Sweet and spicy. A hint of chocolate. The sweet fragrance of orchids. These distinctive flavors are what set black tea apart from other teas. Don’t get me wrong though. All of four types of tea - white, green, oolong, and black - come from the leaves of the same plant, Camellia sinensis, but there are differences that may be as subtle as a hint of flowery aftertaste or as blatant as the color of the brew.

What Separates Black Tea from Other Teas?

Black tea has always been valued for its unusually flavorful taste and rich color and aroma. But if all tea types come from the same plant, what makes black tea stand out? What gives it its distinct flavor? Why is it darker in color?

The difference may come from where which part of the plant is used to make the tea. In the case of white tea, the leaves used are those found only on the branch tips, particularly the leaf bud and possibly the first two leaves under the bud. That actually accounts for the extremely delicate taste of white tea.

On the other hand, black tea is made from the mature leaves of Camellia sinensis. The leaves are fully developed. When steeped and processed, the resulting flavor has a natural tang and loaded with richness.

Another source of distinction is that black tea, unlike green tea and oolong tea, is fully oxidized during processing. This is actually another reason why black teas are more full-bodied and robust in taste, compared to green tea, which is more delicate and fresh-tasting.

Black Tea Types

There are several different kinds of black tea available in the market today. Often, the difference lies in the names, which are usually taken from the districts in the countries where they are grown. Hence, you may have heard of Assam (India), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and Yunnan (China). Each of these black tea types possesses different characteristics, depending on the local conditions in the various regions where they are grown.

Besides often being named for the district in which they are grown, black teas were originally classified according to what leaves on the tea plant was plucked. While white tea is picked once a year every spring from leaf buds, the reformed tip - which includes the leaf bud and the first two leaves under bud - can be picked to make black tea. This led to classifications that range from Pekoe (pronounced ‘PECK-oh’) to others such as Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe and Tippy Golden Flowering Orange Pekoe.

What Black Tea Contains

Virtually all teas produced from Camellia sinensis naturally contain caffeine. The difference in processing does not change this caffeine content. So black tea, oolong, green, and white tea have approximately the same amount of caffeine, falling within a range of 25 to 60 mg of caffeine in a 6-oz. cup.

In addition, black tea contains several antioxidants that are good for the body. You may have heard of the many health benefits of green tea. The reason, of course, is the rich antioxidant content of green tea. And because black tea is made form the same plant as green tea, that jus goes to show how beneficial black tea can be to your health as well.

Posted by admin in Health

Black Rum Tea
Offered at 4 oz., making ten cups, this black rum tea is intoxicating and soothing all at once. CulinaryTeas.com - Buttered Black Rum Tea CulinaryTeas.com offers their buttered black rum tea, using the following lines: "Aye matey, ever been to sea? Don't forget this tea!" First discovered in 16th century England, the British navy adored rum because it was found to last longer than beer, which meant less spoilage, less waste, more happy hour for the sailor boy. Now, CulinaryTeas.com offers tea that is sure to remind you of how it was during the sailing days with their loose leaf tea and tea bag sachets. Wellcat.com - Jamaican Rum Royal Its name says it all. Wellcat.com's Jamaican Rum Black Tea Royal is an exciting black rum tea drink. A touch of rum gives your black tea a bolder and more exciting flavor. A dash of black tea gives your rum a unique taste. The Jamaican...

Black Tie Tuxedo
... function. Even if you haven't ever been to a formal gathering, it is still highly advisable that you invest in a black tie tuxedo. You wouldn't know, the next invite you get may just ask you to don your penguin suit. Black tie tuxedo would mean a black cummerbund and a lake tie. Of course a black dinner jacket would be a good choice as well. Black tie tuxedos can be worn in practically any type of formal affair all throughout the year. A white tuxedo may be the epitome of elegance but wearing one is restricted to the warm parts of Black Tea the year. Wearing a tux follows a certain sequence. Not that you'd look completely different if you stray from it, but you might feel more comfortable and confident once you get the hang of it....

Flavored Black Tea
... that, they are richer in color, flavor, and are higher in caffeine than any other tea. They are also aromatic and spicy, truly appealing to your taste buds with its distinctive scent and flavor. Because of this, they are considered as the most popular teas out of all Asian tea types. Black tea comes from the same plant, called Camellia sinensis, as green tea. The only difference between the two is how the leaves of the plant were processed. While black tea is first withered, rolled, Black Tea fermented, then dried, green tea is merely mildly steamed, which accounts for its delicate taste and its rich antioxidant content. However, if you want tea that really gives your palate a nudge, flavored black teas are a unique choice. Not only that, but like green and white tea, flavored black tea also contains valuable antioxidants and other beneficial properties. Similar to wine (which is another product of fermentation), flavored black tea gets better with age....

