What's the difference between green tea and black tea? A comprehensive explanation from taste differences to health benefits!

Introduction

Green tea and black tea are two of the most popular teas around the world.

Both types of tea are made from the same tea plant, but due to differences in production methods, they have completely different appearances, tastes, and aromas.

This time, we will introduce the differences between black tea and green tea.

The difference between black tea and green tea

① The tea plant varieties are different

There are over several hundred species of tea in the world, but the ones currently cultivated can be broadly divided into two types.

One is the Chinese variety, which has small leaves, is relatively resistant to cold, and has a sharp flavor, and is primarily used to make green tea and oolong tea.

The other is the Assam variety, which is the raw material for black tea. The Assam variety has large leaves and prefers a warm climate. It has a rich, mellow flavor.

Although the Chinese and Assam varieties look different, they can be crossbred, and breeding is being carried out around the world in search of new flavors and aromas.

②The manufacturing method is different

Green tea and black tea are classified differently within the tea category due to the different manufacturing methods.

First of all, green tea is a "non-fermented tea" in which the tea leaves are steamed or roasted immediately after picking to suppress fermentation.

By stopping fermentation as early as possible, the ingredients in the tea leaves do not change and the vibrant green color and flavor can be maintained. The most common methods are steaming and pan-frying, but both methods stop the activity of enzymes by heating.

As you know, green tea is characterized by its refreshing aroma and ease of drinking. This is because the tea leaves are heat treated shortly after picking to stop fermentation, preserving the original fresh flavor and taste of the tea leaves.

Black tea, on the other hand, is made by maximizing the fermentation of picked tea leaves.

The picked tea leaves are slowly withered for about 15 to 18 hours, then rolled, fermented, and dried to make the tea.

Depending on the degree of fermentation, tea is classified as black tea, green tea, white tea, etc. The longer the fermentation time, the mellower the flavor and the darker the color.

The floral and fruity aroma that is one of the great attractions of black tea is also produced through this withering process.

Oxidative fermentation suppresses the distinctive grassy smell of tea leaves and increases the amount of linalool and geraniol, producing a variety of fruity, mellow aromatic components such as lemon and rose.

3. Nutritional content is different

Black tea and green tea are made from the same ingredients, so they basically have the same ingredients and effects; however, depending on whether or not they are fermented, some ingredients are reduced and others are newly produced, and the nutritional content of each tea is also different.

Green tea is made by stopping fermentation immediately after the leaves are picked, so it contains more healthful ingredients such as catechins, theanine, and vitamin C than black tea.

Green tea contains a lot of catechin, which has antioxidant and antibacterial properties and is expected to prevent lifestyle-related diseases and have anti-aging effects. Theanine has a relaxing effect and reduces stress.

On the other hand, black tea is rich in healthful compounds such as anthocyanins and theaflavins, which are produced during the fermentation process of raw tea leaves.

Theaflavins have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and are expected to have anti-arteriosclerosis and cancer prevention effects.

Catechins, which are found in large amounts in green tea, are characterized by their tendency to easily combine with various substances and change. The catechins contained in black tea are changed into different substances during the fermentation process, and the content is only 30-40% of that in green tea.

summary

What did you think?

This time, we introduced the differences between green tea and black tea from the perspective of ingredients and components.

Both are made from the same tea plant leaves, but they are produced using different methods and have very different appearances, aromas, and flavors.

By stopping fermentation, green tea is produced which retains the fresh flavour of the tea leaves, while black tea is produced by allowing fermentation to continue, giving it unique components and a mellow aroma.

If you enjoy the differences between each type of tea, you may find that you enjoy it in a new way.