What the heck is White Tea?

[Smithy]

It's almost inevitable that when the dog and I go out for our walk I'll be compelled to pick up litter that some slob found too difficult to take home once the contents had been emptied. Today's find was a plastic bottle that had originally held Diet Lipton White Tea, Raspberry with other natural flavors. (Some entertaining notes on the label were "74mg of flavonoid antioxidants per serving" and, elsewhere, "Contains 0% juice".)

Perhaps I should thank the nameless litterbug instead of wishing to track down his or her car and fill it with the ooziest, most odorous refuse the dog and I could find. If it hadn't been for this bottom feeder's contribution to the countryside, I might not have known that such a drink exists and is manufactured for profit. Thus does education come from unlikely sources.

This drink seems wrong on many levels to me, trash issues aside, but I was puzzled. I read the label in search of enlightenment, wondering what sort of "tea" this is. The ingredient list starts with "water, citric acid, white and green tea". Green tea I understand. Black tea I drink often. White tea is a new one on me. What is white tea?

I'm posting this question on the Ready to Eat subforum because I suspect the true tea cogniscenti on that forum won't know either.

[ghostrider]

I'm posting this question on the Ready to Eat subforum because I suspect the true tea cogniscenti on that forum won't know either. 

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Yes we will!

White tea (also someimes known as "silver tips") is simply the least processed form of tea. It yields a pale brew that's so delicate as to be almost flavorless.

More detailed info: http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/informati...NFOteaTypes.asp

As to "wrong on many levels," I think you've got that right. Looks like Lipton is trying to hop on the green tea trend & kick it up a notch. Of course, whites & greens are so subtle that Lipton has to add fruity flavors to appeal to the general palate.

[Beebs]

It's really a marketing gimmick. White tea in its purest form already doesn't taste a whole lot of anything. Once you add all that sugar and artificial flavour, you're really only tasting sugary flavoured water. Nevermind processing white tea to death in a bottle -- it's certainly not conducive to retaining the natural health benefits of antioxidants and vitamins of tea. The Lipton/Snapple/Nestea "white tea" beverages are really meant to be drunk as any other soft drink, IMO, not as any type of health tonic.

[Beebs]

After I posted my reply, I realized it didn't mention what white tea is. This link might help http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_tea.

It's essentially a type of green tea, but consists of only the youngest unopened buds of the tea bush. They are "white" because the buds are covered in whitish hairs. White tea is trendy right now because it's said to contain more antioxidants & other health benefits than even green tea.

[insomniac]

My favourite is pai mu tan....love the flavour which is delicate and sort of sweetly aromatic, (the antithesis of coffee)

[Bueno]

I just thought it was water when I tasted the Lipton flavours.

[ghostrider]

White tea is trendy right now because it's said to contain more antioxidants & other health benefits than even green tea.

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Of course the joke is that at least one good study I've seen concluded that you don't derive any greater health benefits from green tea than from black.

Just because green tea contains more antioxidants doesn't mean that the human physiology will absorb them.

[Beebs]

White tea is trendy right now because it's said to contain more antioxidants & other health benefits than even green tea.

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Of course the joke is that at least one good study I've seen concluded that you don't derive any greater health benefits from green tea than from black.

Just because green tea contains more antioxidants doesn't mean that the human physiology will absorb them.

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And it's a pity that much of the industry are taking advantage of the white tea hype and marketing its supposed cure-all wonder tonic to the general public. Of course, that's not to say there aren't any good white teas, just that the good stuff doesn't come in a bottle, or powder, or teabag.

Ok, I'm getting off my soapbox now....

[Smithy]

White tea is trendy right now because it's said to contain more antioxidants & other health benefits than even green tea.

←

Of course the joke is that at least one good study I've seen concluded that you don't derive any greater health benefits from green tea than from black.

Just because green tea contains more antioxidants doesn't mean that the human physiology will absorb them.

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And it's a pity that much of the industry are taking advantage of the white tea hype and marketing its supposed cure-all wonder tonic to the general public. Of course, that's not to say there aren't any good white teas, just that the good stuff doesn't come in a bottle, or powder, or teabag.

Ok, I'm getting off my soapbox now....

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I'm glad to see others sharing my soap box. I get tired of the marketing hype - anything to separate a gullible public from its bucks - but then, I suppose that's called "keeping the economy going".

Thanks for the info on white tea, folks. At least now I know it's a real thing, possibly worth checking out for my tea-drinking friends!

[Torrilin]

If your tea drinking friends love green tea, definitely. If they're like me and adore black tea, don't bother. White tea is like the lightest green teas I've tried... not worth the trouble it took to brew it. If they like both dark and light teas, try it. They may love it.

*hopes fervently that no one thinks to give her green or white tea as a present*

[phaelon56]

My favourite is pai mu tan....love the flavour which is delicate and sort of sweetly  aromatic, (the antithesis of coffee)

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Ahhhh... I think you haven't had the right coffee prepared in the proper manner. Granted - "delicate" in the context of coffee is far different than it is with tea.

At present the closest Clover Brewer to the UK is located at Estate Cofffee in Copenhagen. If by chance you get over there or happen to visit NYC and check out Cafe Grumpy Chelsea I strongly recommend trying a cup of Clover brewed coffee. Ask for one that's delicate with lots of floral notes - drink it black and sip slowly - especially as it cools when lots of new flavor nuances appear.

If you do that and still don't like coffee I'll admit defeat

[insomniac]

My favourite is pai mu tan....love the flavour which is delicate and sort of sweetly  aromatic, (the antithesis of coffee)

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Ahhhh... I think you haven't had the right coffee prepared in the proper manner. Granted - "delicate" in the context of coffee is far different than it is with tea.

At present the closest Clover Brewer to the UK is located at Estate Cofffee in Copenhagen. If by chance you get over there or happen to visit NYC and check out Cafe Grumpy Chelsea I strongly recommend trying a cup of Clover brewed coffee. Ask for one that's delicate with lots of floral notes - drink it black and sip slowly - especially as it cools when lots of new flavor nuances appear.

If you do that and still don't like coffee I'll admit defeat

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always open to an educational experience....agree coffee is often slaughtered in the prep