Oolong Tea vs Black Tea: Which One is Healthier?
by Admin
Posted on 24-03-2023 03:53 PM
Oolong tea and black tea are both types of tea known as true teas — that means they are made from the leaves of the tea plant known as the camellia sinensis plant. All other teas are actually called herbal tisanes or herbal teas since they don't technically contain leaves of the tea plant. There are only five true teas including white tea, pu-erh tea, green tea, black tea, and oolong tea. If you're a tea drinker, you know that these teas are vastly different from one another even though they are made from the same tea leaves. The main reason these teas have unique characteristic arises from the way they are produced.
It's easy for anyone to distinguish the difference between a black and green tea just based on the colour. But that can't be said for black and oolong teas. Even more confusing, we recently received an email from a beginning tea drinker asking: "is oolong tea a black tea or green tea? one other tea drinker asked: "does oolong tea have black tea in it?" the fact is that oolong is a category in itself, and it differs in production method, appearance and taste. Black tea is the most familiar tea in the west, as it was the earliest type introduced to the west hundreds of years ago.
Dive Deeper Into Oolong Tea
Oolong tea also comes from the camellia sinensis plant but it’s processed in various ways, so oolong has a wider range of flavors and colors than most other categories of tea. Unlike white or green tea, oolong varieties are harvested from mature leaves, allowing them to adopt the qualities of their terroir and complexify in flavor.
That said, what really sets oolong apart is the wide range of oxidation it is exposed to, which normally runs anywhere from 8 to 80 percent. Popular oolong varieties such as dan chong, or phoenix tea, are less oxidized and taste more floral and light, while a variety like da hong pao, or wuyi tea, is heavily oxidized, having a full-bodied flavor and darker hue.
Oolong tea and black tea are different in raw materials and production methods. For oolong tea, the tea leaves are curled into a round shape, dark yellow in appearance. It is the first truly oxidized tea, which results in a deeper flavor and darker color when enzymes are exposed to oxygen. Oolong teas can be oxidized anywhere from 8% to 80%, depending on the tea master. Teas that have been lightly oxidized have floral and delicate flavors with a hint of sweetness, while teas that have been substantially oxidized have darker flavors. On the other hand, black tea undergoes a complete oxidation process using traditional methods.
Is Oolong Tea Black Tea or Green Tea?
Black tea is made from the camellia sinensis plant. All true teas (green, white, black, oolong, and pu-erh) come from this plant, and they develop unique characteristics depending on the production process and other factors. I mentioned the production process because it has a significant impact on the final appearance of the leaves as well as the benefits of the tea. So, the main characteristic of black tea is that it is more oxidized than other teas. To be more clear, here is a little comparison: green tea is not oxidized (or only minimally), black tea is fully oxidized, and oolong tea is semi-oxidized.
If you’re looking for me to tell you which of these teas is better, you will be disappointed. I love them both and simply can’t choose. Of course, that assumes good quality teas. The black tea we tend to drink in the west is usually pretty unexciting in terms of flavor. That’s probably why it has become normal to add milk and sugar to it. Good black teas are much more complex, similar to good oolong teas. There is no need to add anything. So now we know one thing these two types of tea have in common. But there’s more.
Oolong is a type of tea that is made from the plant camellia sinensis. We also call it traditional chinese tea. Oolong tea uses dried leaves and leaf buds of camellia sinensis. When making tea, oolong tea should be fermented for longer than green tea. There are also different flavors in oolong tea. There is a sweet and fruity flavor with honey aromas, as well as woody and thick flavors with roasted aromas. This flavor and aroma depend on the style of production. Oolong tea contains caffeine, which affects thinking and alertness. There are numerous benefits to oolong tea.
Oolong tea and black tea come from the same plant – camellia sinensis. But due to different production process, they differ in taste, aroma, and appearance. This article will help you to distinguish between black tea and oolong tea and decide which one is more suitable for you.