Basic Tips for Buying Tea in China Know what you are looking for The most important thing when buying tea is to know as specifically as possible what you are looking for.  If you know what you want, you can keep the seller focused on finding you what you are looking for instead of what they want to sell you (based on what they think foreigners like or whatever they can make the most profit from either because the tea is low quality, overpriced, or a combination of both). Do you want a floral green tea, a lightly sweet white tea, a pu’er tea cake, or a black tea similar to teas drunk in Europe and America? Being as specific as possible will help.  For example, I want a “qimen black tea” is better than “black tea” and of course even better than “normal tea.” (I have heard that before!) Knowing how much you want to spend up front is also helpful.  In most Chinese tea stores, they will have different grades of the same tea. So if you said you were looking for a “qimen black tea”, they can probably show you “qimen black teas” from at least three different price points. Learn to recognize some basics of tea quality You want to look for whole leaves that are as intact and fresh as possible.  Lots of broken pieces, stems, and twigs are a sign of low quality tea.  You also want to smell the batch to see if you detect any “off” smells. In general, you want to find un-scented teas because usually Chinese tea producers reserve the lowest quality teas to scent and mask the low quality.   Also, tea blends are not in China’s tea tradition. Understand how prices work In most Chinese tea shops, teas are stored in canisters with prices on the canisters listed per 500g and you buy tea in quantities of 50g (a liang).  So whatever the price on the canister, just divide by 10 and you have the basic price.  50g is plenty of tea for a gift or for yourself to drink. Teas in the 800-1000RMB/500g range should be really good, which means you should be able to buy some GREAT tea for 80-100 RMB. Know what questions to ask The three most important aspects that distinguish different types of teas from each other are: terroir, cultivar, and processing method.  You should be able to ask the tea seller questions regarding these three aspects and if they can’t answer them, that is a big red flag! Another key question is to ask when a tea was harvested.  Some teas are better in the spring harvest and others during the fall harvest. Knowing when a tea was harvested also tells you about the freshness of a tea.   Except for teas prized for their aged qualities, ideally you would drink a tea within a year of its harvest date. Other illuminating questions are the sellers relationship with the tea producers, suggestions for how to brew the tea, why the seller likes or suggests this tea, and what the difference is among the various grades of the same tea. Find a tea seller you trust In the end, the most important thing for all the elements above is buying from a tea seller you trust.  Obviously, there is no point in asking questions to someone you don’t trust anyways. Tea in China is a vast, deep, and complex subject that can at times be overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be!  A trusted tea seller should be like a great guide navigating you through all the complexities with ease. In China, you have access to some of the world’s best and freshest teas that are prized for their natural flavors.  In Beijing in particular, you have access to most of China’s wide varieties of teas from all over the country and working with a tea seller you trust, you should be able to find whatever tea you are looking for. You can spend a lifetime learning about tea and still just scratch the surface.  In the end, the best way to learn about tea is to drink a lot, explore, try new things and experiment with brewing and what you like.  Finding a tea seller you can partner with and trust is crucial for your exciting journey of tea discovery, taste, and learning! __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Basic Tips for Buying Tea in China

Know what you are looking for

The most important thing when buying tea is to know as specifically as possible what you are looking for.  If you know what you want, you can keep the seller focused on finding you what you are looking for instead of what they want to sell you (based on what they think foreigners like or whatever they can make the most profit from either because the tea is low quality, overpriced, or a combination of both).

Do you want a floral green tea, a lightly sweet white tea, a pu’er tea cake, or a black tea similar to teas drunk in Europe and America? Being as specific as possible will help.  For example, I want a “qimen black tea” is better than “black tea” and of course even better than “normal tea.” (I have heard that before!)

Knowing how much you want to spend up front is also helpful.  In most Chinese tea stores, they will have different grades of the same tea. So if you said you were looking for a “qimen black tea”, they can probably show you “qimen black teas” from at least three different price points.

Learn to recognize some basics of tea quality

You want to look for whole leaves that are as intact and fresh as possible.  Lots of broken pieces, stems, and twigs are a sign of low quality tea.  You also want to smell the batch to see if you detect any “off” smells.

In general, you want to find un-scented teas because usually Chinese tea producers reserve the lowest quality teas to scent and mask the low quality.   Also, tea blends are not in China’s tea tradition.

Understand how prices work

In most Chinese tea shops, teas are stored in canisters with prices on the canisters listed per 500g and you buy tea in quantities of 50g (a liang).  So whatever the price on the canister, just divide by 10 and you have the basic price.  50g is plenty of tea for a gift or for yourself to drink.

Teas in the 800-1000RMB/500g range should be really good, which means you should be able to buy some GREAT tea for 80-100 RMB.

Know what questions to ask

The three most important aspects that distinguish different types of teas from each other are: terroir, cultivar, and processing method.  You should be able to ask the tea seller questions regarding these three aspects and if they can’t answer them, that is a big red flag!

Another key question is to ask when a tea was harvested.  Some teas are better in the spring harvest and others during the fall harvest. Knowing when a tea was harvested also tells you about the freshness of a tea.   Except for teas prized for their aged qualities, ideally you would drink a tea within a year of its harvest date.

Other illuminating questions are the sellers relationship with the tea producers, suggestions for how to brew the tea, why the seller likes or suggests this tea, and what the difference is among the various grades of the same tea.

Find a tea seller you trust

In the end, the most important thing for all the elements above is buying from a tea seller you trust.  Obviously, there is no point in asking questions to someone you don’t trust anyways.

Tea in China is a vast, deep, and complex subject that can at times be overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be!  A trusted tea seller should be like a great guide navigating you through all the complexities with ease.

In China, you have access to some of the world’s best and freshest teas that are prized for their natural flavors.  In Beijing in particular, you have access to most of China’s wide varieties of teas from all over the country and working with a tea seller you trust, you should be able to find whatever tea you are looking for.

You can spend a lifetime learning about tea and still just scratch the surface.  In the end, the best way to learn about tea is to drink a lot, explore, try new things and experiment with brewing and what you like.  Finding a tea seller you can partner with and trust is crucial for your exciting journey of tea discovery, taste, and learning!

__________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to

  • Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware
  • Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China
  • Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique

Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!

