Products
White tea is available, for example, in pharmacies, drugstores and tea stores.
Stem plant
The parent plant is the tea plant from the tea shrub family (Theaceae). It grows into an evergreen shrub or tree.
Medicinal drug
The young leaves and unopened buds of the tea plant are used as the medicinal roe. Unlike black tea, white tea is not or hardly fermented (oxidized) and not rolled, but only withered and dried. According to some sources, it is treated with hot steam. The name comes from the fine white hairs on the young leaves and buds, which remain intact due to the gentle processing. In China, white tea is also defined by subspecies of that grow in Fujian province.
Ingredients
Ingredients include:
- Methylxanthines: caffeine, theobromine, theophylline.
- Flavonoids, polyphenols, catechins, tannins.
- Amino acids, proteins, enzymes
- Aromatic substances, volatile compounds
- Minerals, vitamins
Effects
White tea has several health-promoting effects. It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, thermogenic and lipid-lowering properties, among others. Due to caffeine, it has mild stimulant effects.
Indications for use
White tea is mainly consumed in the West as a health-promoting and mildly stimulating stimulant.
Dosage
White tea is prepared as an infusion during two to three minutes. As with green tea, do not use water that is too hot (boiling). The prepared tea has a yellowish color and mild taste.
Adverse effects
The possible adverse effects of the tea include indigestion. The caffeine may cause several side effects (see there).