White Tea

Figure 1. White Tea leaves.

White Tea is made from the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves and buds of Camellia sinensis are picked just before they are fully open. At this stage, the leaves and buds are covered in fine white hairs, hence its namesake.

It is important to note that green tea and black tea are also made from the Camellia sinensis plant. However, their processing methods differ. As White Tea is the least processed of the three teas, it retains the highest amount of antioxidants.

Taken as a dietary supplement, White Tea is commonly promoted for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits (due to polyphenols such as catechins), to help reduce the risk of heart diseases (by reducing the risk of LDL cholesterol oxidation), to help with weight loss (due to the phytochemical epigallocatechin gallate which stimulates fat breakdown and prevent new fat cells from being formed), to help protect teeth from bacteria (due to fluoride in White Tea combined with catechins and tannins, which make teeth more resistant to acid attacks by bacteria), and to help reduce risk of insulin resistance.