My Tea Love Story This is my own personal story with tea and is a story many customers and supporters ask me. Today, I’m happy to share with you this love story! First of all, I would say (as most of my family and good friends will tell you), I’m total beverage enthusiast.  My enthusiasm for fresh lemonades, ginger ales, fresh fruit juice, horchata, and sarsaparilla (in addition to tea) are pretty intense and borderline obsessive. So that’s the larger context of my beverage enthusiasm for discovering new and exciting tastes, and horizons of flavor, and innovative ways to quench thirst. I would pinpoint the beginning of my tea relationship to the third grade, however, when I first encountered Anne of Green Gables and become totally enamored with the Victorian era.  I was so enthralled with a different more ceremonial and artful approach to life and of course the British high-tea.    I wanted to absorb and learn everything I could about the refined Victorian life.  So I did what every other 10 year old does, started subscribing to Victoria Magazine, a lifestyle magazine for 40 year old women interested in romantic high-end living inspired by the Victorian era.  (I wish I had a photo of me from this era on hand to share…once I find it I will add it) Aside: the current incarnation of the magazine under a different publisher is a quite a bit different from its original form when it was a Hearst publication.   Growing up in a Chinese-American household whenever our family went out to Chinese restaurants there would be some Chinese tea as part of the meal, but nobody was really ever focused on it, so cheap watery restaurant table tea was the norm.   My family are total food enthusiasts but nobody was that particular about tea (recently my grandmother who lives in New York City offered me some Lipton Black tea bags. seriously).  My mom did really like drinking mint herbal tisane though. So my own personal passion for tea was something I developed trying and discovering as many teas I could and carrying around my own teas in my purse so I would never have to settle for bad tea. I remember when I went to college and was setting up my dorm room,  my teapot, tea cups, and tea were some of the first things I put out. I also recall during those crazy weeks of college finals sitting in a computer lab ordering online samples of loose leaf tea from a specialty tea purveyor. When I started working in the Foreign Service after college, I  had the resources and opportunities to travel to lots of new countries and places—so I took this as a chance to discover more about tea!   For various fun personal vacations with friends, I visited tea gardens in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka.   A Revelatory Cup of Tea in Beijing When I was working at the US Embassy in Beijing, I had to go to many Chinese government offices for meetings.  The upside to this, was I soon discovered they often serve REALLY GOOD tea at these meetings!  Sometimes colleagues and I would plan meetings around which offices we knew had good tea (some of the photos above). I remember one meeting in particular at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—the tea was so good it was distracting.  I don’t remember anything that meeting was about, but I can remember with total clarity how smooth, soft, and delicious the green tea was.  All I could think was “What is this tea? Why is it so good?” And I knew I needed to know more. So I plunged into learning more about Chinese teas while in Beijing and traveling around China.  The tea tradition I discovered in China was so different than the British high tea that first enthralled me in third grade, even though it was the same beverage.  As I tried to learn more about it and dive deeper into the tradition, I discovered how rich and deep Chinese tea is.   I also learned how little people outside of China know about the wonders and delights of high quality Chinese tea—even many self-proclaimed tea enthusiasts.  That’s why Tranquil Tuesdays is committed to showcasing Chinese tea to new audiences outside of China. I really hope everyone who tries one of our teas will have the same distractingly good, revelatory tea experience with Chinese tea that I had during that one meeting.  __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
Zoom Info
My Tea Love Story This is my own personal story with tea and is a story many customers and supporters ask me. Today, I’m happy to share with you this love story! First of all, I would say (as most of my family and good friends will tell you), I’m total beverage enthusiast.  My enthusiasm for fresh lemonades, ginger ales, fresh fruit juice, horchata, and sarsaparilla (in addition to tea) are pretty intense and borderline obsessive. So that’s the larger context of my beverage enthusiasm for discovering new and exciting tastes, and horizons of flavor, and innovative ways to quench thirst. I would pinpoint the beginning of my tea relationship to the third grade, however, when I first encountered Anne of Green Gables and become totally enamored with the Victorian era.  I was so enthralled with a different more ceremonial and artful approach to life and of course the British high-tea.    I wanted to absorb and learn everything I could about the refined Victorian life.  So I did what every other 10 year old does, started subscribing to Victoria Magazine, a lifestyle magazine for 40 year old women interested in romantic high-end living inspired by the Victorian era.  (I wish I had a photo of me from this era on hand to share…once I find it I will add it) Aside: the current incarnation of the magazine under a different publisher is a quite a bit different from its original form when it was a Hearst publication.   Growing up in a Chinese-American household whenever our family went out to Chinese restaurants there would be some Chinese tea as part of the meal, but nobody was really ever focused on it, so cheap watery restaurant table tea was the norm.   My family are total food enthusiasts but nobody was that particular about tea (recently my grandmother who lives in New York City offered me some Lipton Black tea bags. seriously).  My mom did really like drinking mint herbal tisane though. So my own personal passion for tea was something I developed trying and discovering as many teas I could and carrying around my own teas in my purse so I would never have to settle for bad tea. I remember when I went to college and was setting up my dorm room,  my teapot, tea cups, and tea were some of the first things I put out. I also recall during those crazy weeks of college finals sitting in a computer lab ordering online samples of loose leaf tea from a specialty tea purveyor. When I started working in the Foreign Service after college, I  had the resources and opportunities to travel to lots of new countries and places—so I took this as a chance to discover more about tea!   For various fun personal vacations with friends, I visited tea gardens in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka.   A Revelatory Cup of Tea in Beijing When I was working at the US Embassy in Beijing, I had to go to many Chinese government offices for meetings.  The upside to this, was I soon discovered they often serve REALLY GOOD tea at these meetings!  Sometimes colleagues and I would plan meetings around which offices we knew had good tea (some of the photos above). I remember one meeting in particular at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—the tea was so good it was distracting.  I don’t remember anything that meeting was about, but I can remember with total clarity how smooth, soft, and delicious the green tea was.  All I could think was “What is this tea? Why is it so good?” And I knew I needed to know more. So I plunged into learning more about Chinese teas while in Beijing and traveling around China.  The tea tradition I discovered in China was so different than the British high tea that first enthralled me in third grade, even though it was the same beverage.  As I tried to learn more about it and dive deeper into the tradition, I discovered how rich and deep Chinese tea is.   I also learned how little people outside of China know about the wonders and delights of high quality Chinese tea—even many self-proclaimed tea enthusiasts.  That’s why Tranquil Tuesdays is committed to showcasing Chinese tea to new audiences outside of China. I really hope everyone who tries one of our teas will have the same distractingly good, revelatory tea experience with Chinese tea that I had during that one meeting.  __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
Zoom Info
My Tea Love Story This is my own personal story with tea and is a story many customers and supporters ask me. Today, I’m happy to share with you this love story! First of all, I would say (as most of my family and good friends will tell you), I’m total beverage enthusiast.  My enthusiasm for fresh lemonades, ginger ales, fresh fruit juice, horchata, and sarsaparilla (in addition to tea) are pretty intense and borderline obsessive. So that’s the larger context of my beverage enthusiasm for discovering new and exciting tastes, and horizons of flavor, and innovative ways to quench thirst. I would pinpoint the beginning of my tea relationship to the third grade, however, when I first encountered Anne of Green Gables and become totally enamored with the Victorian era.  I was so enthralled with a different more ceremonial and artful approach to life and of course the British high-tea.    I wanted to absorb and learn everything I could about the refined Victorian life.  So I did what every other 10 year old does, started subscribing to Victoria Magazine, a lifestyle magazine for 40 year old women interested in romantic high-end living inspired by the Victorian era.  (I wish I had a photo of me from this era on hand to share…once I find it I will add it) Aside: the current incarnation of the magazine under a different publisher is a quite a bit different from its original form when it was a Hearst publication.   Growing up in a Chinese-American household whenever our family went out to Chinese restaurants there would be some Chinese tea as part of the meal, but nobody was really ever focused on it, so cheap watery restaurant table tea was the norm.   My family are total food enthusiasts but nobody was that particular about tea (recently my grandmother who lives in New York City offered me some Lipton Black tea bags. seriously).  My mom did really like drinking mint herbal tisane though. So my own personal passion for tea was something I developed trying and discovering as many teas I could and carrying around my own teas in my purse so I would never have to settle for bad tea. I remember when I went to college and was setting up my dorm room,  my teapot, tea cups, and tea were some of the first things I put out. I also recall during those crazy weeks of college finals sitting in a computer lab ordering online samples of loose leaf tea from a specialty tea purveyor. When I started working in the Foreign Service after college, I  had the resources and opportunities to travel to lots of new countries and places—so I took this as a chance to discover more about tea!   For various fun personal vacations with friends, I visited tea gardens in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka.   A Revelatory Cup of Tea in Beijing When I was working at the US Embassy in Beijing, I had to go to many Chinese government offices for meetings.  The upside to this, was I soon discovered they often serve REALLY GOOD tea at these meetings!  Sometimes colleagues and I would plan meetings around which offices we knew had good tea (some of the photos above). I remember one meeting in particular at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—the tea was so good it was distracting.  I don’t remember anything that meeting was about, but I can remember with total clarity how smooth, soft, and delicious the green tea was.  All I could think was “What is this tea? Why is it so good?” And I knew I needed to know more. So I plunged into learning more about Chinese teas while in Beijing and traveling around China.  The tea tradition I discovered in China was so different than the British high tea that first enthralled me in third grade, even though it was the same beverage.  As I tried to learn more about it and dive deeper into the tradition, I discovered how rich and deep Chinese tea is.   I also learned how little people outside of China know about the wonders and delights of high quality Chinese tea—even many self-proclaimed tea enthusiasts.  That’s why Tranquil Tuesdays is committed to showcasing Chinese tea to new audiences outside of China. I really hope everyone who tries one of our teas will have the same distractingly good, revelatory tea experience with Chinese tea that I had during that one meeting.  __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
Zoom Info
My Tea Love Story This is my own personal story with tea and is a story many customers and supporters ask me. Today, I’m happy to share with you this love story! First of all, I would say (as most of my family and good friends will tell you), I’m total beverage enthusiast.  My enthusiasm for fresh lemonades, ginger ales, fresh fruit juice, horchata, and sarsaparilla (in addition to tea) are pretty intense and borderline obsessive. So that’s the larger context of my beverage enthusiasm for discovering new and exciting tastes, and horizons of flavor, and innovative ways to quench thirst. I would pinpoint the beginning of my tea relationship to the third grade, however, when I first encountered Anne of Green Gables and become totally enamored with the Victorian era.  I was so enthralled with a different more ceremonial and artful approach to life and of course the British high-tea.    I wanted to absorb and learn everything I could about the refined Victorian life.  So I did what every other 10 year old does, started subscribing to Victoria Magazine, a lifestyle magazine for 40 year old women interested in romantic high-end living inspired by the Victorian era.  (I wish I had a photo of me from this era on hand to share…once I find it I will add it) Aside: the current incarnation of the magazine under a different publisher is a quite a bit different from its original form when it was a Hearst publication.   Growing up in a Chinese-American household whenever our family went out to Chinese restaurants there would be some Chinese tea as part of the meal, but nobody was really ever focused on it, so cheap watery restaurant table tea was the norm.   My family are total food enthusiasts but nobody was that particular about tea (recently my grandmother who lives in New York City offered me some Lipton Black tea bags. seriously).  My mom did really like drinking mint herbal tisane though. So my own personal passion for tea was something I developed trying and discovering as many teas I could and carrying around my own teas in my purse so I would never have to settle for bad tea. I remember when I went to college and was setting up my dorm room,  my teapot, tea cups, and tea were some of the first things I put out. I also recall during those crazy weeks of college finals sitting in a computer lab ordering online samples of loose leaf tea from a specialty tea purveyor. When I started working in the Foreign Service after college, I  had the resources and opportunities to travel to lots of new countries and places—so I took this as a chance to discover more about tea!   For various fun personal vacations with friends, I visited tea gardens in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka.   A Revelatory Cup of Tea in Beijing When I was working at the US Embassy in Beijing, I had to go to many Chinese government offices for meetings.  The upside to this, was I soon discovered they often serve REALLY GOOD tea at these meetings!  Sometimes colleagues and I would plan meetings around which offices we knew had good tea (some of the photos above). I remember one meeting in particular at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—the tea was so good it was distracting.  I don’t remember anything that meeting was about, but I can remember with total clarity how smooth, soft, and delicious the green tea was.  All I could think was “What is this tea? Why is it so good?” And I knew I needed to know more. So I plunged into learning more about Chinese teas while in Beijing and traveling around China.  The tea tradition I discovered in China was so different than the British high tea that first enthralled me in third grade, even though it was the same beverage.  As I tried to learn more about it and dive deeper into the tradition, I discovered how rich and deep Chinese tea is.   I also learned how little people outside of China know about the wonders and delights of high quality Chinese tea—even many self-proclaimed tea enthusiasts.  That’s why Tranquil Tuesdays is committed to showcasing Chinese tea to new audiences outside of China. I really hope everyone who tries one of our teas will have the same distractingly good, revelatory tea experience with Chinese tea that I had during that one meeting.  __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
Zoom Info
My Tea Love Story This is my own personal story with tea and is a story many customers and supporters ask me. Today, I’m happy to share with you this love story! First of all, I would say (as most of my family and good friends will tell you), I’m total beverage enthusiast.  My enthusiasm for fresh lemonades, ginger ales, fresh fruit juice, horchata, and sarsaparilla (in addition to tea) are pretty intense and borderline obsessive. So that’s the larger context of my beverage enthusiasm for discovering new and exciting tastes, and horizons of flavor, and innovative ways to quench thirst. I would pinpoint the beginning of my tea relationship to the third grade, however, when I first encountered Anne of Green Gables and become totally enamored with the Victorian era.  I was so enthralled with a different more ceremonial and artful approach to life and of course the British high-tea.    I wanted to absorb and learn everything I could about the refined Victorian life.  So I did what every other 10 year old does, started subscribing to Victoria Magazine, a lifestyle magazine for 40 year old women interested in romantic high-end living inspired by the Victorian era.  (I wish I had a photo of me from this era on hand to share…once I find it I will add it) Aside: the current incarnation of the magazine under a different publisher is a quite a bit different from its original form when it was a Hearst publication.   Growing up in a Chinese-American household whenever our family went out to Chinese restaurants there would be some Chinese tea as part of the meal, but nobody was really ever focused on it, so cheap watery restaurant table tea was the norm.   My family are total food enthusiasts but nobody was that particular about tea (recently my grandmother who lives in New York City offered me some Lipton Black tea bags. seriously).  My mom did really like drinking mint herbal tisane though. So my own personal passion for tea was something I developed trying and discovering as many teas I could and carrying around my own teas in my purse so I would never have to settle for bad tea. I remember when I went to college and was setting up my dorm room,  my teapot, tea cups, and tea were some of the first things I put out. I also recall during those crazy weeks of college finals sitting in a computer lab ordering online samples of loose leaf tea from a specialty tea purveyor. When I started working in the Foreign Service after college, I  had the resources and opportunities to travel to lots of new countries and places—so I took this as a chance to discover more about tea!   For various fun personal vacations with friends, I visited tea gardens in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka.   A Revelatory Cup of Tea in Beijing When I was working at the US Embassy in Beijing, I had to go to many Chinese government offices for meetings.  The upside to this, was I soon discovered they often serve REALLY GOOD tea at these meetings!  Sometimes colleagues and I would plan meetings around which offices we knew had good tea (some of the photos above). I remember one meeting in particular at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—the tea was so good it was distracting.  I don’t remember anything that meeting was about, but I can remember with total clarity how smooth, soft, and delicious the green tea was.  All I could think was “What is this tea? Why is it so good?” And I knew I needed to know more. So I plunged into learning more about Chinese teas while in Beijing and traveling around China.  The tea tradition I discovered in China was so different than the British high tea that first enthralled me in third grade, even though it was the same beverage.  As I tried to learn more about it and dive deeper into the tradition, I discovered how rich and deep Chinese tea is.   I also learned how little people outside of China know about the wonders and delights of high quality Chinese tea—even many self-proclaimed tea enthusiasts.  That’s why Tranquil Tuesdays is committed to showcasing Chinese tea to new audiences outside of China. I really hope everyone who tries one of our teas will have the same distractingly good, revelatory tea experience with Chinese tea that I had during that one meeting.  __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
Zoom Info

