Tea is a plant that belongs to the Camellia family. It has two primary species that we use to form different types of teas. The first one is known as Camellia sinensis and the second one is known as Camellia Assamica. A few hybrid teas are also available in the market but the taste of real tea and the benefits of it can be enjoyed only when the beverage is derived from the Camellia species. A tea plant grows up to 20 meters, but tea planters maintain a certain height and length to ensure that the quality of the beverage is not compromised. The best tea is grown in India- Darjeeling and Assam. From there these boxes of teas are transported to the various corners of the world.
There are mainly four types of tea derived from the Camellia family-Green, black, oolong and white. All the brews we call tea are derived from other plants and flower known to offer several health benefits. Some examples are chamomile tea and oolong tea. Chamomile tea in Canada and Oolong Tea in Canada is quite famous. These drinks can be consumed hot and cold and they have a flowery smell that makes them an exclusive drink.
Traditional Tea Manufacturing Process
The chamomile and oolong teahave a different process for manufacturing than general tea. Since Chamomile tea in Canada and Oolong Tea in Canada is quite famous, the manufacturing process is taken care of with the help of advanced machinery. However, the common process of tea manufacturing has four stages -withering, rolling, oxidation and drying. Withering is done to reduce the moisture content of the tealeaf. Air is passed through the plucked leaves to remove the left over moisture from the leaves. The process takes a maximum of 17 hours in certain cases.
The leaves of the plant are rolled between rollers until they break. This process is done to break the leaves so the enzymes are released and the oxidation of the leaves begin. The oxidation process oxidizes or ferments the broken leaves. This process takes up to 2 hours and results in great quality and flavor.
Drying the tea leaves is the final process in tea manufacturing. The tea leaves are once again heated to stop the process of fermentation that was started during the oxidation process. As soon as the tea gets heated, it is changed to one of the four types. Finally, the sorting is done by checking the quality of the processed leaves.
Tea blending is an art. Without a proper blend, it is difficult to enjoy the real flavors of the beverage. Even herbal teas require proper attention while it is brewed. A properly made cup of tea can relax, release stress and calm the nerves, while a badly brewed tea will create distaste in the mouth. Try the multitude of tea available to enjoy the flavors, the aroma and the benefits. This way you will find the one made for you.