Types of Chinese Tea

Probably you are familiar with the Chinese saying, “Firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea are the seven necessities to begin a day.” Though tea is last on the list, we can still see how important the tea is for the Chinese.

There are actually thousand of Chinese tea varieties. These are usually classified by procedure, quality, and preparation methods and so on. However, if we will consider tea in terms of quality, there are actually eight classes of Chinese tea. These include green tea, oolong, black, red, white, yellow, flower, and compressed tea.

Now, let’s take a look at these classes one by one.

Green Tea

Green tea is said to be the most natural type of Chinese tea. It is usually picked, naturally dried and fried briefly to get rid of its grassy smell. Unlike the other types, green tea skipped fermentation process.

According to some experts, green tea has the most medicinal value and the least caffeine content of all Chinese tea classes. The aroma of this type of Chinese type range from medium to high, while the flavor is usually light to medium. Today, about 50% of China’s tea is green tea.

Oolong Tea

This type of Chinese tea is halfway between green tea and black tea in a sense that it is half fermented. Chinese also call it “Qing Cha” and its typical leaves are green in the middle and red on the edges as a result of the process to soften tea leaves.

Oolong tea leaves are basically withered and spread before undergoing a brief fermentation process. Then, it is fried, rolled and roasted.

Black Tea

The Chinese black tea produces full-bodied amber when brewed. Also, this type of Chinese tea undergoes withering, then left to ferment for a long while, and then roasted. The leaves of this variety become completely oxidized after processing.

Red Tea

As the name implies, this type of Chinese tea has red leaves and red tea color. This color is strongly highlighted during the fermentation process. It is also considered that red tea has low aroma and medium flavor and it is now divided into three subclasses: Kung Fu Red Tea, Ted Tea Bits, and Small Species Red Tea.

White Tea

This type of Chinese tea is sometimes considered as subclass of green tea. Perhaps it is for the fact that it is only withered and then roasted. Just like green tea, white tea escaped fermentation process. And, it has low caffeine content.

Yellow Tea

Apparently, yellow tea has yellow leaves and yellow tea color. According to some experts, this type of Chinese tea is an uncommon class of Chinese tea. The flavor of yellow tea is usually mild and refreshing.

Flower Tea

Here is a unique type of Chinese tea – the Flower tea. It actually subdivides into Flower Tea and Scented Tea. Well, the Flower Tea is just based on a simple concept that dried flowers are used, without much processing, to make tea. The Scented Tea, on the other hand, uses green tea and red tea as base and mix with scent of flowers. Generally, this class has light to medium flavor and medium to strong aroma.

Compressed Tea

The final type of Chinese tea is the compressed tea. This class uses black tea as base tea. It is steamed and compressed into bricks, cakes, columns, and other shapes. Also, compressed tea has all the characteristics of black tea. It can be stored for years and decades.

Pu-Erh and Oolong Teas for Weight Loss

For long years, Chinese teas have been considered as weight loss aide. In fact, drinking a cup of tea with every meal is considered a protocol for using tea successfully as a metabolic stimulant. As you may know, tea by itself carries only four calories per serving, and it is most healthy when taken with nothing added.

According to some experts, the Chinese weight loss teas are produced based on the belief that the caffeine in tea increases body function to help burn more calories. Also believed is that the tea contains polyphenols which seem to aid in the digestion of fat, truly making it a Chinese weight loss tea.

Generally, all types of Chinese tea are deemed great for weight loss. They all offer a low calorie alternative to commercial beverages. However, the Pu-erh and Oolong teas have received the most attention regarding weight loss. Let’s take a look at these two well-known Chinese weight loss teas.

Pu-erh Tea

Although green tea has gotten all the press, the pu-erh teas are finally being enjoyed in the West. This is because many have believed that pu-erh, which is also known as “medicinal tea” in China, merits a place among the tea shelves of Americans.

