White tea (白茶, also called Hakugouginshin) belongs to the family of green tea (non-fermented tea), like sencha, gyokuro, kamairicha, etc. Confused yet? Don’t worry, it’s not so complicated. The groundbreaking difference between, say, a sencha and white tea, is that when making sencha, tea producers don’t shade their tea fields.

The leaves are exposed to sunshine until harvest. For white tea, a few weeks before harvest, the fields are shaded and 100% of sunlight is blocked. Yes, 100%! Gyokuro (the king of green teas) is shaded at 95-98%. A little bit of sunlight reaches the leaves. With almost bitterness, no astringency, but a sweet, almond taste and a well defined umami it’s a unique experience. And finally, inside your body, up to three times more of amino acids than in sencha!

This is what makes white tea so amazing: boosted health effects! In particular, the contents of L-theanine, one of the many amino acids found in tea, are increased. This is the substance responsible for a sense of relaxation when drinking green tea, as it increases the levels of a specific calming neurotransmitter in your brain, along with serotonin and L-dopamin, two major mood-enhancing neurotransmitters. Another essential amino acid boosted in white tea is arginine.

Its role is fundamental for healing wounds, but also for your immunity system in general, and for the regulation of blood pressure. Great and delicate taste, a rare gem, and a blessing for your body? Don’t hesitate and try our white tea today!