Green Tea vs Black Tea
According to studies and evidence available from archeologists, this practice has been ongoing from as far back as half a million years ago. Asian countries like China and India are known to be among the first to cultivate tea. There are about four main types of tea including green tea, black tea, oolong and white tea. There are a number of varieties springing from these main types, either flavored or herbal. Because tea leaves are too delicate to be harvested by machines, they are mostly picked by hand.
The most popular tea type all over the countries of the world is black tea. Black tea is made from the buds and infant leaves of the Camellia Sinesis plant. After they have been harvested and dried, the leaves are fermented completely or they are oxidized to give black tea, a strong flavor which is somewhat bitter. However, the flavor may also be determined by the climate, type of soil and location where the tea is grown. Varieties of black tea include Earl Gray and Pekoe. Although green tea is made from the same infant leaves of the Camellia Sinesis plant, it doesn’t go through process of fermentation.
Tea is known to have many health benefits for instance it contains antioxidants called flavanoids and polyphenols. Green tea is however known to contain the strongest concentration of the powerful antioxidants, particularly polyphenols, which get rid of free radicals in the body that are responsible for cell death and alteration as well as tampering with genetic substances (DNA). Free radicals occur naturally in the body but may also be produced by external factors like radiation.
Green tea is especially popular in China, Japan, Thailand and India. It was used as a stimulant and diuretic in traditional medicinal treatments in India and China. It was also used traditionally to treat excess stomach gas, controlling body temperature and regulating blood sugar, cleansing the digestive tract and maintaining proper mental health. Health benefits of green tea have been researched extensively especially in people but also laboratory experiments have been carried out. Green tea is known to have more significant health benefits than black tea mainly due to its higher concentration of the polyphenols antioxidants. It’s worth noting that studies suggest that these health benefits can be realized with regular consumption of appropriate amounts of the tea.
Summary:
1. Black tea is more popular and more widely consumed than green tea.
2. Although they are both made from the same plant leaves, black tea is made from the fermented dried leaves while green tea is made from just dried leaves.
3. Black tea generally has a stronger flavor and tastes somewhat more bitter than green tea which has a grassy flavor.
4. Green tea has higher concentrations of polyphenol antioxidants than black tea.