The increased interest and growth in tea in the past several years has generated a spate of information disseminated online and in the media which, I believe, is a good thing. Unfortunately, not all of that information is accurate. There are two common misconceptions or misinformation I often come across that I would like to clarify.

One of the more common misstatements I often see or hear is that black tea is the most oxidized tea and white is the least oxidized of the different teas. Although it is accurate to state that black tea is the most oxidized, white tea is not the least oxidized.  The confusion lies in a misunderstanding between the terms oxidized and processed.

The term processed refers more to how the tea leaves are manipulated to create the different leaf styles of tea than it does to the enzymatic reaction that occurs that causes oxidation, although that is part of it. In that regard, white tea is, in fact, the least processed tea, being the least manipulated, but it is not the least oxidized. White tea goes through a special withering process that not only reduces the moisture content in the leaf, but also allows some release of enzymes that, although leading to only a minimum amount of oxidation, is still more than green tea - which has no oxidation. If you think of what happens to a tree leaf that falls to the ground and over time begins to turn brown, you will have an understanding of the process that occurs in white tea, albeit much more minimally (the white tea leaves don’t actually turn brown).

Another misconception or, more accurately, misuse of a term I often come across is that tea is fermented. I think I understand why this occurs as well, as it is an old term that has been misunderstood and inaccurately perpetuated over centuries. The only tea that actually ferments is pu’er - it goes through oxidation as well. All other teas go through an oxidative chemical reaction. Fermentation is a process that is driven by microorganisms like the bacteria in pu’er (or beer), whereas oxidation is purely a chemical process initiated by enzyme catalysts like those which occur in all but green tea. The amount of oxidation that occurs in the different types of tea is controlled by time, leaf manipulation, and drying methods.

The purpose of this clarification is not to cast aspersions, but only to educate. What is important here is not that the general population of tea information seekers make misstatements. My concern is that some of the people presenting themselves as experts are making these mistakes. When you come across such misstatements online or in print, have a healthy level of skepticism about the expertise of the person or persons making these statements - and any other information or claims they may make. Tea is a pretty complex product and there is a great deal to learn about it. I know people who have been in the tea industry for over 30 years and they realize they still have a lot to learn. Like the old adage “the more you learn, the more you learn how little you know,” I still have several lifetimes of information to learn about tea. I too will make mistakes. I can only hope that we all will strive to continue to learn and to learn from my mistakes.

[photo credit: main post image from Harvard Business School at www.hbswk.hbs.edu; hand rolled white tea at www.satemwa.com; black tea by MadTeaParty at www.flickr.com]