Frequently Asked Questions About Black Tea

1. Where does tea come from?

2. What makes one tea different from another?
3. What is the difference between one Black Tea and another Black Tea?
4. Do all teas have the same caffeine content?
5. How is Celestial Seasonings Decaffeinated Black Tea decaffeinated?
6. What is the optimal water temperature to make Black Tea?
7. I hear that Black Tea has health benefits. Why is this?
8. What are antioxidants and what do they do?
9. Can I drink brewed Black Tea hot or iced and get the same health benefits?
10. Does adding sugar, honey, lemon or milk affect Black Tea's health benefits?
11. Can I stop eating fruits and vegetables and just drink Black Tea?

1. Where does tea come from?

All tea comes from the leaves of one plant, Camellia sinensis, which is processed into four tea types--
White, Green, Oolong and Black.

Local conditions in the various tea-growing regions of the world determine a tea's characteristics, and
one tea type can be quite different from another of its type in color, body, flavor and aroma.

In the case of Black Teas, the differences are noted in the names, which often are taken from the
districts in the countries where they are grown. Variations include such names as Assam (India),
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Yunnan (China).

In addition to teas from the tea bush, hot-water infusions made from herbs are also called "tisanes"
or "teas." There are many flavorful and efficacious herbs, and Celestial Seasonings has a wide range
of them as well as traditional black, green and white teas. Check out Our Products page on this site
and find everything from black cohosh and ginseng to chamomile and peppermint.
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2. What makes one tea different from another?

In the case of White Tea, the difference comes from which part of the plant is used. Green, Oolong
and Black Teas all come from the upper leaves of Camellia sinensis, while White Tea consists only of
leaves from the branch tips--particularly the leaf bud and possibly the first two leaves under the bud.
Additionally, White Tea is picked once a year in the spring and is thus less available than the others.

For all four teas, the main point differentiating them comes from processing. After being picked from
the Camellia sinensis plant, both White and Green Teas remain as unoxidized teas, Oolong Tea is
partially oxidized, and Black Tea is fully oxidized. Oxidation occurs when enzymes in the tea leaves
are released and the leaf responds to the oxygen in the environment, causing the leaves to turn a
bright copper color.

In specific, White Tea is minimally processed--the leaves are only lightly steamed or, sometimes, just
dried. In Green Tea, the leaves are steamed and/or pan fired, then they are rolled and dried. Leaves
for Oolong Tea are partially oxidized (more than Green Tea, less than Black Tea), then dried. Black
Tea is fully oxidized. This processing--all from the leaves of the same plant--is what gives tea types
their differences in names and flavors.

Basically, processing gives Black Teas a more full-bodied and robust taste and Green Teas a more
delicate, fresh taste, while Oolong Teas fall somewhere in between. Since only the tips are used and
the processing is minimal, White Tea has the most delicate flavor of all.
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3. What is the difference between one Black Tea and another Black Tea?

Besides often being named for the district in which they were grown, Black Teas were originally
classified according to what leaves on the tea plant were plucked. After picking for White Tea in the
spring, the reformed tip--which includes the leaf bud and the first two leaves under the bud--is
considered best. This lead to classifications that range from Pekoe and Orange Pekoe to others such
as Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe and Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe.

Pekoe (pronounced 'PECK-oh') is derived from a Chinese word meaning "white." and refers to the
white fuzz on the leaf bud, originally designating that the leaves were plucked exclusively from the
plant's tip. In modern times, the meaning has broadened to mean whole or broken leaves of a
uniform size, thus now may include leaves picked from lower on the branch. The term Pekoe is used
only in black teas.

There is some debate as to the origins of Orange Pekoe. "Orange" may be a reference to the Dutch
House of Orange; reference to an old Chinese practice of including orange blossoms as a flavoring
agent; or a reference to the color of the brewed tea--which can be a coppery orange.
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4. Do all teas have the same caffeine content?