My Tea Love Story

This is my own personal story with tea and is a story many customers and supporters ask me. Today, I’m happy to share with you this love story!

First of all, I would say (as most of my family and good friends will tell you), I’m total beverage enthusiast.  My enthusiasm for fresh lemonades, ginger ales, fresh fruit juice, horchata, and sarsaparilla (in addition to tea) are pretty intense and borderline obsessive.

So that’s the larger context of my beverage enthusiasm for discovering new and exciting tastes, and horizons of flavor, and innovative ways to quench thirst.

I would pinpoint the beginning of my tea relationship to the third grade, however, when I first encountered Anne of Green Gables and become totally enamored with the Victorian era.  I was so enthralled with a different more ceremonial and artful approach to life and of course the British high-tea.   

I wanted to absorb and learn everything I could about the refined Victorian life.  So I did what every other 10 year old does, started subscribing to Victoria Magazine, a lifestyle magazine for 40 year old women interested in romantic high-end living inspired by the Victorian era.  (I wish I had a photo of me from this era on hand to share…once I find it I will add it)

Aside: the current incarnation of the magazine under a different publisher is a quite a bit different from its original form when it was a Hearst publication.  

Growing up in a Chinese-American household whenever our family went out to Chinese restaurants there would be some Chinese tea as part of the meal, but nobody was really ever focused on it, so cheap watery restaurant table tea was the norm.  

My family are total food enthusiasts but nobody was that particular about tea (recently my grandmother who lives in New York City offered me some Lipton Black tea bags. seriously).  My mom did really like drinking mint herbal tisane though.

So my own personal passion for tea was something I developed trying and discovering as many teas I could and carrying around my own teas in my purse so I would never have to settle for bad tea.

I remember when I went to college and was setting up my dorm room,  my teapot, tea cups, and tea were some of the first things I put out. I also recall during those crazy weeks of college finals sitting in a computer lab ordering online samples of loose leaf tea from a specialty tea purveyor.

When I started working in the Foreign Service after college, I  had the resources and opportunities to travel to lots of new countries and places—so I took this as a chance to discover more about tea!   For various fun personal vacations with friends, I visited tea gardens in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka.  

A Revelatory Cup of Tea in Beijing

When I was working at the US Embassy in Beijing, I had to go to many Chinese government offices for meetings.  The upside to this, was I soon discovered they often serve REALLY GOOD tea at these meetings!  Sometimes colleagues and I would plan meetings around which offices we knew had good tea (some of the photos above).

I remember one meeting in particular at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—the tea was so good it was distracting.  I don’t remember anything that meeting was about, but I can remember with total clarity how smooth, soft, and delicious the green tea was.  All I could think was “What is this tea? Why is it so good?” And I knew I needed to know more.

