What green tea is different from black: useful properties, features of collection and processing, ways of brewing

What variety of teas exists in the world! White tea, yellow, red, green, turquoise, black - a real rainbow! Another popular drink was less fortunate. Coffee has only two varieties: Arabica and Robusta. But they are different kinds of plants. Tea, whatever color it is, comes from one bush - Camellia sinensis. African rooibos (a plant from the family of legumes) and Latin American sausep ("sour cream") do not count, as does hibiscus. This is not tea, although the taste of steamed beverages resembles that. Let us return to the classical view of Camellia sinensis and its color diversity. How can different products come from the same sheet? What distinguishes green, white, yellow teas, as well as black and red with blue? This article is devoted to our article.

The subtleties of tea collection and processing

Have you ever seen a bitten apple? The flesh is white at first. But over time the surface of the cut darkens, it becomes like rusty. There is oxidation from the contact of apple pulp with air. Similar processes occur with the tea leaf. Speaking in the language of a specialist, he is fermented. And the main difference between green and black tea is precisely the degree of sunflower. The white variety is not actually fermented. Yellow - quite a bit. Green tea is left in the sun only until the leaves look wilted. After that they are subjected to heat treatment. High temperatures dull enzymes, making tea stop oxidizing. But the black variety is sunk in the sun the longest. Enzymes in it worked for glory. Thanks to them, black tea has a tart taste so beloved by many. But not only the degree of fermentation is distinguished by the leaves of Camellia sinensis.

Harvesting

We have already explained how green tea differs from black tea . What is the difference between unfermented varieties? These include white, yellow and green teas. They differ in the way they collect. White tea is the most expensive. For him, only half-dissolved upper leaves and kidneys are selected. A characteristic feature of a quality white tea is the villi with which the young leaf is covered. Fermentation is stopped by drying in a special temperature regime in order to conserve valuable essential oils. Tea looks like a greyish-green leaf scatter. The brewed drink has a pale yellow color with a barely perceptible pinkish tint. Before, only the emperor and the supreme nobility had the right to eat white tea. This drink has a cooling effect on the body, so it is customary to drink it in the heat. But black tea, on the contrary, warms.

Storage

The less fermented the leaves, the more demanding they are to the conditions of transport. The way of storage is more than green tea is different from black tea. It is especially important to handle the White Peony variety (Bai Mu Dan). By appearance this tea resembles buds of white flowers, but in fact it is unraveled leaves. This variety is grown only in Fujian province of China . Half-open kidneys immediately dried. So the process of fermentation did not even begin. In order not to spoil the tea, it is stored in a sealed package, far from any dampness. His black fellow is more seasoned. Of course, he does not like too much damp. But it does not absorb other extraneous smells, preserving its aroma.

Colour

Yellow tea to taste does not like any other. It can not be confused with either white or green. The raw materials for yellow tea are dense kidneys. First they are warmed over the coals, so that white villi are burned, and then wrapped hot in parchment. So the tea turns yellow. When brewing a pale amber drink turns out. Only a person who does not discern color should explain how green tea differs from black tea. The dark red infusion is very different from the light-straw drink. But to distinguish yellow tea from green, you need to look at its reflection on the wall of a porcelain cup. Precious drink throws a little pinkish reflection. And green tea is distinguished by a light-straw rim. Yellow tea has a soft, caressing taste with barely perceptible astringency. Its aroma is surprisingly refined. The aftertaste is slightly sweet. Yellow tea until the middle of the nineteenth century was forbidden to export under the threat of execution. And now this variety is very difficult to buy in Europe.

Country of origin

Relative unpretentiousness of the species Camellia sinensis made it possible to extend its cultivation far beyond the historical homeland of China. Now the tea bush is grown in the tropics (India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia), and in the northern regions (in the Transcaucasus and even in the Kuban). But in the new homeland Camelia sinensis acquires unexpected flavor and aromatic qualities. To eliminate them, the sheet is subjected to a longer treatment. Therefore, we can name another marker, which allows you to determine what green tea is different from black tea. Unfermented varieties are produced in China and Japan. Very rarely in India you can find quality green tea. But in the tropical climate, leaves collect in the hot climate many aromatic resins. For this taste and like black tea, its connoisseurs. But the Chinese prefer unfermented varieties.

