All tea is produced from a plant called Camellia sinensis. There are thousands of different varieties of teas available in the world which only vary by the region that it was grown, the time of year picked, and the processing method.
All our premium teas come from around the world and many of our Chinese and Japanese teas belong to one of these main categories of tea: white, black, oolong, and green tea. We also carry herbal infusions or tisanes, sometimes called herbal tea, which don't actually contain the Camellia sinensis plant.
Each type of tea has its own characteristics including the different tastes, with differing health benefits, and even different levels of caffeine. Try our premium loose tea, you can learn about different tea types by reading the following tea descriptions or about the health benefits of tea and browsing our full selection of loose leaf teas.
Green Teas
Green tea is the most popular type of tea, mainly because it is the beverage of choice in Asia. Often our loose green tea is scented with flowers or mixed with fruits to create scented or flavored teas. This tea has only 5-10% the caffeine in coffee per cup. Some health benefits of green tea are the high level of cancer-fighting antioxidants, helps lower blood pressure, fights gingivitis and cavities, and helps regulate blood sugar levels.
Black Teas
Black tea is the tea most people know since you likely grew up dipping tea bags of black tea in your cup (or enjoyed this tea from an iced tea pitcher in the South). Black tea is fully fermented, so it has approximately 20% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee. Black tea health benefits include helping prevent the absorption of cholesterol into the blood stream, which reduces the risk of heart disease. It is also good for preventing gingivitis, tooth decay, and it helps regulate blood sugar level and blood pressure.
Rooibos Teas
Rooibos tea, or red tea, is made from a South African red bush. This premium tea is rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein and has higher antioxidants than green tea. Naturally caffeine free, Rooibos teas are excellent in aiding with digestion, helping to relieve allergies, and promote healthy skin, teeth and bones. Rooibos teas are delicious hot or iced.
White Teas
White tea is the purest and least processed of all teas. This loose leaf tea has very little caffeine and brews a light color and flavor. White teas also contain the highest antioxidant properties (helps to detoxify and fight cancer), help lower your cholesterol level, and are the best for skin and complexion.
Oolong Teas
Oolong tea, also known as wu long tea, is full-bodied with a flavorful fragrance and sweet aroma. It is semi-fermented, which gives it approximately 15% of the caffeine in one cup of coffee. Most people commonly recognize oolong tea as the Chinese tea served in Chinese restaurants. Oolong teas make great weight loss teas by boosting your metabolism rate and aiding in digestion by breaking down oils and fats.
Tea Blends
Tea blends often have the best of both worlds since they combine more than one type of premium tea. Mixing teas in a blend is one of the best ways to get great flavor along with great health benefits. For example, our Detox Tea Blend contains our Silver Needle White Tea, Gyokuro Green Tea, Monkey Picked Oolong along with Peppermint Herbal tea for a super body cleansing tea. Shop our Tea Blends or make one of your own!