Key Difference: All the different types of tea are derived from one common plant, the Camellia Sinesis. There are four distinct variations of tea; oolong, green, white, and black. The main difference between all the types is the oxidation level of each tea. Black tea is generally more oxidized and has a stronger flavor compared to the other teas. Green tea is also made from the infant leaves of Camellia Sinesis plant, but does not go through the process of fermentation and goes through minimal amount of oxidation during processing.

Teas are a very popular drink in today’s culture in almost every country; they can be served hot or cold, with flavors, milk, lime, lemon, masala, etc. All the different types of tea are derived from one common plant, the Camellia Sinesis. There are four distinct variations of tea; oolong, green, white, and black. The main difference between all the types is the oxidation level of each tea. Though teas are most commonly associated with Asian countries and UK, teas are becoming more popular all over the world.

The term black tea is derived from the color of the tea, which ranges from red to black, depending on how long it is steeped in the water. In a few places in China, it is also referred to as red tea. Black tea is generally more oxidized and has a stronger flavor compared to the other teas. Black tea is made from the buds and infant leaves of the Camellia Sinesis plant, which then goes through a process of being harvested, dried, fermented and oxidized. The black tea is said to have a stronger bitter flavor compared to other teas.

The black tea is the most popular tea in the world and accounts for over 90% of all the tea sold in the West. Due to the fermentation of the leaves, black tea can retain its flavor until several years, while green teas can lose their flavor within a year. Black teas can also be blended with other flavors or plants in order to make a different beverage or different type of tea, such as Earl Grey is black tea blended with bergamot oil or ‘masala’ tea of India is black tea blended cardamom, and other spices. Black Tea also has the highest amount of caffeine content compared to the other teas; 240-250 mg per cup. Black tea is a healthy drink and in small amounts it is can help Improve mental alertness as well as learning, memory and information processing skills. It can also be used to treats headaches, low blood pressure and prevents heart diseases and cancer. According to research, small intake of black tea can also minimize occurrence of Parkinson’s disease. Though, an excessive amount of black tea is dangerous to health due to the large amounts of caffeine entering the body.

Green tea is also made from the infant leaves of Camellia Sinesis plant, but does not go through the process of fermentation and goes through minimal amount of oxidation during processing. Similar to black tea, green tea also originates in China is just gaining popularity in the West due to the health benefits. Green tea is more commonly popular in its raw form for uses in cosmetics, dietary supplements and various beverages. The names of green tea vary depending on the places where it was grown; they also differ in growing conditions, horticulture, production processing and harvesting time.

Due to green tea not going through fermentation process, it retains a lot of its original polyphenols and antioxidants amounts, making it much healthier compared to the other teas. It is also believed to increase metabolism level in a body by 4%, though not enough evidence is available to support this fact. Green tea has a caffeine content of 30-35 mg per cup. Green tea also contains carotenoids, tocopherols, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), minerals such as chromium, manganese, selenium or zinc, and certain phytochemical compounds, though it lacks substances such as theaflavin, which is available in black tea. Green tea should also be steeped in the water for a small amount of time, mainly 3-5 minutes to keep the tea from turning bitter.

Over the last decade, a lot of research has been conducted on green tea in order to find the different health benefits that it has to offer. According to some medical research, drinking green tea regularly can reduce the risk of developing heart diseases and certain types of cancer. Green tea also has a higher level of flavonoids, similar to that available in fresh fruits, vegetable juices or wine. Green tea is also known for keeping skin healthy. Green teas are most commonly served without any additional flavor, though lemon, mint and sugar could be added for people with a sweet tooth.

Image Courtesy: o5.com, mindbodygreen.com