Some of the pu-erh tea trees are said to be ancient, the oldest known tree is more than 2000 years old. Well, these trees are believed to be an older variety of the modern, being a smaller leafed tea bush. The leaves of this variety are processed differently than green tea leaves. They are usually oxidized similar to that of the oolong tea, but not as long as black tea. What happens is that the leaves are dried loose or compressed into tea bricks, tea cakes or Tuochas that look like a bird nests. Well, for some people this Chinese weight loss tea in this state is a unique visual experience. Some of the tea cakes have been aged in caves just to develop their earthly flavor.

What makes pu-erh great for weight loss is that it helps to decrease blood cholesterol levels and improves fats metabolism. Also, it is thought that the unique double fermentation done with this acclaimed Chinese weight loss tea may create special enzymes and microbes that provide the body micronutrients essential for well-being.

Furthermore, one cup of pu-erh tea with each meal has shown to stimulate weight loss. It is said to balance the body’s systems and stimulate a more functional metabolism.

Oolong Tea

The Oolong tea is but a well-known variety of semi-fermented or oxidized tea. It is particularly noted for its flowery and intense qualities. Accordingly, the Oolong ranges from bright green and slightly fermented to dark-leafed and hearty. It is dried fully, locking in the rich flavors that this Chinese weight loss tea is known to offer. It is actually this unique drying process which allows oolong to possess a number of stimulating attributes and can be applied for weight management in addition to a well-balanced diet.

As mentioned, pu-erh and oolong teas are just two of the well-known Chinese weight loss teas. Aside from green tea, black tea, compressed tea, and other varieties, these two kinds are now highly available for those who wish to attain weight loss and better health.

Chinese Tea Types and Its Production

Chinese has been drinking tea for approximately 4,000 years. Along with firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar, the Chinese considered tea as one of the seven necessities to begin a day.

Types of Tea

The Chinese tea may be classified into five types according to the different methods by which it is processed. Here are the classifications:

Green Tea – is the variety which keeps the original color of the tea leaves without fermentation during processing.

Black Tea – This is known as “red Chinese tea”, the type which is fermented before baking. Note also that black tea is a later variety developed on the basis of the green tea.

Wulong Tea – Also known as Oolong Chinese tea, this category represents a variety half way between the green and the black teas. This is being made after partial fermentation.

Compressed Tea – is the kind of Chinese tea which is compressed and hardened into a certain shape. Many people considered this as good for transport and storage and are mainly supplied to the ethnic minorities living in the border areas of the country.

Scented Tea – This kind of Chinese tea is known as “scented” because it is made by mixing fragrant flowers in the tea leaves in the course of processing. The flowers that are commonly used for this purpose include the jasmine and magnolia, among others.

The Tea Production

Chinese has maintained that a new tea plant must grow for five years before its leaves can be picked. The trunk of the old plant must then be cut off to force new stems to grow out of the roots in the following year. This sort of rehabilitation must be repeated as this allows the tea plant to serve for about a hundred years.

The season of tea picking generally depends on the local climate and it varies from area to area. As you all know, China is the homeland of tea. It has tea shrubs as early as five to six thousand years ago, and human cultivation of these plants dates back two thousand years. Today, it was reported that tea is produced in vast areas of China from Hainan Island down in the extreme south to Shandong Province in the north, from Tibet in the southwest to Taiwan across the Straits. To sum up, the Chinese tea grows at more than 20 provinces.

On the shores of West Lake in Hangzhou, where the famous green tea Longjing comes from, it was reported that the picking starts from the end of March and lasts through October. A skilled woman picker can only gather 600 grams of these green tea leaves in a day.

After the harvest, the new leaves must be parched in tea cauldrons. Accordingly, this work has now been largely mechanized, although the top grade Longjing tea still has to be stir-parched by hand, doing only 250 grams every half hour. Then, the tea cauldrons are heated electrically to a temperature of about 25 degree centigrade or 74 degree Fahrenheit. It then takes four pounds of fresh Chinese tea leaves to produce one pound of parched Chinese tea.

For the processes of grinding, parching, rolling, shaping and drying, different kinds of machines have been developed and built. This work turned out about 100 kilograms of finished Chinese tea an hour, relieving the workers from much of their drudgery.

