Few people know that four of the most popular types of tea all come from the same plant:  Camellia Sinensis.      Tea is a little bit like wine in this way.   The majority of wine is made from grapes.  However, there are also Fruit wines, Dandelion wines, Honey wines etc.    Like wine, tea can be made from other plants as well.   You can make tea from pretty much any plant.  So, the majority of Tea comes from the same plant… yet tea made from this plant can vary greatly…. it can taste quite different.   How is that? The Four main Types of Tea The four main types of Tea that all come from the Camellia Sinensis plant are Black, White, Green and Oolong.  What differentiates these teas are three major factors:  the variety of this plant used (small leaf, large leaf),  where the plant is grown (soil, elevation, sun, water), and  how the leaves are processed (harvesting, drying). One of the main factors that differentiate the tea is how the leaves are processed – especially the level of oxidation they are put through.  Green teas are not oxidized.  The leaves are simply steamed or kiln dried immediately upon picking.    Black tea leaves, on the other hand, are heavily oxidized by rolling and crushing the leaves after picking such that the juices are all exposed to oxygen.  This process turns the leaves from green to a coppery red.  These leaves are also then dried through a process of baking or “firing”. For Oolong tea, the leaves receive a slightly less intensive workout.  The leaves are shaken in baskets to bruise and oxidize them but are left whole.  These leaves are also “fired” to dry.  White tea is the most fragile of the teas.   Usually only the most tender tips of the leaves are used to make white tea.  It is only lightly oxidized by withering the leaves, and is naturally dried in order to preserve its more delicate flavour. What About Rooibos? Red Tea, a common nickname for Rooibos Tea, comes from a different plant – primarily found in South Africa.    The Rooibos bush starts out a vivid green colour, but after the leaves are put through a fermentation process, become that familiar red colour.    Rooibos makes naturally caffeine-free tea, i.e. the plant does not contain caffeine, therefore does not have to be extracted to make caffeine-free tea.  Most people have only heard of or consumed Classic Rooibos Tea.  But there is so much more….  At Teas and Weaves we have an extensive collection of Teas with their own twists and flavours. Also, If you enjoy Rooibos, but would like to try something similar but different, you should check out Honeybush as well.  At Teas and Weaves, we also carry a number of Honeybush Teas.  Check out our entire Tea Menu Here. “Healthy” Teas We tend to consider all teas healthy.   Hot tea of any form can be healing, and iced cold tea can be very refreshing on a hot day.  But when we say “healthy teas”, we tend to refer to making tea out of plants and herbs and roots and flowers and berries and spices….  all of which provide additional benefits for our health.   The act of heating water and pouring it over these “healthy” ingredients can speed up and assist with absorption.   It is a simple, easy and refreshing way to ingest a generally great-tasting collection.  A skilled tea maker knows just which herbs, spices, flowers, fruit and the like to mix in which proportion in order to get a great taste and a smooth sensation as well as the “health” benefits desired.      At Teas and Weaves we have a significant collection of “Healthy” teas.  Listed above are just a few of our choices.    You can browse our complete Tea Menu Here. What is Your Favourite? Which tea do you prefer?    Do you have a go-to?  Or does it depend on what mood you are in.   Much like wine, tea can be paired with different meals or different events to project a completely different type of mood or setting.    If you don’t yet know what you like when, there is always time to explore.    At Teas and Weaves we sell bulk teas from all over the world.  Each has their own unique history, and therefore taste.  We sell smaller sample packs so that you can pick up a collection of a number of varieties and sample them all until you find the combinations you most enjoy.   Come in and visit us soon!