The gentlest of the true teas: young leaf buds dried in the sun with almost no processing, which preserves the highest catechin content and the lowest caffeine of the Camellia sinensis family.
White tea is a low-cost entry into antioxidant tea for someone who finds green tea too grassy and coffee too harsh on the stomach. It is the gentle option for elders managing blood pressure who have been told to cut caffeine but don't want to give up a warm cup.
Because white tea is barely processed, it retains more intact catechins than green or black tea — laboratory work shows it has among the highest antioxidant capacity of the Camellia teas. Those catechins inhibit collagenase and elastase, the enzymes that break down skin structure, which is the mechanism behind white tea's reputation as an anti-aging tea. Its polyphenols inhibit oral bacteria and the natural fluoride supports enamel. The caffeine is low (15-30mg per cup) so it carries the L-theanine calm without the stimulant load — a good choice for the anxious or the hypertensive who still want a true tea.
Use water around 175-185°F — never boiling. Steep 4-5 minutes; white tea is forgiving and rarely turns bitter. The leaves can be re-steeped two or three times, with each infusion revealing a different layer.
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