Chinese Oolong Tea

Chinese oolong tea is in the first place a class as well as a kind of tea. It is one of the most famous teas in the world. According to many experts, the Chinese oolong tea is half way between green tea and black tea in a sense that it is half-fermented. It is as clear and fragrant as green tea and as refreshing and strong as black tea. As often said, if you drink oolong, the natural aroma may linger into your mouth and make your throat much comfortable.

The name of “oolong” is said to be an enigma to Chinese tea history. Nobody knows if it is named after a place or any variety of the plant. And, although the pinyin for oolong is “Wu Long”, which means black dragon, nobody can tell if the name “oolong” has any relation with “dragon”, which traditionally taken as the Chinese lucky indication.

The Processing of Chinese Oolong Tea

When it comes to the procedures involved in the processing of Chinese oolong tea, experts have shown six procedures that are usually considered. These include sunshine withering, tedding fresh leaves, rocking green, stir-fry green, rolling, and drying. With these procedures, many have considered oolong as one of the most complicated teas, if not the most complicated whole food beverage produced.

Usually, after picking, the leaves undergo withering, then bruised and dried. The leaves are either rolled or twisted by hand depending on the variety of oolong. While those may seem like straightforward steps, the number of different techniques as well as the precision timing employed give this partially-oxidized Chinese tea an enormous range of flavors, other than fragrances and liquor colors.

Types and Flavors

The Chinese oolong teas generally offer a spectrum of flavors that impart distinct notes and elegant bouquets. Some Chinese oolong teas are light and sweet. Perhaps a good example of this type is the Formosa oolong. This tea boasts beautiful large leaves that are tightly rolled.

Another great example of this type is the Tieguanyin, which presents a thick and shiny dark green leaves that release a flowery, amber brew. This type of Chinese oolong tea is also balanced and a great all-purpose tea.

There is also the Wuyi Cliff Chinese oolong tea that is grown in Fujian province where the weather is mild all year and the mountains are misty and cool. This variety is said to offer rich lasting flavors. The leaves are highly fermented before they are twisted and dried. According to experts, this more fermented Chinese oolong tea can aid digestion. It even offers a great complement to the pu-erh teas for a balanced weight loss program.

Benefits of Chinese Oolong Tea

Just like any other types of Chinese tea, the Chinese oolong is said to be helpful in anti-aging, bringing blood pressure down, improving the immuno-competence, and anti-heart disease. Many studies also revealed that the oolong can help you digest food, refresh yourself and sober up. What’s more, it is said to be helpful in prolonging your lifespan. And, recent researches have noted that the Chinese oolong tea is best for a balanced weight loss.

It is said that if you increase your daily oolong tea consumption to 4 to 10 cups, the body will perform at an optimum level with an increased feeling of energy and vitality.

Chinese Diet Green Tea: Good for Diet?

Did you know that during the Boston Tea Party, the tea that was dumped into the harbor was mostly Chinese green tea? Well, this delightful beverage has been around for thousands of years and has been part of the Chinese diet since the ancient times. Today, it is highly appreciated for its advantages. As numerous studies have found out, the Chinese diet green tea has a significant number of health benefits.

Origin and Background

As noted, Chinese green tea has been around for thousands of year, approximately 4,000 years. Legend has it that this delightful brew was discovered accidentally by a Chinese emperor. It comes from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis, as traditional black tea and oolong tea. And, for centuries, Chinese medicine has used it to treat headaches, digestive problems, lack of energy, and immune enhancement.

The Chinese diet green tea is actually produced by steaming the fresh tea leaves at high temperatures, leaving a significant part of the nutritional enzyme content intact. Unlike the black and oolong tea, the green tea is never fermented. Instead, its leaves bypass the fermenting process and steamed, baked or pan heated. The leaves are rolled and those tightly rolled leaves have long been considered as a sign of quality.

Chinese Diet Green Tea for Weight Loss

One particular claim that linked the Chinese green tea to diet is its being a miracle tea for weight loss. Well, there is no such thing as a “miracle” weight loss food or drug though, but several indications were revealed that Chinese green tea brings a number of benefits to those trying to lose weight.

