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Have you come across anyone who can claim he or she has not drunk tea all his or her life at all? Such is the spell this quintessential and unassuming hot beverage has cast. One cup of tea can refresh you and get you going to work. The flavor and the taste add a zing in that environment. Tea culture is prevalent not only in Asian countries but also in European countries and Middle East. In addition to its taste and flavor, it has got medicinal values also. In countries like and India and China, who are the largest tea producers in the world, people like to have tea, rather to alcoholic drinks. Tea belongs to Camellia family of bushes and is in the Sinensis species.

Types of tea available globally

Is it not surprising that though tea is consumed in all parts of the world, albeit in different forms? Tea is broadly classified into White tea or Green tea, Black tea and Oolong tea. And depending upon their brewing temperatures, they may be further classified.

White Tea

Tea leaves are nipped while they are still budding and protected well from sunlight and atmospheric conditions to prevent oxidation. White tea is less used and costlier too, because of its complex processing and storing.

Green Tea

Green Tea or popularly known as Herbal Tea are exposed to minimum oxidation and the leaves are dried separately. The amount of Antioxidants like Catechins is found maximum in Green & White tea. Hence both the types are very well known for their medicinal qualities. Ancient Chinese history depicts presence of anti cancerous elements in Green Tea.

Black Tea/Red Tea

Black Tea is more popular in South Asia. This, in various brand names of Assam tea & Darjeeling Tea, is mainly liked for its aromatic taste and flavor. It is also known as the wake-up tea, which gets rid of that hangover of sleepiness.

Oolong Tea is somewhere in between Green Tea and black Tea.

Commercially, tea is sold as Green Label, Red Label and Yellow Label in the order of their processing and value retention. The selling price follows the same pattern.

Health Benefits of Tea

Rich contents like catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate, the anti oxidant, has been shown to be killing cancer cells. Secondly, reducing LDL cholesterol, and preventing the vicarious blood clots is an added advantage from green tea. Green tea is actually produced by not allowing the antioxidants to degenerate, which is its biggest plus point. The antioxidants, catechins, prevent cancer cells from adhering to tissues and react with metals like mercury, lead, cadmium and chrome.

There is no doubt, a couple of cups of tea every day, keeps the doctor away.