White tea is composed of a combination of new growth buds and young leaves of the tea plant (camellia sinensis). As soon as the leaves are picked, they are dried, which stops the oxidation process and yields a lighter flavor. White teas generally contain higher ratios of unopened buds than other types of tea do, which grants them a smoother flavor and decreases their caffeination. Many white teas contain notes of fruit, honey, and light vegetal tones.
Brewing Instructions:
Generally about 1.5 teaspoons of white tea per cup should be used. White teas should be prepared with 180F (80C) water (not boiling) and steeped 3-4 minutes.
History:
Many forms of white tea were made in the Song Dynasty. Hui Zhong, who ruled China from 1101-1125, referred to white tea as the best type of tea, and he has been credited with the development of many white teas in the Song Dynasty.
Producing white teas was extremely labor-intensive. Leaves and buds were picked from selected varietals of cultivated bushes or wild tea trees in early spring. They were immediately steamed and the buds were selected and stripped of their outer unopened leaf; only the delicate interior of the bud was reserved to be rinsed with spring water and dried. This process resulted in white teas whose leaves were paper thin and small. Once processed, the finished tea was distributed and often given as a tribute to the Song court in loose form. It was then ground to a fine, silvery-white powder that was whisked in the wide ceramic bowls used in the Song tea ceremony.
Health Benefits:
Epichasin is a falconoid contained in white tea leaf. Epichasin is very unstable in regular condition and hard to be isolated through regular extraction process used to obtain polyphenols or EGCG. Therefore, very few scientific papers could be found on Epichasin studies. An overview of current available studies unfolds some encouraging findings.
Epichasin has been reported to show thermogenesis inducing effect. Thus epichasin treatment facilitats weight loss, enhancing resting metabolism through more efficient heat transfer from the body. Another study indicates possible energy stimulation effect of Epichasin. 30 healthy women with body mass index (BMI) from 20-27 kg/m2 were randomly assigned into 3 groups to receive 50mg, 70mg and placebo. Meanwhile they were fed nutritionally balanced diets for two weeks. The Epichasin groups felt more energy and decreased appetite and were scored higher on a quality of life domain assessing vitality. The average weight loss after study is 3 Lb. in 70mg Epichasin group, 2.1 Lb in 50mg Epichasin group and 1.3 Lb. in control group. This suggests that Epichasin might be a good aid in weight loss.
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