So I plunged into learning more about Chinese teas while in Beijing and traveling around China.  The tea tradition I discovered in China was so different than the British high tea that first enthralled me in third grade, even though it was the same beverage.  As I tried to learn more about it and dive deeper into the tradition, I discovered how rich and deep Chinese tea is.  

I also learned how little people outside of China know about the wonders and delights of high quality Chinese tea—even many self-proclaimed tea enthusiasts.  That’s why Tranquil Tuesdays is committed to showcasing Chinese tea to new audiences outside of China.

I really hope everyone who tries one of our teas will have the same distractingly good, revelatory tea experience with Chinese tea that I had during that one meeting. 

__________________________________________________________

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  • Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware
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Enjoying Huangshan Mao Feng Green Tea Learning more about Huangshan mao feng green tea from a 6th generation tea making expert in his family’s showroom on a historical walking street in Tunxi, Anhui. _______________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Enjoying Huangshan Mao Feng Green Tea Learning more about Huangshan mao feng green tea from a 6th generation tea making expert in his family’s showroom on a historical walking street in Tunxi, Anhui. _______________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Enjoying Huangshan Mao Feng Green Tea Learning more about Huangshan mao feng green tea from a 6th generation tea making expert in his family’s showroom on a historical walking street in Tunxi, Anhui. _______________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Enjoying Huangshan Mao Feng Green Tea

Learning more about Huangshan mao feng green tea from a 6th generation tea making expert in his family’s showroom on a historical walking street in Tunxi, Anhui.

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More Adventures in Anhui Visiting green tea fields and learning about tea picking from tea pickers in Huangshan, Anhui followed by a visit to a picturesquely stunning nearby village. __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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More Adventures in Anhui Visiting green tea fields and learning about tea picking from tea pickers in Huangshan, Anhui followed by a visit to a picturesquely stunning nearby village. __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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More Adventures in Anhui Visiting green tea fields and learning about tea picking from tea pickers in Huangshan, Anhui followed by a visit to a picturesquely stunning nearby village. __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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More Adventures in Anhui

Visiting green tea fields and learning about tea picking from tea pickers in Huangshan, Anhui followed by a visit to a picturesquely stunning nearby village.

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Sipping the Day’s Tea on Rooftop in Anhui After a day long excursion to a remote tea producing village, exploring the tea fields, seeing first hand how the local green tea is produced entirely by hand, joining in production ourselves, we had a chance to sip our tea in the most idyllic of settings… The rooftop of Pig’s Heaven Inn—a renovated, traditional Anhui home, nestled into the quiet village of Bishan with nine charming rooms.  It was the perfect home base for our countryside tea explorations! __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Sipping the Day’s Tea on Rooftop in Anhui After a day long excursion to a remote tea producing village, exploring the tea fields, seeing first hand how the local green tea is produced entirely by hand, joining in production ourselves, we had a chance to sip our tea in the most idyllic of settings… The rooftop of Pig’s Heaven Inn—a renovated, traditional Anhui home, nestled into the quiet village of Bishan with nine charming rooms.  It was the perfect home base for our countryside tea explorations! __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Sipping the Day’s Tea on Rooftop in Anhui After a day long excursion to a remote tea producing village, exploring the tea fields, seeing first hand how the local green tea is produced entirely by hand, joining in production ourselves, we had a chance to sip our tea in the most idyllic of settings… The rooftop of Pig’s Heaven Inn—a renovated, traditional Anhui home, nestled into the quiet village of Bishan with nine charming rooms.  It was the perfect home base for our countryside tea explorations! __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Sipping the Day’s Tea on Rooftop in Anhui

After a day long excursion to a remote tea producing village, exploring the tea fields, seeing first hand how the local green tea is produced entirely by hand, joining in production ourselves, we had a chance to sip our tea in the most idyllic of settings…

The rooftop of Pig’s Heaven Inn—a renovated, traditional Anhui home, nestled into the quiet village of Bishan with nine charming rooms.  It was the perfect home base for our countryside tea explorations! __________________________________________________________

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Exploring Green Tea around Huangshan, Anhui __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Exploring Green Tea around Huangshan, Anhui __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Exploring Green Tea around Huangshan, Anhui __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Exploring Green Tea around Huangshan, Anhui __________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Exploring Green Tea around Huangshan, Anhui

