We know the benefits of green and black tea, now lots of people are giving white tea a try – saying it can help your health.

Andrea Giancontieri says she is a tea lover. She’s been drinking the beverage most of her life, and says she likes the taste and knows it’s good for her health. Andrea Giancontieri, tea drinker, “It’s a comfort thing for me. I like a hot beverage. I’ve been sick and I’ve been in everyday.”

And she’s not alone. More and more people are turning to tea. Some studies show that tea can help reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. Stores like Teavana offers a whole smorgasbord of teas to choose from.

While green tea is best known for it’s anti-oxidant properties, there’s another tea that’s growing in popularity, white tea. And it’s supposed to be even better for your health.

Emily Petitt at Teavana says, “Studies have shown it has 3 to 15 times the anti-oxidant and cancer fighting properties of green tea.”

There are many types of white tea such as honey dew white and silver needle, so what makes white tea so special?

Emily Petitt, “White tea is the least processed of all teas. Because of that processing it’s the highest in antioxidants. It’s going to help prevent cancer, free radicals and it’s wonderful for your skin.”

White tea uses only the youngest tea leaves and buds, which means it can only be picked a couple of times a year. As for the taste, “it’s very light, clear and refreshing.”

White tea is a bit more expensive than green or black teas. At Teavana, a 2-ounce package of loose white tea ranges in price from 15-18 dollars depending on the type of white tea. That 2-ounce package will make about 25-30 cups of tea.

(By Bryce Mursch, National-NBC, June 2005)
Article URL: http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3482735