White tea, the aristocrat of micro-fermented tea, has become a bright pearl in the Chinese tea category with its unique charm. Because most of its finished tea is the bud head, full of white hair, like silver and snow, it is named, giving people a fresh visual enjoyment. Tea that is not finished or rolled, only processed after drying or simmering, white tea has won the love of many tea lovers with its complete appearance buds, full of hair, fresh fragrance, yellow-green and clear soup color, and light and sweet taste.
The name of white tea first appeared in the seven events of Lu Yu's "Book of Tea" in the Tang Dynasty, which recorded: "There is a white tea mountain in the east of Yongjia County. Professor Chen Rafter pointed out in the "General History of Tea": "The three hundred miles east of Yongjia is the sea, and the mistake is three hundred miles to the south. Three hundred miles south is Fuding, Fujian (Tang is the jurisdiction of Changxi County), which is the origin of white tea. It can be seen that Changxi County (Fuding, Fujian) in the Tang Dynasty has cultivated the "white tea" variety. The main production areas of white tea are in Fuding, Zhenghe, Zherong, Wuhan Xinzhou Old Street, Jiaocheng Tianshan, Songxi, Jianyang, Yunnan Jinggu and other places.
Due to the different varieties of tea trees and the requirements of raw materials, white tea is divided into four products: Baihao Silver Needle, White Peony, Shou Mei and Gong Mei. The production process of white tea is relatively simple, mainly including picking, withering and drying, and the processing process is relatively short and the oxidation process is milder than other teas. This slighter processing helps to preserve more of the natural components in the tea.
White tea not only has a unique manufacturing process, but also contains many nutritional values and potential health benefits. White tea is rich in antioxidants, especially tea polyphenols, which can help fight free radicals, slow down cell aging, and improve the body's immunity. These natural antioxidants, like the guardians of the body, are always on guard for our health. Secondly, white tea contains a special catechin, which is a class of tea polyphenols that have antiviral and antibacterial effects. This natural antimicrobial can boost our immune system and provide an extra layer of health protection.
White tea has a low caffeine content relative to other teas, which makes it a suitable tea to drink throughout the day without putting too much of a burden on the nervous system. Drinking it in moderation can not only refresh the mind, but also calm the mind and help sleep, which is an ideal drink. White tea is also rich in provitamin A, which can be quickly converted into vitamin A after being absorbed by the human body, vitamin A can synthesize rhodopsin, so that the eyes can see more clearly in low light, and prevent night blindness and dry eye disease. At the same time, white tea also has anti-radiation substances, which have a significant protective effect on the hematopoietic function of the human body and reduce the harm of radiation from electronic products.
Flavonoids such as dihydromyricetin rich in white tea tablets can protect the liver, accelerate the rapid decomposition of acetaldehyde, an ethanol metabolite, into non-toxic substances, and reduce damage to liver cells. On the other hand, dihydromyricetin can improve the increase of serum lactate dehydrogenase activity caused by hepatocyte injury, inhibit the formation of hepatic M cell collagen fibers, thereby playing a role in protecting the liver, greatly reducing the damage of ethanol to the liver, and quickly restoring the normal state of the liver. At the same time, dihydromyricetin has a rapid effect and long-lasting effect, which is a good product for liver protection, hangover and sobering.
In addition to the above-mentioned nutritional benefits, white tea also contributes to oral health. Studies have shown that fluoride and catechins in white tea have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and can prevent the occurrence of oral diseases. However, despite these potential health benefits, white tea should still be consumed in moderation. Because the caffeine and theophylline in tea may have different degrees of stimulating effects on some people, we should also pay attention to our physical condition when enjoying the deliciousness and health it brings. Like any other food or drink, white tea is not a substitute for a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.