Bai Mu Dan, White Peony tea 500g 1.1lb

White tea is a specialty of the Chinese province: Fujian.  White tea is sun dried without rolling to keep the original form of leaves, leaving the leaf whole with silver downy buds.  According to the different standards of picking and selection, white teas can be classified into several varieties. The main varities of white teas are:  Baihao Yin Zhen( Silver Needle Baihao), Bai Mu Dan (White Peony) and Gong Mei.

What is white tea?
We know that all tea comes from the same source: the Camilla Sinensis tea bush. Whether a tea leaf winds up in a cup of green, black, or oolong tea depends entirely on what happens after it is plucked. After picked, the tea leaves and buds are sun dried without rolling to keep the original form of leaves and buds, leaving the leaf and the bud whole with silver downy buds. The tea takes its name from the silver fuzz that still covers the buds, which turns white when the tea is dried.

Processing
Usually, the tea buds are plucked to make white bud tea, such as: Yinzhen Baihao(Silver Needle Baihao). The bud and first two leaves (or only leaves) are plucked to make white leaf tea, such as: Bai Mu Dan(white peony), eyebrow tea.

Brewing
Generally, around 2 to 2.5 grams of tea per 200 ml (6 ounces) of water, or about 1.5 teaspoons of white tea per cup, should be used. White teas should be prepared with about 80°C (180°F) water (not boiling) and steeped for 2 to 3 minutes. Finer teas expose more flavor and complexity with no bitterness. Lower grade teas do not always stand this test well and develop bitter flavors or tannins. On successive brews (white teas produce three very good brews and a fourth that is passable), extend the time by several minutes. The third brew may require as long as 10 minutes to develop well. Temperature is crucial: if it is too hot, the brew will be bitter and the finer flavors will be overpowered.


Healthy Benefits:
An exotic appearance alone doesn`t explain white tea`s sudden surge in popularity. The secrets also lies in its healthy benefits. High in antioxidants and low in caffeine, white tea is an excellent tea to drink late at night and throughout the day by those sensitive to caffeine. Medically it is refreshing and is good for the stomach and eyes. It can also be used to dispel the heat and inflammation. Furthermore, studies indicate that white tea is better for you, leaving tea leaves so close to their natural state means that white tea contains more polyphenols.