Here you will find information on the health benefits of tea along with history, literature, cultivation, processing, classification, blending, tea culture, preparation and storage.

Years of research, in the United States and Japan support the theory that Tea (Camellia Sinensis) has the ability to ward off many types of cancer. Controlled studies on green tea extract - and WHITE Tea in particular have yielded impressive results.

Many health experts and researchers say tea is a healthy alternative to other beverages, such as soda. Tea has been gaining more popularity among Westerners, but it's been a staple of Eastern lifestyles for thousands of years. The white tea research was presented at the American Chemical Society annual meeting in San Francisco.

White Tea - White tea is a sub-category of Green Tea. White teas are simply quickly air-dried. They represent the least fermented of all categories of teas. They also appear to be highest in antioxidants. According to recent Japanese studies (cancer research) white teas offer the highest in medicinal value. Some folks reason that since white teas are the least fermented, less than the typical green, then they should contain the least caffeine. But they do not. The caffeine varies greatly dependent upon what part of the tea plant and the time the leaf is picked. Early morning, Spring, tender young buds and new growth leaf, and only the first few leaves are actually one of the highest in caffeine.

This special tea is high in antioxidants and consists totally of young buds that are covered with white down. A complex and subtle light sweet taste This rare tea consists of only singular tender buds picked in Spring before they open and laid out on mats and air dried. The reason for the name, "White Down Silver Needles," is quite apparent with one glance at the buds. The prominence of the delicate white hairs on the buds is quite striking. Tea brewed from these buds have a pale yellow hue with a light honey-sweet scent. Its taste is delicate with a clean mellow sweetness. The aftertaste is fresh and sweet.

-- It's not everyone's cup of tea -- at least not yet --but white tea appears to have more potent anticancer qualities than green tea, according to studies performed at the Linus Pauling Institute of Oregon State University in Corvallis. The researchers tested the tea to determine whether it could help prevent genetic mutations in bacteria, and colon and rectal cancer in cancer-prone rats. The rats were offered white tea -- at a strength equivalent to steeping a tea bag in a cup for 5 minutes -- instead of water for 8 weeks. In both experiments, white tea was shown to have a strong protective effect, said Dr. Gilberto Santana-Rios, who described his work at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society.

By some measures, white tea offered twice the protection of water alone, and significantly more protection than green tea, he said." I was surprised by the potency. We were not expecting that much of a good result,"

Although all teas are made from the same type of plant, they differ in which parts of the plant are collected and how they are processed. The most common tea in North America and much of Europe, black tea, is also the most heavily processed. For black tea the leaves are withered, rolled, roasted and dried, and when steeped they produce a characteristic dark beverage.

"White tea may help fight cancer"

"Silver Needle White hair Tea . Reputed to impart the most health benefits of teas"

"White Tea Wards Off Colon Cancer"

This is one of the rarest and finest organic teas available in the world! It is only harvested for 2-3 days each spring in China's Fujian province, and consequently only a very limited supply is available. Silver Needles white tea is handpicked from the first unopened flower buds, which are immediately dried, so there is a minimal amount of processing. Beautiful to look at, the tea needles are frosted with graceful white hairs, and smooth texture.

In hard times, very poor Chinese people would serve guests boiled water if they could not afford tea. Host and guest would refer to the water as "white tea" and act as if the tradition of serving guests tea had been carried out as usual. This usage is related to plain boiled water being called "white boiled water" in Chinese.

For white tea, the leaves and white-colored buds of the plant are merely steamed and dried. When steeped in hot water, the result is a lightly colored liquid with a taste reminiscent of green tea. "We still don't know what it is about the white tea -- we haven't found it yet," Santana-Rios commented. But the researchers have ruled out the buds, which are not used in other teas, by showing that the leaves alone produce the identical effects.

Green Tea -

Green tea's antioxidants have been shown to be highly beneficial to the heart - they help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

Green tea has been shown to be anti-bacterial, able to kill the potentially deadly Staphylococcus aureus and the bacteria that causes acne, Bacterium acne.

Green Tea contains natural caffeine and other Phenolic-containing antioxidant compounds. They activate the central nervous system, which may spar the body's ability to burn calories and unwanted fat cells through the Thermogenic process.

The phenol groups in Green Tea polyphenols are extremely active, easily able to capture and neutralize free radicals and other pro-oxidants. Researchers have found that EGCG is over 200 times more powerful than vitamin E in neutralizing pro-oxidants and free radicals that attack lipids (oils and fats). EGCE is also 20 times more potent than vitamin E in reducing the formation of dangerous and potentially mutagenic peroxides that form in rancid fats and lard.