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Terroirs and Chinese Tea Just as I promised last week, I am going to start explaining the two other factors (besides oxidation level) that distinguish a certain type of tea from each other: terroir and cultivar.  Woot-woo-ivar! Remember the analogy I introduced last week?  If you forgot, I compared the relationship between continents and countries to tea categories and specific teas within the same category. We said that tea categories (like white, green, or black for example) are like the main continents, distinguished by oxidation level.    So while countries within the same continent may vary linguistically, culturally, and historically, the main features that distinguish teas within the same category from each other are terroir and plant cultivar.  Today we are going to discuss terroir. What is a terroir? Terroir is a French word (from the root terre meaning “land”) used to describe a specific growing area including the land, climate, altitude, and the combination of factors that comprise the land.  Or as Wikipedia defines it: “a set of special characteristics that the geography, geology, and climate of a certain place express in agricultural products”. As you know, China is a pretty big country.  The climate and geology of arid Bejing in northeast China is nothing like that of humid tropical Yunnan in southwest China 1700 miles (2575 km) away.  As a result, a tea plant grown in Guangdong province (like our Phoenix Honey Orchid Oolong) is interacting with a different set of factors that will influence this plant than a plant grown more north in Fujian province (like our Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong). One of Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong’s most distinctive terroir elements is the red soil in Anxi, Fujian where the plants are grown (see photo above).  The mineral deposits from this unique red soil contribute to the distinctive flavor of Iron Goddess of Mercy’s tea leaves.   For purists and people who really appreciate fine tea, terroir is a really important factor for enjoying the authentic flavor of a certain tea.   Why Tranquil Tuesdays? Tranquil Tuesdays prides itself in honoring this principle when choosing and sourcing our teas: we only select teas that are from historical points of origin.  We believe staying true to each tea’s historical terroir is a key part in telling the story of China’s amazing tea diversity and rich history. ______________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Terroirs and Chinese Tea Just as I promised last week, I am going to start explaining the two other factors (besides oxidation level) that distinguish a certain type of tea from each other: terroir and cultivar.  Woot-woo-ivar! Remember the analogy I introduced last week?  If you forgot, I compared the relationship between continents and countries to tea categories and specific teas within the same category. We said that tea categories (like white, green, or black for example) are like the main continents, distinguished by oxidation level.    So while countries within the same continent may vary linguistically, culturally, and historically, the main features that distinguish teas within the same category from each other are terroir and plant cultivar.  Today we are going to discuss terroir. What is a terroir? Terroir is a French word (from the root terre meaning “land”) used to describe a specific growing area including the land, climate, altitude, and the combination of factors that comprise the land.  Or as Wikipedia defines it: “a set of special characteristics that the geography, geology, and climate of a certain place express in agricultural products”. As you know, China is a pretty big country.  The climate and geology of arid Bejing in northeast China is nothing like that of humid tropical Yunnan in southwest China 1700 miles (2575 km) away.  As a result, a tea plant grown in Guangdong province (like our Phoenix Honey Orchid Oolong) is interacting with a different set of factors that will influence this plant than a plant grown more north in Fujian province (like our Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong). One of Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong’s most distinctive terroir elements is the red soil in Anxi, Fujian where the plants are grown (see photo above).  The mineral deposits from this unique red soil contribute to the distinctive flavor of Iron Goddess of Mercy’s tea leaves.   For purists and people who really appreciate fine tea, terroir is a really important factor for enjoying the authentic flavor of a certain tea.   Why Tranquil Tuesdays? Tranquil Tuesdays prides itself in honoring this principle when choosing and sourcing our teas: we only select teas that are from historical points of origin.  We believe staying true to each tea’s historical terroir is a key part in telling the story of China’s amazing tea diversity and rich history. ______________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Terroirs and Chinese Tea Just as I promised last week, I am going to start explaining the two other factors (besides oxidation level) that distinguish a certain type of tea from each other: terroir and cultivar.  Woot-woo-ivar! Remember the analogy I introduced last week?  If you forgot, I compared the relationship between continents and countries to tea categories and specific teas within the same category. We said that tea categories (like white, green, or black for example) are like the main continents, distinguished by oxidation level.    So while countries within the same continent may vary linguistically, culturally, and historically, the main features that distinguish teas within the same category from each other are terroir and plant cultivar.  Today we are going to discuss terroir. What is a terroir? Terroir is a French word (from the root terre meaning “land”) used to describe a specific growing area including the land, climate, altitude, and the combination of factors that comprise the land.  Or as Wikipedia defines it: “a set of special characteristics that the geography, geology, and climate of a certain place express in agricultural products”. As you know, China is a pretty big country.  The climate and geology of arid Bejing in northeast China is nothing like that of humid tropical Yunnan in southwest China 1700 miles (2575 km) away.  As a result, a tea plant grown in Guangdong province (like our Phoenix Honey Orchid Oolong) is interacting with a different set of factors that will influence this plant than a plant grown more north in Fujian province (like our Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong). One of Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong’s most distinctive terroir elements is the red soil in Anxi, Fujian where the plants are grown (see photo above).  The mineral deposits from this unique red soil contribute to the distinctive flavor of Iron Goddess of Mercy’s tea leaves.   For purists and people who really appreciate fine tea, terroir is a really important factor for enjoying the authentic flavor of a certain tea.   Why Tranquil Tuesdays? Tranquil Tuesdays prides itself in honoring this principle when choosing and sourcing our teas: we only select teas that are from historical points of origin.  We believe staying true to each tea’s historical terroir is a key part in telling the story of China’s amazing tea diversity and rich history. ______________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Terroirs and Chinese Tea Just as I promised last week, I am going to start explaining the two other factors (besides oxidation level) that distinguish a certain type of tea from each other: terroir and cultivar.  Woot-woo-ivar! Remember the analogy I introduced last week?  If you forgot, I compared the relationship between continents and countries to tea categories and specific teas within the same category. We said that tea categories (like white, green, or black for example) are like the main continents, distinguished by oxidation level.    So while countries within the same continent may vary linguistically, culturally, and historically, the main features that distinguish teas within the same category from each other are terroir and plant cultivar.  Today we are going to discuss terroir. What is a terroir? Terroir is a French word (from the root terre meaning “land”) used to describe a specific growing area including the land, climate, altitude, and the combination of factors that comprise the land.  Or as Wikipedia defines it: “a set of special characteristics that the geography, geology, and climate of a certain place express in agricultural products”. As you know, China is a pretty big country.  The climate and geology of arid Bejing in northeast China is nothing like that of humid tropical Yunnan in southwest China 1700 miles (2575 km) away.  As a result, a tea plant grown in Guangdong province (like our Phoenix Honey Orchid Oolong) is interacting with a different set of factors that will influence this plant than a plant grown more north in Fujian province (like our Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong). One of Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong’s most distinctive terroir elements is the red soil in Anxi, Fujian where the plants are grown (see photo above).  The mineral deposits from this unique red soil contribute to the distinctive flavor of Iron Goddess of Mercy’s tea leaves.   For purists and people who really appreciate fine tea, terroir is a really important factor for enjoying the authentic flavor of a certain tea.   Why Tranquil Tuesdays? Tranquil Tuesdays prides itself in honoring this principle when choosing and sourcing our teas: we only select teas that are from historical points of origin.  We believe staying true to each tea’s historical terroir is a key part in telling the story of China’s amazing tea diversity and rich history. ______________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Terroirs and Chinese Tea Just as I promised last week, I am going to start explaining the two other factors (besides oxidation level) that distinguish a certain type of tea from each other: terroir and cultivar.  Woot-woo-ivar! Remember the analogy I introduced last week?  If you forgot, I compared the relationship between continents and countries to tea categories and specific teas within the same category. We said that tea categories (like white, green, or black for example) are like the main continents, distinguished by oxidation level.    So while countries within the same continent may vary linguistically, culturally, and historically, the main features that distinguish teas within the same category from each other are terroir and plant cultivar.  Today we are going to discuss terroir. What is a terroir? Terroir is a French word (from the root terre meaning “land”) used to describe a specific growing area including the land, climate, altitude, and the combination of factors that comprise the land.  Or as Wikipedia defines it: “a set of special characteristics that the geography, geology, and climate of a certain place express in agricultural products”. As you know, China is a pretty big country.  The climate and geology of arid Bejing in northeast China is nothing like that of humid tropical Yunnan in southwest China 1700 miles (2575 km) away.  As a result, a tea plant grown in Guangdong province (like our Phoenix Honey Orchid Oolong) is interacting with a different set of factors that will influence this plant than a plant grown more north in Fujian province (like our Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong). One of Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong’s most distinctive terroir elements is the red soil in Anxi, Fujian where the plants are grown (see photo above).  The mineral deposits from this unique red soil contribute to the distinctive flavor of Iron Goddess of Mercy’s tea leaves.   For purists and people who really appreciate fine tea, terroir is a really important factor for enjoying the authentic flavor of a certain tea.   Why Tranquil Tuesdays? Tranquil Tuesdays prides itself in honoring this principle when choosing and sourcing our teas: we only select teas that are from historical points of origin.  We believe staying true to each tea’s historical terroir is a key part in telling the story of China’s amazing tea diversity and rich history. ______________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Terroirs and Chinese Tea

Just as I promised last week, I am going to start explaining the two other factors (besides oxidation level) that distinguish a certain type of tea from each other: terroir and cultivar.  Woot-woo-ivar!

Remember the analogy I introduced last week?  If you forgot, I compared the relationship between continents and countries to tea categories and specific teas within the same category. We said that tea categories (like white, green, or black for example) are like the main continents, distinguished by oxidation level.   

So while countries within the same continent may vary linguistically, culturally, and historically, the main features that distinguish teas within the same category from each other are terroir and plant cultivar.  Today we are going to discuss terroir.

What is a terroir?

Terroir is a French word (from the root terre meaning “land”) used to describe a specific growing area including the land, climate, altitude, and the combination of factors that comprise the land.  Or as Wikipedia defines it: “a set of special characteristics that the geography, geology, and climate of a certain place express in agricultural products”.

As you know, China is a pretty big country.  The climate and geology of arid Bejing in northeast China is nothing like that of humid tropical Yunnan in southwest China 1700 miles (2575 km) away. 

As a result, a tea plant grown in Guangdong province (like our Phoenix Honey Orchid Oolong) is interacting with a different set of factors that will influence this plant than a plant grown more north in Fujian province (like our Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong).

One of Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong’s most distinctive terroir elements is the red soil in Anxi, Fujian where the plants are grown (see photo above).  The mineral deposits from this unique red soil contribute to the distinctive flavor of Iron Goddess of Mercy’s tea leaves.  

For purists and people who really appreciate fine tea, terroir is a really important factor for enjoying the authentic flavor of a certain tea.  

Why Tranquil Tuesdays?

Tranquil Tuesdays prides itself in honoring this principle when choosing and sourcing our teas: we only select teas that are from historical points of origin.  We believe staying true to each tea’s historical terroir is a key part in telling the story of China’s amazing tea diversity and rich history.

______________________________________________________________

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  • Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware
  • Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China
  • Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique

