Tea is a common beverage throughout the world. It can be served either hot or cold, and its preventive health and medicinal benefits are widely publicized. It is also sometimes consumed as a substitute for coffee, as it can provide a gentler energy boost. Varieties of white, green and black teas all come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, but different processing treatments are applied to the leaves and leaf buds to produce the different colors of tea.
White Tea
White tea comes from the same plant as green and black teas, Camellia sinensis. However, white tea is made from the closed leaf buds of the tea plant, while green tea leaves are made from the opened and more mature leaves. Black tea is also made from the opened and matured leaves, but it undergoes a different fermentation and processing method than green tea. White tea leaves are the least processed of the three teas.
Comparison
White tea undergoes less processing than green tea does, and as a consequence, more of the antioxidants are preserved, according to Pacific College. White tea is harvested early and is dried immediately, reducing the amount of oxidation that occurs on the tea leaf. White tea contains more polyphenols and less caffeine than either black or green tea.
Polyphenols
Both white and green teas contain epigallocatechin-3-gallate, also known as EGCG. EGCG is a polyphenol phytonutrient, and is one of the reasons why scientists and health food aficionados have touted the potential cancer preventive characteristics of white and green tea. White tea, because it is less processed and is derived entirely from younger leaf buds, contains a higher level of EGCG than green tea.
Benefits
A recent study at Pace University on white tea extract demonstrated that white tea had the ability to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi with a higher rate of success than any of the other teas. As well, white tea is rich in fluoride, and it can potentially help prevent the growth of dental plaque, according to Pacific College. At the Linus Pauling Institute, white tea was demonstrated as being more effective in preventing cancer cell growth than other types of teas. However, most of these studies are still in their preliminary stages, and conclusive evidence is still lacking.
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