Brewing method

Want to know what is the difference between green tea and black tea? The sheet, hardened by long processing, not so easily gives the drink its flavor and aromatic qualities. To remove them, you need to pass a black tea with steep boiling water. And then also steal in the heat for about five minutes. Only after that we will get a tart and fragrant drink. Green tea is too gentle for such a harsh treatment. If you brew it with steep boiling water, all the flavor from it will evaporate, and at the output you will get a boring smell of hay. Steaming green tea follows just hot (sixty degrees) water. After two minutes, gourmets are advised to pour a little tea into the cup, and then pour it again into the teapot. Reviews say that after such a simple procedure, the drink acquires a special flavor.

What is the main difference between black tea and green tea?

We have clarified this question only in general. It's time to tell in more detail how black tea is produced. We will do this on the example of the legendary Chinese variety Puer. This tea can be stored for years. Moreover, as a good wine, it becomes even better with time. When a girl is born in a Chinese family, parents start storing the puera tile so that by the age of the bride they can sell it and provide the daughter with a dowry. Do this variety in Yunnan Province. Under the southern sun, the leaf takes on a special flavor and taste. So, we already know what green tea differs from black tea by the degree of fermentation. Puer passes through all the processing stages. What kind?

Production of black tea

The leaves are raked into a pile and sprinkled with water so that they remain fresh as long as possible, but at the same time they wither. When tea absorbed additional moisture, it is leveled with a thin layer and left to ferment. After a month, the leaves become brown, but they do not lose gloss. They are again raked into a pile and kept for another forty-five days, from time to time he moved and turned over. At the end of this period, tea has a special flavor. After that the leaves are again laid out in the sun, dried, in some cases ground and sorted. But the Chinese Puer variety, unlike other black teas, is not packaged at this stage. Leaves are twisted in a special way, why their structure changes. The key feature of the product is the subsequent fermentation, which lasts several years. Over the years, all the bitterness leaves the leaves. Twenty years later, you get an elite drink with an unrivaled taste. But the price of such tea reaches several thousand dollars for one hundred grams. This variety is accepted to be stored in pressed tiles, on which various drawings and wishes of success are engraved.

Taste

It is enough to take a sip of one and the other drink to understand what distinguishes green tea from black. Of course, taste! Green teas are very tender. They have a light herbal taste that perfectly matches with jasmine flowers. In order not to extinguish it, green teas are very responsibly added to the mixture. Black tea has a characteristic balsamic taste. Tartness is his business card. However, in some varieties, it may be barely audible. The aroma of black tea is more tarry. He can have a pronounced floral odor. In general, red, turquoise and black grades that have passed medium or full fermentation are very characteristic. Their taste and aroma are remembered. And the green ones are "elusive". They are difficult to describe. Black teas coexist well. They perfectly "get along" with citrus, flowers, berries and herbs.

Effects on the body

We have already explained the difference between the taste of green tea and the taste of black tea. But also on effect of influence on our organism, unfermented varieties that have undergone the whole processing process differ crucially. The tea leaf contains tannins and caffeine. The first substances give the drink bitterness. And caffeine, of course, awakens. But he is invigorating in a special way. By the way, this substance in the tea leaf is much larger than in the notorious coffee, which is traditionally considered a morning drink. Fermentation allows the tannins to appear. But the level of caffeine is reduced. Green teas (white, yellow, partially turquoise oolong) invigorate imperceptibly, but have a lasting effect. Coffee first activates the work of the brain, but very soon it is replaced by the phase of inhibition. A cup of green tea will give you cheerfulness for the whole day. But his black fellow, on the contrary, calms the central nervous system. This tea is good to drink at night. Especially in a mixture with herbs that have a sedative property.

Benefits of tea: green and black tea

In China, at the beginning of our era, this drink was called the elixir of immortality. It is believed that the most useful is white tea. After all, it is, in fact, fresh leaves, in which vitamins (B1, C, P) are preserved. Scientists have proven the anti-cancer properties of white tea. It strengthens the walls of the vessels, the immune and cardiovascular systems. All varieties of unfermented teas have a rejuvenating effect, because they remove free radicals from the body. If you regularly drink this drink, you can ensure the prevention of atherosclerosis. The most important feature of green tea is its ability to remove from the body radioactive substances, especially dangerous strontium. But at the same time this drink has a number of contraindications. You need to know what is the difference between green tea and black tea. And its harm, by the way, is not a myth. Since this drink is too invigorating, it should be avoided by people suffering from insomnia. Also, it is contraindicated to peptic ulcers, as it can provoke heartburn. Black tea is useful for hypotension, because it increases blood pressure.