EGCE is also known to confer protection against respiratory and digestive infections and food poisoning, while encouraging acidophilus growth and regularizing bowel habits. In laboratory studies, 500 mg. of green tea catechins per day have been shown to significantly lower blood pressure and possess anti-mutagenic activity. Additionally, at very high levels (0.5% to 1% of daily diet) green tea catechins reduced high total- and LDL-cholesterol levels in animal studies.

Green Tea blocks the attachment of bacteria to the teeth, protecting against cavities. Green Tea extract is non-toxic, both in acute doses and high long-term doses. There is no potential for causing mutation or birth defects, and no adverse effect on fertility, pregnancy or nursing.

African Red Rooibos - Rooibos was discovered by European explorers over 300 years ago in a specific mountain region of South Africa. Rooibos was not widely available until the early 1990s when sanctions on South African products were lifted at the end of the apartheid regime. Since then, rooibos has been scientifically analyzed and documented to be rich in iron, potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium, flouride, manganese, sodium and other health-giving nutrients. According to one scientific study, reported in Alternative Medicine magazine, the highly defensive natural antioxidant properties found in rooibos are up to 50 times more potent than those of green tea. Equally exciting, the tea is considered to be anti-aging, particularly for preventing age-related byproducts of oxidation in the brain. That the tea is naturally caffeine free is another bonus.

Benefits and Uses of Rooibos Tea
Rooibos tea is the ideal drink for people with a busy lifestyle. It can be enjoyed in unlimited quantities throughout the day. It is a great thirst quencher for athletes as iced tea, or mixed with fruit juice. For the diet conscious, who are experiencing the stress of a restricted diet, Rooibos is a soothing drink, without adding calories. Because of its lower tannin content, Rooibos is less bitter than regular tea and can be enjoyed without sugar.

Rooibos is not just for making drinks. It can also be used in baking and cooking. Rooibos can be used in any recipe. Just replace the liquid content in the recipe with ready made Rooibos tea. It may be used as base for soups, stews, marinades, and sauces. Rooibos is also a natural meat tenderizer.

Rooibos Tea for Mothers and Babies
Many desperate mothers have found that Rooibos tea relieves colic and stomach cramps in babies, when given in addition to their normal feeding. Some mothers have great faith in Rooibos tea to alleviate diaper rash. It has a soothing effect when applied to the affected area with every diaper change. Others believe it is useful in the treatment of certain skin irritations or eczema. Mothers will also tell you that this health drink relieves symptoms of allergies, hay fever, and asthma in babies and toddlers.

Japanese Research into Rooibos
Perhaps the highest testimony of the benefits of this pure and natural beverage comes from Japan, a society famous for its age-old devotion to the art of tea making. Here, Rooibos has been promoted as a healthy alternative to other cold and warm beverages.

Japanese scientist Matatoshi Nakano, has discovered that the effect of free radicals - a byproduct of normal cell function - in the process of aging and decline of the immune system is limited by the antioxidants in Rooibos. If the product is brewed/boiled for longer than 10 minutes, the antioxidant activity becomes much higher.

The Anti Aging Tea?
It has been found that Rooibos tea contains a substantial amount of a very special enzyme, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) which is a prime preventer of Free Radical Damage. SOD also has the capability of preventing fats from changing into harmful lipid peroxide. As Rooibos tea also contains natural antioxidants, which help to remove or neutralize these toxins, there is growing acceptance that Rooibos could assist in countering the aging process and boost the immune system. Rooibos Tea is also rich in Quercetin, the flavonol that has beneficial effects on numerous ailments. It is well known for increasing capillary strength, which aids in circulation, prevents hemorrhaging, and protects against infections.

In the late 1920's, Dr. Nortier, a well-known medical doctor and nature lover, discovered the Rooibos and began to promote its value. Since then, Rooibos Tea has gone from strength to strength and is currently being exported to several countries such as Germany, Switzerland, England, and even Japan, a country renowned for it's almost sacred regard for the art of tea making.

Rooibos is grown only in a small area in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape province. Generally, the leaves are oxidised, a process often, and inaccurately, referred to as fermentation by analogy with tea-processing terminology. This process produces the distinctive reddish-brown colour of rooibos and enhances the flavour. Unoxidised "green" rooibos is also produced, but the more demanding production process for green rooibos (similar to the method by which green tea is produced) makes it more expensive than traditional rooibos.