About Tea Types
How many types of tea are there?
At The Tea Republic, we categorise our teas into :
WHITE | GREEN | OOLONG | BLACK | TISANE
Theine : another name for caffeine, especially in the context of tea.
WHITE TEA [ << click to explore ]
White tea comes from the delicate buds and younger leaves of the Chinese Camellia Sinensis plant. These buds and leaves are allowed to wither in natural sunlight before they are lightly processed to prevent oxidation or further fermentation. This protects not only the delicate flavour of the white tea, but also retains high levels of the chemicals responsible for the tea’s health benefits.
Theine Level : LOW, Less than 30mg per cup
GREEN TEA [ << click to explore ]
Green tea is mature tea that has been picked and then pan fired [or steamed] to stop the oxidation process. Because of the very limited oxidation, green tea produces subtle sweetness that offers a bouquet ranging from grassy to floral.
Theine Level : MODERATE, 30-50mg per cup
OOLONG TEA [ << click to explore ]
Oolong tea is partially oxidised to lie somewhere between black and green. While the look is more along the lines of black teas, the taste is closer to the green teas, but with a touch more oomph for a well-rounded flavour . Oolongs are commonly produced in the Fujian province of China and on the island of Taiwan , formerly called Formosa, from which one of the more famous oolong teas is named.
Theine Level : MODERATE, 30-50mg per cup
BLACK TEA [ << click to explore ]
Black tea is the most intensively processed type of tea, mainly involving fermentation. The leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant are allowed to fully oxidise, creating their black colour before they are dried, giving black tea more complexity, more astringency and fewer vegetal overtones than are typically found in other teas.
Theine Level : HIGH, 50-60mg per cup
TISANE | HERBAL TEA [ << click to explore ]
Tisane [pronounced tee-sahn], commonly called herbal tea, is not a true tea. This is because it does not contain tea leaves, but rather a blend of various herbs, flowers or spice steeped in boiling water. Such teas have long been used for their healing and rejuvenating qualities. Theine-free, unless noted otherwise. Popular tisanes are chamomile, rooibos, mint and mate.
Theine Level : NONE, 0mg per cup
Mate : Theine Level : HIGH, 70mg per cup