Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world, but it helps to know the intricacies of this beverage to avoid fakes. Here's a brief overview:
1 Fake Teas
These are usually used tea leaves, which are dried, then mixed with low quality tea dust and other leaves, and then sprayed with artificial colour to look like fresh tea.
2 Genuine Teas
Depending on how tea leaves are processed, you get many varieties of the beverage.
Black Tea
The rich flavour and dark colour of black tea comes from the process of oxidising the leaves after plucking. Its caffeine content is less than half of coffee.
Green Tea
The same leaves can make green tea, which is less oxidised than black tea. It has a lighter flavour, less caffeine and is rich with natural antioxidants.
White Tea
The least processed and has the most antioxidants. It has a subtle, delicate flavour and the least caffeine content.
Oolong Tea
Is partially oxidised, giving it a taste between black and green tea. It's known for its complex flavour profile and health benefits.
Pu-erh Tea
A fermented tea that improves with age, much like wine. It has a strong, earthy flavour and is often compressed into cakes or bricks.
Herbal Tea
Aren't technically teas as they don't come from the tea plant. They're infusions of herbs, spices, and other plants, often caffeine-free and used for their medicinal properties.
Chai
A spiced milk tea that originated in India. It's made by brewing black tea with a mixture of aromatic spices and herbs, then mixing it with milk and sweetener.
Matcha
A powdered green tea that's whisked into hot water. Since you're consuming the entire leaf, matcha has more caffeine and antioxidants than regular green tea.
Rooibos
A caffeine-free herbal tea from South Africa. It's rich in antioxidants and has a naturally sweet, nutty flavor.
Yerba Mate
A traditional South American drink made from the leaves of the yerba mate plant. It has a strong, earthy flavor and contains about as much caffeine as coffee.
Honeybush
A South African herbal tea with a sweet, floral flavor. It's naturally caffeine-free and rich in antioxidants.
Jasmine Tea
Typically made from green tea leaves that have been scented with jasmine flowers, giving it a delicate, floral aroma and flavor.
Earl Grey
A black tea flavored with oil from the rind of bergamot orange, giving it a distinctive citrusy aroma and taste.
Darjeeling Tea
Often called the "champagne of teas" due to its muscatel flavor. It's grown in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India, and has a light, floral aroma.
Assam Tea
A black tea named after the region of its production, Assam, in India. It's known for its bold, malty flavor and is often used in breakfast tea blends.
Nilgiri Tea
A fragrant, subtly floral black tea from the Nilgiri hills of southern India. It's known for its bright flavor and aromatic qualities.
Lapsang Souchong
A Chinese black tea that's smoke-dried over pinewood fires, giving it a distinctive smoky flavor and aroma.
Genmaicha
A Japanese green tea combined with roasted brown rice. It has a nutty flavor and is sometimes called "popcorn tea" due to the popped rice kernels.
Sencha
The most popular green tea in Japan, made from leaves that are steamed, rolled, and dried. It has a delicate balance of sweetness and astringency.
Gyokuro
A premium Japanese green tea that's shaded from sunlight for about three weeks before harvest. This increases chlorophyll and amino acid content, giving it a sweet, mild flavor.
Kukicha
A Japanese tea made from the stems, stalks, and twigs of the tea plant. It has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and is low in caffeine.
Bancha
A Japanese green tea made from more mature tea leaves, resulting in a stronger, more robust flavor than sencha.
Hojicha
A Japanese green tea that's roasted in a porcelain pot over charcoal, giving it a toasty, slightly caramel-like flavor and a reddish-brown color.
Dragon Well (Longjing)
A famous Chinese green tea with a flat, sword-shaped leaf. It has a sweet, mellow flavor with a lingering aftertaste.
Gunpowder
A Chinese green tea where each leaf is rolled into a small pellet that resembles gunpowder. It has a slightly smoky, slightly bitter taste.
Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yinzhen)
A premium white tea made only from the unopened buds of the tea plant. It has a delicate, sweet flavor and a light golden color.
White Peony (Bai Mu Dan)
A white tea made from the unopened buds and the first two leaves of the tea plant. It has a fuller flavor than Silver Needle but is still light and sweet.
Shou Mei
A white tea made from larger, more mature leaves. It has a stronger, earthier flavor than other white teas.
Tieguanyin (Iron Goddess of Mercy)
A premium oolong tea from China with a complex, floral aroma and a sweet, lingering aftertaste.
Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe)
A highly prized oolong tea from China. It's known for its smooth, rich flavor and long-lasting aftertaste.
Shui Xian (Narcissus)
A dark oolong tea with a rich, roasted flavor and a honey-like sweetness.
Dong Ding
A medium-oxidized oolong tea from Taiwan with a rich, fruity flavor and a sweet, lingering aftertaste.
Ali Shan
A high-mountain oolong from Taiwan with a light, floral aroma and a smooth, buttery texture.
Jin Xuan (Milk Oolong)
A Taiwanese oolong with a natural, creamy texture and a sweet, milky flavor.
Bai Hao (Oriental Beauty)
A Taiwanese oolong with a sweet, honey-like flavor and a fruity aroma, made from leaves that have been bitten by insects.
Ripe (Shou) Pu-erh
Undergoes a fermentation process to speed up aging, resulting in a dark, rich tea with an earthy, mellow flavor.
Raw (Sheng) Pu-erh
Ages naturally over time, developing more complex flavors as it ages. Young sheng pu-erh can be quite astringent, while aged sheng develops a smoother, more nuanced flavor.