What is the difference bewteen black, green, white and herbal tea?

Black, oolong, green and white teas are made from leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. All tea is withered (moisture evaporated) . The difference between green and black tea is the level of oxidation the tea leaves experience during processing. The longer tea leaves experience oxidation, the darker they become.  Additionally, there are different speicies of the tea plant -Camellia Sinensis that create some of the unusual and rare variety of teas available.

Now herbal tea is not "really" tea, it is considered a herbal infusion or tisane, as it is not harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant. The name herbal tea was coined due to the fact that it is prepared by steeping it in hot water similiar to that of traditional tea. A herbal infusions may consist of a variety of herbs, roots, seeds and fruits.

What is Rooibos Tea ?

Rooibos (pronounced roy-boss) is also called Red Tea because of its vibrant, ruby-red color. Rooibos consists of tiny, flat leaves and has a sweet, full-bodied flavor without a trace of bitterness. Those people who don't like the traditional teas coming from the Camellia Sinensis plant find that they like or even love the taste of this beautiful red leaf tea. Rich in antioxidants and health-promoting properties, Rooibos has many, if not more, of the same health-promoting properties as Green Tea, but is 100% caffeine-free, making it an excellent choice for evening or for people with caffeine-sensitivities.

Rooibos tea continues to be studied by the scientific communities regarding its healing properties, as they have found that it holds many amazing health benefits.  In fact, scientific studies suggest that Rooibos contains some of the highest known levels of anti-aging properties of any plant on earth! Like Green Tea, the potent antioxidants in Rooibos are believed to fight aging, cancer and heart disease, support the immune system and improve overall health. Rooibos is also recommended for allergies, headaches, anxiety or insomnia. In south Africa this tea is considered a cure all. It is even put into baby bottles for infants as it is high in trace minerals and has been found to be very nourishing.

What makes tea so healthy ?

What makes tea so healthy ? Well, you have herbal tea (infusions) and the black, white and green varities that come from the Camellia Sinensis plant. Researchers are working around the globe trying to answer this very question about tea and herbs ! Although we do not have all the answers, we do know that tea (camilla sinensis) contains potent antioxidants that are more than 10 times stronger than antioxidant-powerhouses vitamins C and E. In fact, tea appears to contain some of the most potent disease-fighting substances found in food. Tea is also the only source for a remarkable amino acid called L-Theanine, which is known to reduce anxiety, improve mood and lower blood pressure. Now many of the herbal healing varieties of tea (herbal infusions) that we offer have combinations of ingredients that offer many vitamins, nutrients and chemical constituents to assist in healing for the specific aliment listed.

Of course, tea is also healthy for what it does NOT contain. . . which is no fat, sodium, and virtually no calories (around 2 calories per cup). Tea (camilla sinensis) contains several B vitamins that are water soluble and quickly release into the cup as well as riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, magnesium, potassium, manganese, fluoride, carotene, vitamin C, iron, zinc, chlorophyll, and calcium. Drinking 2 cups of tea per day is said to provide the same bone health benefits as 2-3 servings of dairy.