, a type of tea tax. Imperial tea gardens were developed in secret to cultivate Camellia Sinensis tea leaves in early spring.
Although white teas are generally overlooked due to its lack of popularity, it still has many health benefits accompanied by its delicious aroma.
Due to the subtle sweetness of Chinese white tea, it’s best if you drink it on an empty stomach. The strong aroma and taste of many foods would clash with the light flavor and likely overpower it, ruining the experience.
To get the most benefits out of your white tea, drink it between meals or every time you’re fasting.
Camellia Sinensis is one of the most popular types of tea plants. Camellia Sinensis is the only plant source for producing non-herbal teas such as white tea, along with earl grey tea, green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and Pu Erh tea.
Out of all herbal teas, white tea is prepared with minimal processing. Less processing means that white tea retains many of its natural plant properties and nutritional benefits such as flavonoids and flavanols, antioxidants, polyphenols, and catechins.
# Improves Skin Health and Has Anti-Aging PropertiesAcne and blemishes on your face are usually caused by excess oil produced by your skin that ends up clogging your pores with oil and getting infected. White tea can help you get cleaner, softer, and clearer skin. Especially because white tea is rich in antioxidants and fights the free radicals that make your skin prone to premature ageing, damage, and dryness.
These antioxidants have powerful anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory properties that prevent internal oxidation and clears your skin’s external layer. White tea has many health benefits for your skin, such as reducing redness and inflammation that can cause eczema, as well as scalp dryness that can cause dandruff.
Acne can also be caused by pollutants in the air, airborne bacteria, a poor diet, as well as harmful free radicals. Research suggests that drinking a cup of white tea will lead to healthier skin, just once or twice per day can greatly reduce your acne by up to 38%.
# Can Help Fight and Prevent CancerOne of the most important health benefits of white tea is its link with cancer prevention. Cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide, predominantly in America. Several medical studies have shown that drinking a cup of white tea may slow down and help fight off cancer, due to the antioxidants and anticancer effects of white tea.
The antioxidants and polyphenols in white tea may prevent the mutation of cells that cause types of cancer. The quantity of antioxidants in white tea is said to be even higher than any other tea. Although the results of the studies are not definitive, there are clear links that white tea has the proven health benefit of helping fight and prevent cancer.
# White Tea Causes Weight LossWeight loss and fat oxidation are the most visually impacting health benefits of white tea. Many people are looking for a way to lose weight, more specifically body fat and water weight. Losing weight can extend your average lifespan, having a low body fat percent keeps your body in a healthy state.
# Strengthens and Maintains Hair healthWhite tea has many plant-based compounds and nutrients that help keep your hair healthy.
The epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) antioxidant is known to promote hair growth, prevent premature hair loss, improve scalp health, and even used for chemoprevention hair loss prevention treatments. EGCG also helps with scalp treatments for skin diseases caused by harmful bacteria, dryness, reduce inflammation, dandruff, acne, and eczema.
Additionally, white tea benefits your hair by preventing UV radiation damage from the sun in months when hair becomes easily dry and brittle, usually during summer and spring.
# Supports Strong Teeth and Strengthens EnamelRegularly drinking white tea benefits your teeth in multiple ways, it contains plant-based ingredients to strengthen your teeth, gums, enamel, as well as prevents plaque build-up and bacteria. White tea has multiple compounds such as tannins, catechins, and fluoride. All of which inhibit the buildup of plaque, fights off bacteria, and dissolves sugar residues in the mouth.
Studies show that tannins along with fluoride both inhibit the growth of bacteria that causes plaques, which are both necessary for having a set of bright white healthy teeth.
# White Tea Reduces InflammationDrinking a cup of loose leaf white tea can greatly reduce aches, pains, muscle strains, and sore joints caused by inflammation.The reduced inflammation is due to the catechins, polyphenols, and theaflavins of white tea.All of which contribute to the anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, as well as the prevention of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disease effects of white tea. A study including 1,000 Chinese men showed that white tea also improved blood circulation and oxygen absorption by the blood cells delivering nutrients to the brain.