ChickSpeak

From England to China to Morocco to America, tea has been around since ancient times.  There are both caffeinated and non-caffeinated teas, as there are ones that are known for their specific healing effects.Tea is broken down into four types: green, white, oolong, and black. Like coffee, tea can be drunken many different ways, including with sugar, milk, honey, or spices. Also tea is available in both hot and cold forms.

Green tea has been getting the most media coverage recently. Health experts have been recognizing green tea’s high antioxidant benefits and assistance in weight loss. Though it has a slightly bitter or grassy taste on its own, green tea is often sweetened with sugar. Sencha, jasmine, and matcha are popular green tea flavors.

Black tea is different because it is oxidized. This means that the leaves have a longer period to react to the air to build a stronger flavor and change its color. However, most black teas are flavored and slightly artificial. Early Grey and Darjeeling are two the popular black teas.

Oolong tea is semi-fermented tea. It is best known for its high content of polyphenol, which is an anti-oxidant best recognized for its prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Oolong tea is also cited as an aid against anti-aging. This is most commonly drunk in Asia.

White teas are probably the most underground type of tea. They tend to be the freshest leaves and have the least amount of caffeine. Additionally, white tea has a lighter, and slightly sweeter taste. Some of the more common white teas are Peony and Silver Needle.

Herbal teas are different from the four types just explained because they are not made from tea leaves. In fact, herbal teas are made from any part of the plant but the leaves (such as the roots, flowers, or seeds).

Peppermint, Rooibos, and Chamomile are some of the most popular herbal teas.  When brewed, these often have a flowery, delicate scent. Finally, herbal teas are unique because they do not have any caffeine.

Though iced tea has now become a large part of the bottled beverage industry in America, don’t think that it’s substantially better for your health than soda. In fact, an average bottle of Snapple (Snapple.com) iced tea has around 200 calories and nearly 50 grams of sugar!

Check out this interesting article from the New York Times about Snapple being sold in school cafeterias.

It is much healthier (and more natural) to have a plain, yet naturally tasty, cup of tea.

Some people are confused on how to strengthen the taste of a cup of a tea. Some may think that by elongating the steeping period will strengthen it, however, that is wrong. Instead, try concentrating the tea with more leaves and your cup will have a stronger taste.

A glass of tea can be paired with an endless list of foods. However, hot tea is most commonly served with scones, sandwiches, or cakes. Overall, tea is known for its relaxing and calming effects on the mind. Sipping it slowly before a meal often fills your stomach enough so that you may consume fewer calories too.

Nothing beats a chai tea on a winter day or an iced green tea on a summer day. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous and try a new type of tea. There are so many different combinations and possibilities that you’ll never be bored. So sit back and relax today with a warm, or cold, cup of tea!

Kelly Seeger is a sophomore at Franklin & Marshall College pursuing a possible double-major in Arabic and Government. She is addicted to bargain shopping and loves being creative with cooking recipes.