Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Lipton ~ white tea

Lately, I’m fond of drinking white tea. My dear bought the Lipton (The Blanc – white tea) from the nearby supermarket. Here are some facts about the white tea.
White tea is tea manufactured by a process that uses relatively low heat and no rolling. The formative stage is an extended period of withering, during which enzymatic reactions progress under the right temperature, humidity and airflow. The key is to get the fresh leaves to mature properly with minimal oxidation. White tea usually contains buds and young tea leaves, which have been found to contain lower levels of caffeine than older leaves, suggesting that the caffeine content of some white teas may be slightly lower than that of green teas.
A study at Pace University in 2004 showed white tea had more anti- viral and anti-bacteria qualities than green tea.
White tea contains higher catechin levels than green tea due to its lack of processing. Catechin concentration is greatest in fresh, unbroken and unfermented tea leaves. Furthermore, one study examining the composition of brewed green and white teas found that white tea contained more Gallic acid, theobromine, and caffeine. White tea contains less fluoride than green tea, since it is made from young leaves only.
According to Andreas Schuld of the Canadian "Parents of Fluoride Poisoned Children" tea is very high in fluoride content, much higher than the Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL) set for fluoride in drinking water. Decaffeinated teas have an even higher fluoride content, which is thought to be due to high fluoride levels in the water used in decaffeination. According to Schuld, fluoride could reduce the anti-cancer properties of tea, or even possibly cause cancer at continued toxic levels of the mineral. For instance, Schuld references a 1998 study, which found positive correlation between colon cancer and tea intake. The high fluoride content could also cause neurological and renal damage, especially in the presence of aluminum. Additionally, the high fluoride content could cause osteoporosis, arthritis, skeletal fluorosis and other bone disorders.

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