Tea, one of the world's three significant beverages, has a long history and deep cultural significance in China. Among the many types of tea, white tea and green tea are both highly cherished for their unique qualities. This blog will compare these two teas across various aspects to help you understand their differences.
1. History and Production Process
Green tea is one of the oldest types of tea, with a relatively simple production process. It involves several steps, such as pan-firing, rolling, and drying. This process preserves the chlorophyll in the tea leaves, giving green tea its fresh, green color and refreshing taste. The firing stops the oxidation process, ensuring the tea retains its vibrant color and fresh flavor.
White tea, on the other hand, is a lightly fermented tea primarily produced in regions like Fujian. Its production is simple, requiring withering and drying without frying or rolling. This gentle process allows white tea to retain more natural components, producing a mild and sweet flavor. It is rich in tea polyphenols, amino acids, and other beneficial nutrients.
2. Variety and Unique Appeal
Green tea comes in a wide variety, including famous types like Longjing, Biluochun, Huangshan Maofeng, and Liu'an Guapian. Each variety has its unique appearance, flavor, and aroma, catering to different tastes.
Longjing tea is flat and smooth. It smells fresh like beans. They curl Biluochun tea, which has a strong floral and fruity scent.
White tea, by comparison, has fewer varieties. The most common ones include Silver Needle, White Peony, Shoumei, Gongmei, and New Craft White Tea, generally no more than ten types. Silver Needle consists of soft buds with fine white hairs, looking like silver needles. White Peony combines green leaves and silver-white buds, resembling a delicate flower.
3. Flavor Profiles
Green tea has a fresh and crisp taste, often accompanied by bitterness and a pleasant aftertaste. Different types of green tea offer subtle variations in flavor. For example, Longjing tea has a distinctive bean aroma, while Biluochun has a strong floral and fruity fragrance. Drinking green tea feels like a breeze of spring, light and refreshing.
White tea, on the other hand, is mild and sweet, with a smooth and non-bitter taste. Silver Needle has a light flavor and a gentle floral smell.
White Peony is a bit richer, with floral and fruity tastes. Shoumei has a more robust taste, with hints of aged aroma and date-like sweetness. Drinking white tea is like enjoying a pure mountain spring – soothing and refreshing.
4. Health Benefits
Green tea has many good things in it. It contains tea polyphenols, caffeine, and vitamin C.
These can help your health in different ways. They act as antioxidants, which protect your body. They may also help slow down aging.
Green tea can lower fat in your blood. It can also make you feel more alert. Research shows that the antioxidants in green tea can remove free radicals from the body. This helps prevent chronic diseases.
White tea contains tea polyphenols, amino acids, flavonoids, and other components known for their antioxidant, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. It can also help lower blood sugar and fat. Additionally, white tea has anti-inflammatory effects, which can help alleviate conditions like mouth ulcers.
5. How to Identify Quality
Quality in green tea can be judged based on appearance, color, aroma, and taste. High-quality green tea has a uniform shape, bright green color, fresh fragrance, and refreshing taste. The leaves should be tightly twisted and consistent in size. When choosing green tea, look for bright green leaves with a clean aroma and a crisp, lasting taste.
Quality is evaluated for white tea based on appearance, color, aroma, taste, and liquor color. Premium white tea has a full-bodied appearance, a silver-white hue, a delicate fragrance, and a sweet taste. Silver Needles should have fine white hairs and a bright silver color, while White Peonies should show a clear contrast between green leaves and white buds.
6. Price Differences and Value
Green tea is generally more affordable. Prices vary widely depending on the variety and grade. Common green teas cost between tens and hundreds of yuan. Higher-end types, like Longjing and Biluochun, can be more expensive. Green tea prices are mainly influenced by factors such as variety, origin, harvest time, and production process.
White tea tends to be pricier, especially aged white tea. Silver Needle, in particular, commands a higher price, while White Peony and Shoumei are relatively more affordable. The price of white tea is affected by factors like variety, age, origin, and production process. Aged white tea is precious due to its unique taste and medicinal qualities.
7. Long-Term Drinking Costs
If you plan to drink tea regularly, green tea is a more cost-effective option. It is affordable and can be steeped multiple times, making the cost per session relatively low. Green tea is also easy to store – keep it in a dry, ventilated place.
White tea, while more expensive, offers a different kind of value. Aged white tea, in particular, can increase in value over time, making it a worthwhile investment. However, white tea requires careful storage to avoid moisture, sunlight, and odors, which can raise its long-term cost.
8. Brewing Methods
Brewing green tea is straightforward. Typically, it is steeped with water at around 80°C (176°F) for a short period to preserve its fresh flavor. Glass or porcelain cups are ideal for brewing green tea, allowing you to admire the tea leaves' beautiful dance in the water.
Brewing white tea is also easy. It is usually steeped with water around 90°C (194°F), and the brewing time can be adjusted according to personal taste. Aged white tea can even be boiled for a richer flavor. White tea is best brewed in a Yixing teapot or a gaiwan, which helps bring out its aroma and taste.
9. Reflection and Recommendations
Whether you prefer the light sweetness of white tea or the fresh taste of green tea, both provide a delightful tea-drinking experience. Brewing a cup of tea allows you to savor its flavors and appreciate nature’s gift in the hustle of daily life.
Green tea might be your choice if you enjoy a fresh and crisp taste. White tea could be the perfect fit if you prefer a mild and sweet flavor. You can also choose different teas in different seasons to suit the occasion. A refreshing cup of green tea can help you cool down in summer, while a warm cup of aged white tea can warm you up in winter.
Both white and green tea have unique qualities, and you can choose based on your taste, needs, and budget. We hope this comparison helps you understand white and green tea better and enhances your tea-drinking enjoyment.
- Cary Woo has worked in the tea industry for over 10 years and has run a tea house for over 6 years, serving thousands of tea enthusiasts each year. He has a deep passion for various types of Chinese tea and is also the operator of Orientaleaf. He advocates for Orientaleaf's business philosophy: "We only sell tea that we have personally enjoyed and believe to be of high quality." He hopes to make the beauty of Chinese tea accessible to tea enthusiasts worldwide through simple means.
