How Interesting...

• Both black and green tea come from the same plant, Camellia sinensi. The differences between the two lie largely in the processing...
• To make green tea, the leaves are harvested, withered then steamed (Japanese style) or pan-fired (Chinese style). It is this heating that prevents the leaves from oxidising, meaning that they retain their green colour, delicate flavour and a higher level of the antioxidants (i.e. polyphenols), that green tea is famed for. On the other hand, to make black tea, the leaves are crushed, torn, curled, or rolled, then left to oxidise (i.e. turn brown), before being dried. This additional processing step means that black tea has lower amounts of antioxidants than green tea.