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Ceylon tea comes from Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was initially called Ceylon until 1972. That is why teas produced from Sri Lanka are referred to as Ceylon tea. Black tea was the main type of tea produced in Sri Lanka, but nowadays, there are other types: oolong, white and green tea. The tea story in Ceylon begun with a chance for coffee replacement. Coffee cultivation was stopped at the end of the 19th century, making way for tea cultivation. Therefore, there was an increase in tea plantations from 100 acres to 384,000 acres between 1867 and the end of the 19th century.
All types of Ceylon leaves come from the Camellia Sinensis plant. The only difference between the different Ceylon teas is the processing method. Ceylon uses different and unique terroirs, processing methods, and cultivars to give the tea a unique flavor different from the rest.
Types of Ceylon Teas
Black Tea
This is the most common and popular type of Ceylon teas in the market. Black tea is made from Sri Lankan tea, where the leaves are hand-plucked by female tea pluckers. The handpicking process is made with a lot of precision to ensure two leaves and a bud are picked for quality purposes. The leaves are withered, followed by rolling, fermenting, and drying, and then sifted. Sifting is done, and leaves are separated to form different tea grades. Orange pekoe is a black tea grade with the largest wiry leaves. Black tea is graded into other different grades until dust grade, and each has different intensity and color.
Green Tea
This is another common Ceylon tea type. Green tea had recently gained popularity when many people looked for different ways of staying healthy while using natural products. The whole process of making green tea is different from black tea, even though they both come from the same plant. During green tea processing, the leaves are left unfermented to retain their antioxidant characteristic. Therefore, leaves are picked, withered, heated, followed by rolling, then drying, sifting, and packed in tea bags. Ceylon green tea is clean and pure: one of superb quality.
White Tea
This is a unique type of Ceylon tea. Because of that, it is costly compared to other kinds of teas. The special feature of this tea comes from the harvesting process. Pluckers are only allowed to pick only the bud at dawn. These buds are hand-rolled but not fermented. This is the only tea type that is handmade. White tea has a subtle and light color. White tea has more antioxidants and less caffeine compared to black and green tea. Therefore, it belongs to some of the healthiest beverages. You can get white tea as loose leaf tea or in pyramid bags. It is also known as silver tips. You can buy white tea in any online tea and coffee shop near you across the world. Buying your Ceylon tea online is the best thing to do to get fresh and pure products.
Health Benefits of Ceylon Teas
The benefits of drinking this type of tea are similar to those of other types of tea. This tea contains caffeine, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. You will enjoy different tea benefits depending on the type of tea you are drinking.
- Boost Immune System
Theaflavins and catechins in black and green tea can help in free radical scavenging. Free radicles are responsible for cell damage that can lead to diseases like diabetes, cancer, and brain diseases.
- Lowers Cholesterol
Both green and black tea can help reduce high levels of cholesterol.
- Aid in Weight Loss
You can benefit a lot from black and green tea in your weight loss program. Green tea is considered the best companion for weight loss, but black tea has proven to be more effective these days.
- Prevent Heart Diseases and Stroke
You can reduce the risks of heart diseases by drinking two to three black teacups a day.
How Best Drink This Type of Tea
Now that you know what you can gain from drinking Ceylon tea, chances are you may want to try one. The main question is how to drink any of the Ceylon teas. There is no exact answer, but you need to follow the steps below.
- Serving
You can use about 1 table teaspoon of Ceylon leaves. The number of tea leaves can vary depending on the type of tea.
- Brewing
Ensure you use pure, filtered, and freshwater when brewing. For hot brewing, use hot water of about 100⁰ C but most tea brew better at around 70-80⁰ C. Always check the tea if it is suitable for cold brewing before proceeding. You can use a loose leaf tea for brewing at any temperature.
- Steeping
It is advised to steep tea for about 5 minutes for hot brewing. You can add milk if you are drinking pure black tea leaves. Always check the instruction when making tea using black tea leaves since some are not suitable to add any amount of milk.
