Green and white teas are derived from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. White tea comes from the young leaves and buds, picked in spring for one to two weeks. The leaves are dried, but not rolled, and go through minimal processing. Green tea leaves are harvested when the plant is more mature, and its leaves can be rolled. Both teas possess many similarities, particularly in their health benefits. There are, however, some differences between the two.
Caffeine
The amount of caffeine you consume each day may be an important factor in your health. According to Mayo Clinic, consuming more than four to seven cups of coffee, or 500 to 600 mg, per day can cause irritability, nervousness, jitters, headaches, tremors and insomnia. Caffeine can also interact with certain medications and increase heart rate. Green and white tea are excellent alternatives if you are considering a caffeine cut-back. White tea contains less caffeine than green tea, potentially because it is picked when the plant is younger; it only contains 15 mg of caffeine per cup. Green tea typically contains 30 to 50 mg, depending on how long it is brewed. Therefore, if you need less caffeine, white tea may be the best option for you.
Antioxidant Capacity
Green and white teas have antioxidants; both varieties of tea contain epigallocatechin-3-gallate, EGCG, a potent antioxidant. However, one type of tea may have an edge when it comes to its overall antioxidant capacity. According to a study published in the "Journal of Food Science" in August 2010, determining a hierarchical order of tea nutrients is difficult; tea sources vary greatly and may have an impact on antioxidant amounts. However, the study states that although certain types of white tea have comparable quantities of total catechins, such as EGCG, to some green teas, white tea has lesser antioxidant capacity. This finding suggests that white teas may have fewer non-catechin antioxidants present than green tea.
Cancer Prevention
Both teas exhibit similar characteristics when it comes to preventing cancer. "Cancer Prevention Research" featured a study in September 2010 that discussed white tea's effectiveness against lung cancer cells. Researchers discovered that substances in white tea were effectively induced apoptosis, or cell death, in lung cancer cell lines. Studies performed with green tea show similar results. The September 2010 issue of the "Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry" reports that green tea was found to effectively inhibit the growth of colon and intestinal cancer cells. Although both teas show potential in preventing cancer growth, they are not yet approved to be used as a treatment for any type of cancer.
References
- The Mayo Clinic: Caffeine
- High On Health: Green Tea: Caffeine
- "Journal of Food Science"; White and green teas (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis): Variation in phenolic, methylxanthine, and antioxidant profiles; UJ Unachukwu et al; August 2010
- "Cancer Prevention Research"; White Tea Extract induces apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer cells: the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-{gamma} and 15-lipoxygenases; JT Mao et al; September 2010
- "Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry"; Anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects of cysteine metabolites of the green tea polyphenol, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate; J.D. Lambert et al; September 2010
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