It was revealed that green tea extracts are capable of reducing fat digestion by inhibiting digestive enzymes. Other studies have shown that green tea has thermogenic properties, which are probably brought on by the interaction between its caffeine content and catechin polyphenols. As you may know, thermogenesis is the process of the body burning fuel without making chemical energy.

Experts have said that of combined with the other weight loss supplements or techniques, the Chinese green tea could be an excellent addition to your diet.

Other Benefits

There are also other benefits connected with the intake of Chinese diet green tea. One of those is the claim that the polyphenols found in green tea have been shown to inhibit growth of cancer cells. The polyphenols appear to block the formation of cancer-causing compounds, and it is believed that the Chinese diet green tea has the greatest benefit on cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

The Chinese diet green tea polyphenols are also powerful anti-oxidants. They are even more powerful than vitamin C and vitamin E, and more powerful than that found in many fruits and vegetables. The green tea itself contains vitamin C.

Further researches even found out that the compounds in green tea stimulate immune system cells. In recent years, research has shown that green tea may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is even good for the teeth as it contain fluoride that helps fight tooth decay.

Having said all these, I think that now is the right time to brew up a bit of Chinese diet green teas for a beneficial break in your day.

Chinese Black Tea

Also called by many as ‘red tea’, the Chinese black tea has been enjoyed by the Chinese tea drinkers and the world for centuries. Its popularity is even soaring these days and I guess the primary reason for that is many believe that the Chinese black teas harbor profound and promising health benefits.

Chinese Black Tea Basics

As the name implies, the Chinese black tea originates in China and has long been used by the Chinese as part of their daily meals.

The brewed black tea ranges from reddish brown to black in color. According to some resources, one of the most obvious characteristic of the Chinese black tea is that it mellows with age and grows richer and deeper in flavor. The vintage black teas in particular are deemed superlative, boasting flavors and aromas that conjure up the same adjectives used to distinguish fine wine or whiskey.

Storing Chinese black tea is simple. It is usually kept in a well-ventilated place and the tea requires no temperature regulation. Also, unlike the other teas, Chinese black teas come in compressed cakes with a variety o shapes and sizes. It could be round, square, and even bamboo-like tubes.

Types of Chinese Black Tea

According to different processing methods, Chinese black tea can be divided into three different types:

1. Souchong Black Tea – This is a unique type of black tea that grows at the Wuyi Mountain City in Fujian province. According to some experts, the pine-smoking fragrance of Souchong black tea is much different from any other black teas in the world. And, according to different producing area, this variety can be classified into four types:

• Tongmuguan Souchong which is produced in Tongmuguan county

• Lapsang Souchong, produced in Chong’An, Jianyang, Guangzhe

• XingChun Souchong, produced in other areas which around Xingcun town of Chong’An county

• Smoking Souchong, which is not from Wuyi Mountain City

Of these mentioned subclasses, the Lapsang Souchong is considered the best, offering longan flavor. The Smoking Souchong, on the other hand, is made from low grade congou back tea and is processed by imitational method as other Souchong black teas. Also, the smoking fragrance of this type is exactly coming from the burning brushwood of pine plant.

2. Congou Black Tea – This Chinese black tea type evolved from the Souchong variety. The most famous congou Chinese black teas include the Qihong of Anhui (Keemun black), Dianhong of Yunnan, Suhong of Jiangsu, Chuanhong of Sichuan and Huhong of Hunan.

3. Broken Black Tea – Finally, this type is also called “graded black tea” for the reason that there is international uniform grading standard for this type of Chinese black tea. Well, according to different shapes, the broken black tea us classified into four subtypes: the whole leaf black, with short strip shape; broken leaf black, with small grain shape; fannings black, with small slice shape; and dust black, with powdered shape.

It is interesting to know that the origin of Chinese black tea is Chong’An, Fujian. This place is actually the city of the Wuyi Mountain today. In souchong black tea was firstly manufactured in the Wuyi Mountain in the last of 18th century. Following that, the congou black tea came to life. Since then, the manufacturing technique of black tea was brought to Jiangsi province, then to Keemun.

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