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Categories of Tea; Oxidation and Borders Earlier, we talked about what makes tea tea, but what is the difference of white tea and black tea? I’ve been contemplating how to explain this for a while and the analogy I keep coming back to is similar to distinguishing countries and continents.  There are eight continents on planet earth, and most people agree there are six main categories of tea: white, green, yellow, oolong, black, and dark (which includes pu’er).   Much like how North America and South America are distinguished by the geo-political border of Panama and Colombia, categories of tea have their own borders which are determined by oxidation levels.   Oxi-whaaa? Oxidation is the chemical process that happens when you bite into an apple; leave it out and it starts turning brown.   The degree to which a tea leaf is oxidized, is the principal factor determining what category of tea the finished leaf will belong to. Here is a handy cheat sheet: green tea (un-oxidized) white tea (minimally oxidized) oolong tea (partially oxidized) black tea (almost fully oxidized)   pu’er tea, a sub-set of “dark teas” are distinguished by post-processing yellow tea (a fairly rare category of tea) is a post-processed fermented green tea Tea processing is basically the artful manipulation of heat and moisture to optimally control oxidation. Oxidation vs. Fermentation It is important to make a quick aside distinguishing a frequent mix-up in tea education between oxidation and fermentation.  These are two totally different scientifically defined chemical processes and should not be used inter-changeably.    As you see in the bullet list above, only two categories of tea undergo the chemical process of fermentation: dark and yellow teas.  To repeat: the most important chemical process for tea making and distinguishing tea categories is: oxidation. Continents : Countries:: Oxidation : Terroir and Cultivars Within geographical continents, there are hundreds of countries which together make up the continent.  Similarly, within each category of tea, there are hundreds of specific teas (for instance, hundreds of different green teas in China alone) that make-up the broad category of green tea. To continue with my continent and country analogy, oxidation level is the border that divides continents/categories of tea.  Terroir and tea plant cultivar are the properties that distinguish countries from each other within a continent/types of tea within a category of tea. Just like Korea and Japan are both Asian countries but distinctive, unique, and separate countries, Iron Goddess of Mercy oolong tea and Phoenix Honey Orchid oolong tea are both oolong teas but have distinctive, unique, and separate properties that differentiate them from each other. So while countries within the same continent may vary specifically in linguistic, cultural, and historical differences, the main features that distinguish tea within the same category from each other are terroir and plant cultivar. Terroir? Plant cultivar? Don’t worry!  We’ve got you covered…stay tuned and I will break these down for you in another upcoming blog post.  ________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Categories of Tea; Oxidation and Borders Earlier, we talked about what makes tea tea, but what is the difference of white tea and black tea? I’ve been contemplating how to explain this for a while and the analogy I keep coming back to is similar to distinguishing countries and continents.  There are eight continents on planet earth, and most people agree there are six main categories of tea: white, green, yellow, oolong, black, and dark (which includes pu’er).   Much like how North America and South America are distinguished by the geo-political border of Panama and Colombia, categories of tea have their own borders which are determined by oxidation levels.   Oxi-whaaa? Oxidation is the chemical process that happens when you bite into an apple; leave it out and it starts turning brown.   The degree to which a tea leaf is oxidized, is the principal factor determining what category of tea the finished leaf will belong to. Here is a handy cheat sheet: green tea (un-oxidized) white tea (minimally oxidized) oolong tea (partially oxidized) black tea (almost fully oxidized)   pu’er tea, a sub-set of “dark teas” are distinguished by post-processing yellow tea (a fairly rare category of tea) is a post-processed fermented green tea Tea processing is basically the artful manipulation of heat and moisture to optimally control oxidation. Oxidation vs. Fermentation It is important to make a quick aside distinguishing a frequent mix-up in tea education between oxidation and fermentation.  These are two totally different scientifically defined chemical processes and should not be used inter-changeably.    As you see in the bullet list above, only two categories of tea undergo the chemical process of fermentation: dark and yellow teas.  To repeat: the most important chemical process for tea making and distinguishing tea categories is: oxidation. Continents : Countries:: Oxidation : Terroir and Cultivars Within geographical continents, there are hundreds of countries which together make up the continent.  Similarly, within each category of tea, there are hundreds of specific teas (for instance, hundreds of different green teas in China alone) that make-up the broad category of green tea. To continue with my continent and country analogy, oxidation level is the border that divides continents/categories of tea.  Terroir and tea plant cultivar are the properties that distinguish countries from each other within a continent/types of tea within a category of tea. Just like Korea and Japan are both Asian countries but distinctive, unique, and separate countries, Iron Goddess of Mercy oolong tea and Phoenix Honey Orchid oolong tea are both oolong teas but have distinctive, unique, and separate properties that differentiate them from each other. So while countries within the same continent may vary specifically in linguistic, cultural, and historical differences, the main features that distinguish tea within the same category from each other are terroir and plant cultivar. Terroir? Plant cultivar? Don’t worry!  We’ve got you covered…stay tuned and I will break these down for you in another upcoming blog post.  ________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Categories of Tea; Oxidation and Borders Earlier, we talked about what makes tea tea, but what is the difference of white tea and black tea? I’ve been contemplating how to explain this for a while and the analogy I keep coming back to is similar to distinguishing countries and continents.  There are eight continents on planet earth, and most people agree there are six main categories of tea: white, green, yellow, oolong, black, and dark (which includes pu’er).   Much like how North America and South America are distinguished by the geo-political border of Panama and Colombia, categories of tea have their own borders which are determined by oxidation levels.   Oxi-whaaa? Oxidation is the chemical process that happens when you bite into an apple; leave it out and it starts turning brown.   The degree to which a tea leaf is oxidized, is the principal factor determining what category of tea the finished leaf will belong to. Here is a handy cheat sheet: green tea (un-oxidized) white tea (minimally oxidized) oolong tea (partially oxidized) black tea (almost fully oxidized)   pu’er tea, a sub-set of “dark teas” are distinguished by post-processing yellow tea (a fairly rare category of tea) is a post-processed fermented green tea Tea processing is basically the artful manipulation of heat and moisture to optimally control oxidation. Oxidation vs. Fermentation It is important to make a quick aside distinguishing a frequent mix-up in tea education between oxidation and fermentation.  These are two totally different scientifically defined chemical processes and should not be used inter-changeably.    As you see in the bullet list above, only two categories of tea undergo the chemical process of fermentation: dark and yellow teas.  To repeat: the most important chemical process for tea making and distinguishing tea categories is: oxidation. Continents : Countries:: Oxidation : Terroir and Cultivars Within geographical continents, there are hundreds of countries which together make up the continent.  Similarly, within each category of tea, there are hundreds of specific teas (for instance, hundreds of different green teas in China alone) that make-up the broad category of green tea. To continue with my continent and country analogy, oxidation level is the border that divides continents/categories of tea.  Terroir and tea plant cultivar are the properties that distinguish countries from each other within a continent/types of tea within a category of tea. Just like Korea and Japan are both Asian countries but distinctive, unique, and separate countries, Iron Goddess of Mercy oolong tea and Phoenix Honey Orchid oolong tea are both oolong teas but have distinctive, unique, and separate properties that differentiate them from each other. So while countries within the same continent may vary specifically in linguistic, cultural, and historical differences, the main features that distinguish tea within the same category from each other are terroir and plant cultivar. Terroir? Plant cultivar? Don’t worry!  We’ve got you covered…stay tuned and I will break these down for you in another upcoming blog post.  ________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Categories of Tea; Oxidation and Borders Earlier, we talked about what makes tea tea, but what is the difference of white tea and black tea? I’ve been contemplating how to explain this for a while and the analogy I keep coming back to is similar to distinguishing countries and continents.  There are eight continents on planet earth, and most people agree there are six main categories of tea: white, green, yellow, oolong, black, and dark (which includes pu’er).   Much like how North America and South America are distinguished by the geo-political border of Panama and Colombia, categories of tea have their own borders which are determined by oxidation levels.   Oxi-whaaa? Oxidation is the chemical process that happens when you bite into an apple; leave it out and it starts turning brown.   The degree to which a tea leaf is oxidized, is the principal factor determining what category of tea the finished leaf will belong to. Here is a handy cheat sheet: green tea (un-oxidized) white tea (minimally oxidized) oolong tea (partially oxidized) black tea (almost fully oxidized)   pu’er tea, a sub-set of “dark teas” are distinguished by post-processing yellow tea (a fairly rare category of tea) is a post-processed fermented green tea Tea processing is basically the artful manipulation of heat and moisture to optimally control oxidation. Oxidation vs. Fermentation It is important to make a quick aside distinguishing a frequent mix-up in tea education between oxidation and fermentation.  These are two totally different scientifically defined chemical processes and should not be used inter-changeably.    As you see in the bullet list above, only two categories of tea undergo the chemical process of fermentation: dark and yellow teas.  To repeat: the most important chemical process for tea making and distinguishing tea categories is: oxidation. Continents : Countries:: Oxidation : Terroir and Cultivars Within geographical continents, there are hundreds of countries which together make up the continent.  Similarly, within each category of tea, there are hundreds of specific teas (for instance, hundreds of different green teas in China alone) that make-up the broad category of green tea. To continue with my continent and country analogy, oxidation level is the border that divides continents/categories of tea.  Terroir and tea plant cultivar are the properties that distinguish countries from each other within a continent/types of tea within a category of tea. Just like Korea and Japan are both Asian countries but distinctive, unique, and separate countries, Iron Goddess of Mercy oolong tea and Phoenix Honey Orchid oolong tea are both oolong teas but have distinctive, unique, and separate properties that differentiate them from each other. So while countries within the same continent may vary specifically in linguistic, cultural, and historical differences, the main features that distinguish tea within the same category from each other are terroir and plant cultivar. Terroir? Plant cultivar? Don’t worry!  We’ve got you covered…stay tuned and I will break these down for you in another upcoming blog post.  ________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Categories of Tea; Oxidation and Borders

Earlier, we talked about what makes tea tea, but what is the difference of white tea and black tea?

