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There are many different teas to choose from in today’s market, and for many, the amount of choices can be overwhelming.
Read our tips below to help you choose the perfect tea for you!
Table of Contents
Types of Tea
There are many different styles of tea on the market, but generally, there are 6 categories.
White Tea
White tea is often completely unprocessed.
It is simply the dried leaf material of the Camellia sinensis plants.
This type of tea often contain less caffeine and a has a somewhat earthy taste.
Preview | Product | Price | |
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![]() | The Tao of Tea, Imperial White Tea, Loose Leaf, 3.5-Ounce Tins (Pack of 2) |
$27.83 | Buy on Amazon |
Green Tea
Green tea is minimally processed.
To create the green tea, the leaves are steamed.
Green tea can be very different, depending upon where it was harvested.
It is not unusual to taste anything from earthy, grassy, bitter, or fruity.
Green tea is unfermented.
Preview | Product | Price | |
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![]() | Chaganju Sencha Green Tea Loose Leaf, JAS Certified Organic Japanese Tea from Uji, Kyoto, 80g Bag,… |
$19.48 | Buy on Amazon |
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is partially oxidized.
This is a very interesting style of tea which really lets the creator’s talent shine.
The flavor profile of oolong tea can range from light, floral, and grassy, to dark, complex, and bitter.
My personal favorite are the early harvest ‘Tie Guan Yin’ green oolongs, which is almost sort of like a green tea, but with a deeper and more complex flavor.
Preview | Product | Price | |
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![]() | VAHDAM, High Mountain Oolong Tea Leaves From Himalayas (50+ Cups, 3.53oz) Strong & Robust Oolong Tea… |
$14.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Black Tea
Black tea is fully fermented and is, as it’s name suggests, a black color.
It is one of the more popular styles, and you can find them anywhere from the China, to Ceylon, or even the UK.
Preview | Product | Price | |
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![]() | Taylors of Harrogate Earl Grey Loose Leaf, 4.41 Ounce Tin |
$10.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Pu’er Tea
Pu’er tea is an ancient style of tea, which was made to aid in travel, trade, and shelf-life.
The tea is formed into a compacted brick or disc to minimize potentially negative effects from sunlight, air, humidity, and age.
Herbal Tea
Tisanes, also known as herbal tea is made from herbs and is generally non-caffeinated.
The taste of these can vary greatly depending upon which herbs are used.
Popular herbs used in herbal teas include chamomile, ginger root, rosehips, lemongrass, orange peels, and many more.
Do note that there are indeed some caffeinated herbal teas such as yerba mate or those which contain cacao.
Preview | Product | Price | |
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![]() | Tiesta Tea Blueberry Wild Child, Loose Leaf, Blueberry Hibiscus Herbal Tea, Premium Non-Caffeinated… |
$42.95 | Buy on Amazon |
Things to Keep in Mind
In addition to figuring out which specific type of tea you would like to purchase, there are some other things you may want to keep in mind as well.
Organic Tea
When deciding which tea is right for you, a very important consideration to keep in mind is whether or not the tea is organic.
Tea is one of those plants which can absorb pesticides and other harmful compounds with relative ease.
Choosing an organic tea will help ensure that your tea was grown without synthetic pesticides.
It’s important to keep in mind that quite a lot of tea is harvested in China, where food regulations may not be as strict as they are in many other countries. Organic teas are harvested in select locations, where the standards are typical higher than in competing non-organic markets.