Information on Black Tea
... in China and is one of the oldest tea types in the world (nearly 1,500 years old). Ying De Hong From Guangdong province in China, Ying De Hong was first produced mechanically in 1959. Many people consider it poorer quality compared to other Chinese black tea types, however, if processed correctly, the Ying De Hong could actually yield a cocoa-like aroma that can be very appetizing. Like all black teas, Ying De Hong teas also has a sweet aftertaste. Assam From Assam, India, Assam black tea is black tea with a truly "black tea taste" - that is, it is full bodied Black Tea and strong. Information on black tea will tell you that Assam teas are actually grown at sea level, which might account for its briskness and malty flavor. If you think the astringency...

Black Tea Health
... age or undergo degenerative diseases like cancer and heart illness. The function of black tea health benefit antioxidants is to seek out these free radicals and destroy them. In so doing, these black tea health benefit antioxidants help protect your body from the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution. Caffeine Unless you consider yourself a coffee connoisseur, one black tea health benefit that you would surely appreciate is its caffeine content. Black tea does the job that your coffee does - that is, to give you a little push as you wake up in the morning after pulling up an all-nighter. But while coffee has the unfortunate reputation of causing heart palpitations because of too much drinking (and hence, too much caffeine), your chance of suffering the same with drinking black tea is nil. That's because black tea has two to three times less caffeine than coffee. An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around...

Black Pearl Earrings
... this was one of the finest gifts I have ever received. The black pearl earrings were not initially worn by me. My husband found them at an estate sale and he couldn't stop staring at them. He thought that they would be the perfect gift for our anniversary and he was absolutely correct. I was speechless when I saw them and I have been wearing them ever since. The only drawback to wearing black pearl earrings is that you have to make sure that they are easily seen. I have long hair and the small gem stones seemed to disappear under locks of hair. This problem is easily solved by arranging my hair around them but this can take a little extra time and this is a very small price to pay considering the comments of admiration I receive each time I sport the black pearl earrings. I discovered...

Black And White Photos
... deep red hue to the flowers and leaves the rest of the photograph in its original state. This creates breathtaking contrast that will impress and inspire. So if you want to focus on your eyes, you could still have the classic, clean feel of black and white photos while still incorporating the light blue color of your eyes as well. The process works the same as in the wedding example. The focus of this image will be eyes instead of flowers. I enjoy the color-sparse images so much that I often take my digital images and create black and white photos out of them. There are endless options available in Photoshop. You can quickly learn how to navigate through the program to develop black and white photos that suit your subject as well as your tastes. Some artists are inspired by the process as well. Creating drawings of people is often best...

Black Tea Caffeine
This reduces the danger of imbibing too much caffeine in your system since drinking even several cups of tea does not have quite the same potent Black Tea effects as a cup of strong black coffee. Yet, it should be noted that black tea caffeine can be quite confusing. One of its more confusing aspects is the fact that coffee actually contains less caffeine than tea when measured in its dry form. But when prepared in a cup, the caffeine content of coffee is significantly higher than the black tea caffeine content in a cup. What Determines Black Tea Caffeine Levels? The reason purportedly has something to do with how the tea was processed. But there actually several factors involved that may help determine black tea caffeine levels. These include the variety of tea leaf, where it is grown, particle size used, the particular tea leaf cut, and the method and length of brewing or steeping. Also, studies show that black tea caffeine levels are determined by the leaf location on...

Black Forest Tea
... unlike other tea varieties, black tea undergoes full oxidation after it is withered, dried, and rolled. The fermentation of the leaves gives black tea a distinctively strong taste, body, and flavor. Black tea is a favorite ingredient in making gourmet type teas or flavored teas. One of the most popular favored teas is black forest tea. Below are our top picks for black forest tea: HonestTea.com - Black Forest Berry Black Forest Berry is an herbal fruit infusion containing natural black tea. Sweet and succulent, whoever thought something as delicious as this could also be healthy? This black forest tea contains some of the best sources of antioxidants in the world - organic cane sugar, organic hibiscus, organic blackberry leaves, organic blueberries, organic raspberries, and natural berry flavoring. EnglishTeaStore.com - Black Forest Naturally Flavored Black Tea Loose Leaf The English Tea Store's black forest tea hints at a...