I’ve been contemplating how to explain this for a while and the analogy I keep coming back to is similar to distinguishing countries and continents.  There are eight continents on planet earth, and most people agree there are six main categories of tea: white, green, yellow, oolong, black, and dark (which includes pu’er).  

Much like how North America and South America are distinguished by the geo-political border of Panama and Colombia, categories of tea have their own borders which are determined by oxidation levels.  

Oxi-whaaa?

Oxidation is the chemical process that happens when you bite into an apple; leave it out and it starts turning brown.  

The degree to which a tea leaf is oxidized, is the principal factor determining what category of tea the finished leaf will belong to. Here is a handy cheat sheet:

  • green tea (un-oxidized)
  • white tea (minimally oxidized)
  • oolong tea (partially oxidized)
  • black tea (almost fully oxidized)  
  • pu’er tea, a sub-set of “dark teas” are distinguished by post-processing
  • yellow tea (a fairly rare category of tea) is a post-processed fermented green tea

Tea processing is basically the artful manipulation of heat and moisture to optimally control oxidation.

Oxidation vs. Fermentation

It is important to make a quick aside distinguishing a frequent mix-up in tea education between oxidation and fermentation.  These are two totally different scientifically defined chemical processes and should not be used inter-changeably.   

As you see in the bullet list above, only two categories of tea undergo the chemical process of fermentation: dark and yellow teas.  To repeat: the most important chemical process for tea making and distinguishing tea categories is: oxidation.

Continents : Countries:: Oxidation : Terroir and Cultivars

Within geographical continents, there are hundreds of countries which together make up the continent.  Similarly, within each category of tea, there are hundreds of specific teas (for instance, hundreds of different green teas in China alone) that make-up the broad category of green tea.

To continue with my continent and country analogy, oxidation level is the border that divides continents/categories of tea.  Terroir and tea plant cultivar are the properties that distinguish countries from each other within a continent/types of tea within a category of tea.

Just like Korea and Japan are both Asian countries but distinctive, unique, and separate countries, Iron Goddess of Mercy oolong tea and Phoenix Honey Orchid oolong tea are both oolong teas but have distinctive, unique, and separate properties that differentiate them from each other.

So while countries within the same continent may vary specifically in linguistic, cultural, and historical differences, the main features that distinguish tea within the same category from each other are terroir and plant cultivar.

Terroir? Plant cultivar? Don’t worry!  We’ve got you covered…stay tuned and I will break these down for you in another upcoming blog post. 

________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to

  • Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware
  • Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China
  • Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique

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Did you know all tea comes from the same plant? Yes, all tea regardless of green tea, black tea, or white tea (whatever the type) originates from the same tea plant: camellia sinensis.  So that means there is no such thing as a “green tea plant” or a “black tea plant”.  What distinguishes a green tea from a black tea has to do with how the tea leaf is processed.   What differentiates one tea from the next? What separates a particular tea from another such as our White Peony White Tea from our Phoenix Honey Orchid Oolong are three factors: the specific plant cultivar the leaves were grown on, the territory where the tea plant was grown, and the processing method of the leaves into dried tea. Within the camellia sinensis family there are two main varietals and hundreds of cultivars.   In China, these hundreds of cultivars of the tea plant have been created and groomed to produce many variations of the tea plant suited for different climates or different intended outcomes (larger leaves vs smaller leaves for instance).   All teas are not created equal But before we get into the amazing diversity and variety of teas grown on different cultivars within the camellia sinesis plant family, I just wanted to make sure it is clear what makes something a tea vs. not a tea. Tea isn’t simply some kind of leaf brewed in hot water.  The key distinguishing standard of what makes a tea vs. an herbal leaf drink is whether or not the leaves came from the camellia sinensis plant. So that means herbal “teas” like mint, chamomile, chrysanthemum, rooibos, or yerba mate which are not from the tea plant, camellia sinensis, are really not a tea.  They may be drunk in a similar manner to the way tea is consumed, but technically they are herbal tisanes. Now you know what qualifies as a tea vs. not a tea! ________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Did you know all tea comes from the same plant?

Yes, all tea regardless of green tea, black tea, or white tea (whatever the type) originates from the same tea plant: camellia sinensis.  

So that means there is no such thing as a “green tea plant” or a “black tea plant”.  What distinguishes a green tea from a black tea has to do with how the tea leaf is processed.  

What differentiates one tea from the next?

What separates a particular tea from another such as our White Peony White Tea from our Phoenix Honey Orchid Oolong are three factors: the specific plant cultivar the leaves were grown on, the territory where the tea plant was grown, and the processing method of the leaves into dried tea.

Within the camellia sinensis family there are two main varietals and hundreds of cultivars.   In China, these hundreds of cultivars of the tea plant have been created and groomed to produce many variations of the tea plant suited for different climates or different intended outcomes (larger leaves vs smaller leaves for instance).  

All teas are not created equal

But before we get into the amazing diversity and variety of teas grown on different cultivars within the camellia sinesis plant family, I just wanted to make sure it is clear what makes something a tea vs. not a tea.

Tea isn’t simply some kind of leaf brewed in hot water.  

The key distinguishing standard of what makes a tea vs. an herbal leaf drink is whether or not the leaves came from the camellia sinensis plant.

So that means herbal “teas” like mint, chamomile, chrysanthemum, rooibos, or yerba mate which are not from the tea plant, camellia sinensis, are really not a tea.  They may be drunk in a similar manner to the way tea is consumed, but technically they are herbal tisanes.

Now you know what qualifies as a tea vs. not a tea!

________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to

  • Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware
  • Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China
  • Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique

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Tea’s Health Benefits So one of the most common questions I get is about the health benefits of tea, and I’m usually reluctant to touch the subject. I know study after study is published that gets a lot of buzz in the news and it is an angle that attracts new drinkers to tea, but I’m usually pretty reluctant to expound on the subject for two main reasons (cue diversion to my personal disclaimer on the subject): I think what is most fascinating and exciting about tea is the breadth of amazing natural flavors, the complete sensory experience, how it has shaped history and politics is so many ways, how tea is intertwined in so many cultures, how it has touched so many people in so many ways, and more and more…so that the health aspect is like the 16th most interesting thing about tea in my opinion. It tends to give people unrealistic expectations of “what tea can do for them” health wise. I mean lets be real, tea is an amazing, enchanting, multifaceted beverage enjoyed all over the world but it is a BEVERAGE not medicine. Some unscrupulous promoters tend to overstate the health benefits of tea and then consumers get misguided start looking at tea as medicine. Interestingly teas’ origins in China were as a medicinal elixir, but in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) all food and drink are viewed as medicine when eaten or drunken strategically under the guidance of a TCM practioner. But let me repeat, while tea is a wonderful healthy beverage great for overall wellness, it is not medicine. Either way, there is a huge interest in the health and wellness benefits of tea in general and many Tranquil Tuesdays customers are also curious, so I wanted to take a chance to present a reliable overview, introduce the fundamentals of the relationship between tea and health, and offer links of published medical research for further reading if so inclined. All Tea Impart Health Benefits—Not Just One Type To begin with, when people talk about tea and health they are usually talking about antioxidants found in tea. And before we get into the specifics of that, I want to remind everyone that all true tea is from the same plant (albeit often different cultivars of the same plant) cameilia sinesis, so whatever type of tea you like, the chemical and structural composition of the tea leaf isn’t that radically different. Differing tea processing methods changes some of the nutritional profile and health effects of tea, but no matter the process, all tea leaves are dense with flavonoids (we’ll talk more about those in a second). Related to that point, I really like one of the takeaways from a recent Washington Post article on the topic: “Stick with the tea you enjoy most, whether white, green, oolong or black. All impart health benefits, and the studies are not detailed or numerous enough to choose one over another.” Get Ready to Nerd Out: Polyphenols, Flavoids, Catechins and more! Ok, lets get back to the specifics on the science of antioxidants in tea (get ready to nerd out! Warning: nerding out is so one of my favorite hobbies).  When we look at tea and antioxidants, we are usually talking about flavonoid polyphenols, a category of antioxidants. Polyphenols are a group of antioxidants that are the primary health-giving components of the tea plant.  Flavonoids are a family of polyphenols found in tea and also found fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  According to Jeffrey Blumber, Professor of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, about one-third of the weight of a tea leaf is flavonoids!  He says:“A serving of tea is like adding a serving of fruits or vegetables to your diet.”The flavonoids particularly present in tea are: catechin, theaflavins, and thearubigin.  And the celebrity tea flavonoid that hogs up all the attention on the red carpet in studies and in the press is EGCG—a type of catechin particularly found in green tea. Oxidation’s Effect on Flavonoids Wait, I thought you just said earlier that no one tea is particularly more healthy than another—but you just mentioned EGCG in green tea is the celebrity, so are you saying green tea is the most healthy? Glad, you’re paying attention! So the thing is, the reason why EGCG/green tea gets the most press is because EGCG is much more easily identified and studied than the flavonoid polyphenols in black tea. Black tea’s reigning flavonoid polyphenols are theaflavins and thearubigin which have different health contributing properties than EGCG.  As you know, the main chemical process that distinguishes different categories (white tea, green tea, yellow tea, oolong tea, black tea, and pu’er tea) of tea is level of oxidation. As leaves oxidize and turn from green to black, the polyphenols also undergo a similar transformation making them different and harder to isolate. Flavonoids multiply during the oxidation process, particularly theaflavins and thearubigin.  Whereas oxidation reduces catechin levels (and remember EGCG is a type of catechin).  So in less-oxidized teas (like white tea and green tea) you find more catechins like EGCG and in more oxidized teas (like black tea) you find more theaflavins and thearubigin.  And for partially oxidized teas like oolong you find a little bit of both. And Why Do We Care About Anti-Oxidants Again? Research has shown that antioxidants act on free radicals in your cells. Some free radicals have a microscopic yet harmful affect on your cells and body and have been linked to chronic diseases and aging.  There have been studies that show that drinking lots of tea (all studies have subjects drinking at least 3 cups a day) has been linked to improved immune systems, fighting obesity and lowering cholesterol, strengthening bones and fighting tooth decay among many other potential benefits. And one of my favorite studies that sets my purist tea drinking heart aflutter is one that claims adding milk to your tea negates any health benefits you get from drinking tea—so don’t milk to your tea. Compared with water, black tea “significantly improved” arterial function, researchers found, “whereas addition of milk completely blunted the effects of tea.” European Heart Journal, January 2007As promised, here are the links to some research studies so you can nerd out on your own:    •    Tea is linked in a variety of studies to stronger immune function and reduced cell damage. European Journal of Internal Medicine, January 2012    •    In very limited studies, tea and its extract have been shown to fight obesity and lower LDL “bad” cholesterol — two risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. Obesity Review, July 2011    •    Drinking up to four cups of tea a day may reduce the possibility of having an heart attack. Drinking tea could have the potential to guard against tooth decay and strengthen bones. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2007
To take it even further. You can go crazy searching this database of medical journals.  Just type in tea and go wild: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.go/pubmed _____________________________________________________________________ If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!
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Tea’s Health Benefits