Since all teas are produced from Camellia sinensis, they naturally contain caffeine. Processing other
than decaffeination does not change the caffeine content. All teas have approximately the same
amount of caffeine, falling within a range of 25 to 60 mg of caffeine in a 6-oz. cup. For comparison,
coffee has about 100 mg per 6 ounces.1
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5. How is Celestial Seasonings Decaffeinated Black Tea decaffeinated?

Celestial Seasonings teas are decaffeinated through a process using carbon dioxide and water. Unlike
the other common decaffeination process using ethyl acetate, Celestial Seasonings decaffeination
results in a higher percentage of nutrients remaining in the tea leaves.2
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6. What is the optimal water temperature to make Black Tea?

Black Teas should be infused with water that has just come to a boil--approximately 210-212 degrees
Fahrenheit. It can be steeped 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the cut of the leaf. Whole leaves need to
be steeped longer than smaller cuts such as those found in Celestial Seasonings Teas.
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7. I hear that Black Tea has health benefits. Why is this?

Tea is among the richest natural sources of antioxidants, which have been linked with cancer
prevention, decreased risk of stroke, and reduced blood cholesterol.3 Additionally, it has trace
amounts of various nutrients such as the amino acid theanine; the minerals calcium, magnesium,
manganese and potassium; and the vitamins C and K.4
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8. What are antioxidants and what do they do?

Naturally occurring antioxidants are nutrients found in most plants, including fruits and vegetables.
They bind free radicals and peroxides--both of which are oxygen-containing molecules in your body
that, if left unchecked, can damage your DNA, cell membranes and other cell components. The
process of breaking down food for energy creates free radicals and peroxides in your body everyday.
Antioxidants help your body keep these harmful substances in check.

All teas contain similar amount of antioxidants, including a class called flavonoids, which are found in
most plants common in the human diet. Of the more common flavonoids, Green Teas contain more of
the simple flavonoids called catechins, while the oxidization that the leaves undergo to make Black
Tea converts these simple flavonoids to the more complex varieties called theaflavins and
thearubigins.5,6
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9. Can I drink brewed Black Tea hot or iced and get the same health benefits?
Yes. Antioxidants are equal in brewed Black Teas whether they are hot or iced--but not necessarily in
instant teas because some of the antioxidants are lost during the additional processing.
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10. Does adding sugar, honey, lemon or milk affect Black Tea's health benefits?

Research findings suggest you are in the clear. Sugars, sweeteners, lemon and milk do not appear to
affect the antioxidant levels of Black Tea flavonoids. 7 In fact, there are additional nutrients found in
lemon and milk as well as unrefined honey.
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11. Can I stop eating fruits and vegetables and just drink Black Tea?

Even though this may be tempting when doctors such as Jeff Blumberg, M.D., of Tufts University in
Medford, MA, says two cups of tea are equal to one serving of vegetables, the answer is still,
"Definitely not." All teas contain high levels of potent antioxidants, but it is still important to eat a
well-balanced diet. Fruits and vegetables offer vital sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber and various
antioxidants not found in other food groups in the human diet.
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References

1 Mitscher, L. The Green Tea Book: China's Fountain of Youth. Avery Publishing Group: New York.
1998:14-15.

2. "Celestial Seasonings Decaffeination Process."

http://www.celestialseasonings.com/research/abouttea/decaffeination.html. 1999.

3. Dreosti, I. Bioactive Ingredients: "Antioxidants and Polyphenols in Tea". Nutrition Reviews. 1996;
54(11): S51-S58.

4. U.S. Tea is "Hot" Report. Sage Group International LLC: Seattle. 2001: 21.

5. Wang H, at al (2001). "Determination of flavonols in green and black tea leaves and green tea
infusions by high performance liquid chromatography." Food Research International; 34; 2-3:223-
227.

6. Astill C, et al (2001). "Factors affecting the caffeine and poyphenol contents of black and green tea
infusions." J Agric Food Chem; 49 (11): 5340-7.

7. Van Het Hof, K. "Plasma and Lipoprotein Levels of Tea Catechins Following Repeated Tea
Consumption." Proceedings from the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.
1999;220(4):203-209.

http://www.celestialseasonings.com/research/abouttea/btfaqs.php