The Difference Between White and Green tea

Green tea and its benefits are very well known. People are either talking about it, drinking it or recommending it. White tea is the lesser known cousin of green and is fast gaining popularity. You’ll be surprised to know that when it comes to ardent tea lovers as well as researchers, the jury is still out on which one is healthier.

White tea versus Green Tea

Both white and green tea come from the leaves of the same tea plant, Camellia Sinensis but are processed differently. They vary in taste, texture, and properties. Let’s look at the difference between white tea and green tea.

Green Tea

Green tea leaves are processed less than black but more than white tea. The lack of oxidation ensures that the nutrients, specifically the polyphenols, are preserved to make it rich in antioxidants.

Green tea is also extremely rich in EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which is a very beneficial antioxidant. It is known to aid weight reduction when combined with the right diet and exercise. Pure organic green tea carries the benefit of detoxification  which can boost overall health.

How to brew a perfect cup of green tea?

Heat 220 ml of water to 80°C or til it just starts to boil. Pour it over 2.5 gms of green tea leaves in a pot. Cover it and let it brew for 3 minutes. Then strain and serve. While a dash of lemon or honey can be added, sugar or milk is generally not preferable.

White Tea

White tea comes from young leaves and buds of the tea plant and is the least processed of all teas. It contains the least amount of caffeine compared to green and black teas. This also means that it has a much milder taste and is not as bitter.

However, while a lot of scientific research has been done on green tea to prove its health benefits, white tea is still relatively mysterious. Preliminary studies have been very promising and its benefits are almost comparable to that of green tea.

Let’s look further into white tea benefits vs green tea benefits.

White tea contains the same kinds of antioxidants as green tea  but in greater quantity and concentration. These antioxidants are found to have many health-promoting properties.

The antioxidants present in both green and white tea have many health benefits like these:

• Boosting cardiovascular health
• Photo-protection from UV rays
• Fighting ageing by preventing breakdown of collagen and elastin
• Helping to lower bad cholesterol
• Reducing the risk of rheumatoid arthritis
• Reducing the risk of cancer
• Aiding in weight reduction

White tea vs green tea caffeine content

When it comes to weight loss benefits, the caffeine component of green tea has been shown to have a more positive effect. So, if you’ve been wondering if white tea or green tea is better for weight loss, choosing green over white in this instance may be more beneficial as green tea contains slightly more caffeine.

Here is a comparative breakdown of the differences between green and white tea:

Now that we have laid out the difference between white tea and green tea, you can make the decision of whether white tea is better than green tea or vice versa. Whichever one you choose both of these teas are good for you in numerous ways.