Health Benefits of Black Tea
... by the buckets, it's important to remember research on the health benefits of black tea is still in the early stages. "Although numerous observational studies have examined the relationships between tea consumption and the risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer, there is no conclusive evidence that high intakes of tea are protective in humans," writes Jane Higden, a research associate with the Linus Pauling Institute, in a recent article. Research on Black Tea One of the first studies on the health benefits of black tea was a long-term research conduced by scientists at the Netherlands National Institute of Public Health and the Environment. According to them, they have found a correlation between regular consumption Black Tea of black tea and reduced risk of stroke. In the investigation, researchers looked at data from a study examining the health benefits of foods that are high in flavonoids. This previous study on phytonutrients with antioxidant benefits became the basis of their...

Black Currant Tea
You can buy these teas in: * 20 tea bags in resealable polybag * 100 paper-wrapped tea bags * loose tea in 4 ounce tin * loose tea in 7 ounce tin EnglishTeaStore.com - Black Currant Tea The English Tea Store's Black Currant Tea is a naturally caffeinated free drink made from the leaves and fruit of the black currant bush. The taste is an explosion of berry, and the drink has a dark purple color. In addition to that, they also offer Black Currant Herbal Tea 21 tea bags in tin, Black Currant Herbal Tea 25 tea bags pouch, Black Tea Black Currant Herbal Tea 50 tea bags pouch, and Black Currant naturally Flavored Black Tea Loose Leaf 4 oz. PerennialTeaRoom.com - Black Currant Tea...

China Black Tea
... form into another compound called thearubigins, which ultimately render China black tea its final dark brown or black color. The theaflavins are also associated with the "brisk" flavor and brightness of China black tea. The thearubigins, on the other hand, are responsible for the tea's strength and color. After a few hours, when oxidation is complete, the aroma of China black tea changes from a "leafy" smell to a "fruity" one. The last step is drying and firing. This is when China black tea is subjected to extreme heat - sometimes in an open fire - in order to change the color of the leaves to its characteristic black color. China Black Tea Types * Ching Wo (Fujian Province) - includes Lapsang Souchong and Panyang * Dayeh (Yunnan Province) * Dian Hong (Yunnan Province) * Hainan (Island of Hainan, South China Sea) * Keemun (Keemun County, Anhui Province) - includes Mao Feng, Hao-Ya,...

Chinese Black Tea
... well-ventilated place. The tea doesn't even require temperature regulation. Unlike other teas, Chinese black tea comes in compressed cakes of various shapes and sizes. Sometimes, they're round. Sometimes, square. Other times, they may even be fashioned into bamboo-like tubes. Truly like wine, black teas differ subtly in flavor and aroma depending on where they were grown and how long they have aged. "Although tea-drinking has long been a global trend, interest in black tea has soared in the past two or three years," explains Shaojun Luo, chairman of the China National Center of Quality Supervision and Inspection of Tea. "China's well-to-do are passionate about buying black tea. Still, with such limited quantities produced, vintage black tea Black Tea is very hard to come by." All teas are green from the start. By...

Black Tea Nutrition
... in black tea nutrition include tannins, catechins, theaflavins, and theaburigins. All these antioxidants add to the health benefits in black tea nutrition. In processing black tea, the leaves of the tea plant undergo four different steps. First, the leaves are harvested and allowed to wither. Afterwards, they are crushed or rolled in order to release the essential oils, polyphenols, and beneficial compounds to coat the surface of the leaves. Then, they are exposed to the air, heat, and humidity in a process called "fermentation" or oxidation, after which, they are allowed to dry. The oxidation process causes the polyphenols in black tea nutrition to change into the chemical theaflavin, which is the reason why black tea has that brown, reddish color and brisk flavor. When theaflavins bind...

Black Cohosh Tea
Today, black cohosh is used to treat a variety of other complaints, including insect bites and eczema, and is considered an herbal drink with various health benefits. Health Benefits of Black Cohosh Tea Beyond its use as treatment for "women problems," black cohosh tea's healing properties include anti-inflammatory and mild sedative effects, making it perfect for relieving muscle aches and pains. Not only that, but because of these same properties, black cohosh may also be drank to clear mucous membranes and lessen Black Tea associated congestion and bothersome coughs. Specifically, black cohosh tea may help to relieve hot flashes and other menopausal and peri-menopausal symptoms. During middle age, the estrogen levels in a woman's body start to decline. As a result, she may experience hot flashes, vaginal dryness, depression, and other unpleasant symptoms. Scientists have discovered that drinking...