MCT

Tea grows all over the world, from China and India, to Africa and South America.

Most teas come from one plant, the Camelli sinensis plant, said Dereck Armstead, a customer service representative from Teavana, a tea company.

The way the leaves are processed determines the level of oxidation and what type of tea it will become. Armstead said there are different types of teas, each of which has different health benefits.

White teas

White teas have a light color and mild flavor, Armstead said. The lighter the tea, the less caffeine it has. White tea only has one percent caffeine, Armstead said.

“White teas are pretty much the purest form of tea,” he said. “They’ve been the least processed.”

White tea is also high in antioxidants, which have been shown to have health benefits, he said. White tea is good for the skin. It may reduce wrinkles and there have been cases where it has even been shown to help prevent cancer, he said.

“It doesn’t stop cancer,” he said. “But it can prevent things that would result in cancer and it keeps your body clean.”

Herbal teas

Herbal teas, such as peppermint or berry-flavored, are high in Vitamin C and antioxidants and are usually caffeine free, Armstead said.

Herbal teas differ from other teas because they don’t come from the tea plant, but rather are an infusion of things such as fruits, spices and flowers. In addition to fruit flavored tea, another popular type of herbal tea is chamomile tea, which is supposed to relax you and help you sleep, Armstead said.

Rooibos teas

Rooibos tea is a red tea from South Africa. Armstead said rooibos tea is similar to herbal tea because it is also an infusion tea. Rooibos tea is high in antioxidants and caffeine free. It has also been shown to help with allergies, he said.

Freshman Jarel Flory, who drinks tea at least three or four times a week, is a fan of rooibos tea.

“It has a very distinct flavor that not a lot of people like,” he said. “You kind of have to get used to it.

Green teas

Green tea is very beneficial and healthy for the body, Armstead said. It can lower cholesterol, is good for digestion, regulates blood sugar levels and helps prevent cavities and wrinkles.

Green tea has about five to 10 percent caffeine and is a light tea, he said, so it doesn’t need to be brewed very long.

“You don’t want to brew green tea for more than two minutes or it gets bitter,” Armstead said.

Sophomore Astrid Morrison started drinking green tea in high school. She said she began drinking tea because she had heard it was good for people’s health.

“I usually have green tea when I am sick or have a cold and that makes me feel better,” she said. “I also like to have it before I go to bed; it helps me sleep better.”

Oolong tea

Oolong tea is 15 percent caffeine and good for healthy skin and teeth, Armstead said. It also enhances metabolism and increases digestion, which is good for weight loss.

Black teas

Like other teas, black tea helps lower cholesterol, Armstead said. It is also good for the heart and circulatory system. Black tea is the most processed tea, so it is darker and needs to be brewed the longest. It also has 20 percent caffeine.

A common black tea is chai tea, although many other types of tea can be used to make chai. Chai is a blend of spices, including ginger, vanilla and cinnamon, Armstead said. The tea and spices are usually mixed with milk to create the beverage most people know as chai.

Senior Elizabeth Weirick said her favorite type of tea is vanilla chai tea, although she enjoys a variety of teas. Weirick said she drinks tea because she finds it soothing and relaxing.

Yerba Mate tea

Yerba Mate, commonly known as mate, tea grows in South America.

“We call it the coffee lover’s tea,” Armstead said. “It gives you energy.”

Flory’s favorite type of tea is mate, because it gives him a natural buzz, he said.

Armstead said mate is a good hunger suppressant, and is similar to coffee, but doesn’t have as much caffeine.

He also said mate doesn’t give the drinker jitters or bring them down after a certain amount of time because it isn’t as potent as the coffee bean.

There aren’t really any negatives to drinking tea, Armstead said, because it is 90 percent water.

“Most tea is water based,” he said, “so you are basically drinking water that has grabbed nutrients from the tea leaves.”

Flory said he likes drinking tea because of the flavor and the fact that it’s not as intense as coffee.

“After drinking a soda or something I always feel gross and tired and lethargic,” he said, “With tea, it’s a motivator to go out and do something. It gives me more energy.”