So one of the most common questions I get is about the health benefits of tea, and I’m usually reluctant to touch the subject.

I know study after study is published that gets a lot of buzz in the news and it is an angle that attracts new drinkers to tea, but I’m usually pretty reluctant to expound on the subject for two main reasons (cue diversion to my personal disclaimer on the subject):

  1. I think what is most fascinating and exciting about tea is the breadth of amazing natural flavors, the complete sensory experience, how it has shaped history and politics is so many ways, how tea is intertwined in so many cultures, how it has touched so many people in so many ways, and more and more…so that the health aspect is like the 16th most interesting thing about tea in my opinion.
  2. It tends to give people unrealistic expectations of “what tea can do for them” health wise. I mean lets be real, tea is an amazing, enchanting, multifaceted beverage enjoyed all over the world but it is a BEVERAGE not medicine. Some unscrupulous promoters tend to overstate the health benefits of tea and then consumers get misguided start looking at tea as medicine.
    Interestingly teas’ origins in China were as a medicinal elixir, but in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) all food and drink are viewed as medicine when eaten or drunken strategically under the guidance of a TCM practioner. But let me repeat, while tea is a wonderful healthy beverage great for overall wellness, it is not medicine.

Either way, there is a huge interest in the health and wellness benefits of tea in general and many Tranquil Tuesdays customers are also curious, so I wanted to take a chance to present a reliable overview, introduce the fundamentals of the relationship between tea and health, and offer links of published medical research for further reading if so inclined.

All Tea Impart Health Benefits—Not Just One Type

To begin with, when people talk about tea and health they are usually talking about antioxidants found in tea. And before we get into the specifics of that, I want to remind everyone that all true tea is from the same plant (albeit often different cultivars of the same plant) cameilia sinesis, so whatever type of tea you like, the chemical and structural composition of the tea leaf isn’t that radically different.

Differing tea processing methods changes some of the nutritional profile and health effects of tea, but no matter the process, all tea leaves are dense with flavonoids (we’ll talk more about those in a second).

Related to that point, I really like one of the takeaways from a recent Washington Post article on the topic:


“Stick with the tea you enjoy most, whether white, green, oolong or black. All impart health benefits, and the studies are not detailed or numerous enough to choose one over another.”

Get Ready to Nerd Out: Polyphenols, Flavoids, Catechins and more!


Ok, lets get back to the specifics on the science of antioxidants in tea (get ready to nerd out! Warning: nerding out is so one of my favorite hobbies).  When we look at tea and antioxidants, we are usually talking about flavonoid polyphenols, a category of antioxidants.

Polyphenols are a group of antioxidants that are the primary health-giving components of the tea plant.  Flavonoids are a family of polyphenols found in tea and also found fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  According to Jeffrey Blumber, Professor of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, about one-third of the weight of a tea leaf is flavonoids!  He says:

“A serving of tea is like adding a serving of fruits or vegetables to your diet.”

The flavonoids particularly present in tea are: catechin, theaflavins, and thearubigin.  And the celebrity tea flavonoid that hogs up all the attention on the red carpet in studies and in the press is EGCG—a type of catechin particularly found in green tea.

Oxidation’s Effect on Flavonoids

Wait, I thought you just said earlier that no one tea is particularly more healthy than another—but you just mentioned EGCG in green tea is the celebrity, so are you saying green tea is the most healthy? Glad, you’re paying attention! So the thing is, the reason why EGCG/green tea gets the most press is because EGCG is much more easily identified and studied than the flavonoid polyphenols in black tea.

Black tea’s reigning flavonoid polyphenols are theaflavins and thearubigin which have different health contributing properties than EGCG.  As you know, the main chemical process that distinguishes different categories (white tea, green tea, yellow tea, oolong tea, black tea, and pu’er tea) of tea is level of oxidation. As leaves oxidize and turn from green to black, the polyphenols also undergo a similar transformation making them different and harder to isolate.

Flavonoids multiply during the oxidation process, particularly theaflavins and thearubigin.  Whereas oxidation reduces catechin levels (and remember EGCG is a type of catechin).  So in less-oxidized teas (like white tea and green tea) you find more catechins like EGCG and in more oxidized teas (like black tea) you find more theaflavins and thearubigin.  And for partially oxidized teas like oolong you find a little bit of both.

And Why Do We Care About Anti-Oxidants Again?

Research has shown that antioxidants act on free radicals in your cells. Some free radicals have a microscopic yet harmful affect on your cells and body and have been linked to chronic diseases and aging. 

There have been studies that show that drinking lots of tea (all studies have subjects drinking at least 3 cups a day) has been linked to improved immune systems, fighting obesity and lowering cholesterol, strengthening bones and fighting tooth decay among many other potential benefits.

And one of my favorite studies that sets my purist tea drinking heart aflutter is one that claims adding milk to your tea negates any health benefits you get from drinking tea—so don’t milk to your tea. Compared with water, black tea “significantly improved” arterial function, researchers found, “whereas addition of milk completely blunted the effects of tea.” European Heart Journal, January 2007

As promised, here are the links to some research studies so you can nerd out on your own:
    •    Tea is linked in a variety of studies to stronger immune function and reduced cell damage. European Journal of Internal Medicine, January 2012

    •    In very limited studies, tea and its extract have been shown to fight obesity and lower LDL “bad” cholesterol — two risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. Obesity Review, July 2011

    •    Drinking up to four cups of tea a day may reduce the possibility of having an heart attack. Drinking tea could have the potential to guard against tooth decay and strengthen bones. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2007


To take it even further. You can go crazy searching this database of medical journals.  Just type in tea and go wild: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.go/pubmed

_____________________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed this article, sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter to

  • Explore the stories behind each of Tranquil Tuesdays teas and teaware
  • Travel with Tranquil Tuesdays seeking the best teas and teaware in China
  • Learn the historical and cultural elements that make Chinese tea and teaware so unique

Sign up for Tranquil Tuesdays’ newsletter now!