The variety of the kingdom of teas is invaluable – there are hundreds of kinds of tea, each of which is characterized by different flavour, aroma and properties. The most popular tea varieties are definitely black and green tea. What are the differences between them? Who should reach for green tea, and who should rather opt for black tea?
Both black and green kinds of tea are made from the leaves of the same plant – Camellia Sinensis tea bushes, grown mainly in China and Japan. The differences between various kinds of tea stem from the processing of the tea leaves, cultivated for their production. The production process begins right after the harvest. It is the immediate treatment of the freshly picked tea leaves that has the greatest impact on their taste and aroma. It’s also what determines, what kind of tea the leaves will become – green or black.
Differences in taste
The leaves destined for the green tea production are transported to the drying room right after being picked. Such transport takes place no more than an hour after the end of the harvest. Due to this practice, the leaves do not have time to undergo the process of fermentation, which gives them an extremely fresh, subtly grassy flavour and aroma. The processing of the leaves destined for black tea production takes longer than the aforementioned process of green tea production. Immediately after harvest, the leaves intended for the production of black tea undergo the process of fermentation. The fermented leaves are characterized by a far more intense flavour with a distinct depth. Green teas are therefore recommended for people who like refreshing, vegetable notes and a delicate, sweet aroma. Black teas, on the other hand, are rather suitable for the lovers of distinct flavours with a strongly defined depth and smoky aroma.
Properties of green tea
Both green and black teas show a number of valuable health-promoting and stimulating properties. But what are the differences in their effects?
Green tea is known primarily for its antioxidant properties and the slimming and stimulating effect. It is filled with theine (caffeine found in tea), the effect of which is further stimulated by the content of L-theanine. As a result, it gently stimulates and improves concentration, subtly releasing energy in regular doses for many hours. Due to its high content of catechins, responsible for accelerating metabolism by increasing the activity of digestive enzymes, it also has a slimming effect. Green tea is therefore recommended for those, who care most about maintaining or achieving a slim figure, the effect of stimulation and antioxidant effect. For those who like its taste, we also recommend trying powdered matcha green tea. Our original recipes with its use can be found here.
Properties of black tea
Black tea is similar to green tea, when it comes to its health properties, although one can observe slight differences in their effects. It also performs an antioxidant effect, but this effect is slightly weaker than that of green tea. Black tea has an even higher theine content compared to green tea. Thanks to this, its stimulating effect is even more effective. In the hot summers, black tea works perfectly as cold refreshing ice tea, while in winter evenings its warming infusions are simply irreplaceable. What’s interesting, according to research, black and green tea slow down the development of tooth decay. They also support cardiac activity, reducing the likelihood of an occurrence of a heart attack.
