Top O' the mornin Irish Breakfast

Health Benefits of Black Loose Leaf Tea may include;
Cardiovascular Health ,Cancer Prevention
Skin and Hair Health
Bone and Connective Tissue
Digestive Tract Health
Brain and Nervous System
Increased Energy
Immune System
Source- healthdairies.com

How is Black Loose Leaf Tea processed?

 Processes of Making Black Tea

Generally speaking, black tea is processed in two ways in China: CTC (crush, tear, and curl) and orthodox. Each has its own style and both go through the following four processes:

Withering

The newly-picked tea leaves are first withered by blowing air onto them until their veins are transparent.

Rolling

The withered leaves are rolled into strips either by a rolling machine or by hand. The rolling machine process results in a mixture of whole leaves, broken leaves, and fine particles. The hand process is used for producing high-quality tea, which is highly valued by tea tasters and blenders.

Fermenting

As the most important step in making black tea, fermentation refers to the process where rolled leaves are oxidized under a suitable temperature and humidity for five to six hours, after which the leaf veins turn reddish-brown owing to the oxidizing action.

Baking

The newly-fermented leaves are supposed to be baked at a temperature of about 80°C (176°F) for six hours or so, and can be packed after they cool down.

 'Black tea' in China is also known as fermented tea or dark tea. It originates from China and was introduced to India and Sri Lanka by merchants in the 19th century.

It is made from the leaves of the tea shrub (Camellia sinensis) after the processes of withering, rolling, fermenting, and drying. It is much more oxidized and stronger in flavor than green tea and white tea. Actually, the infusion of black tea is red; however, its oxidized leaves are black, hence its name.

Black tea contains caffeine. ... Black tea is also full of healthy substances called polyphenols. Polyphenols are antioxidants that can help protect your cells from DNA damage. Some scientists think that specific antioxidants in tea, including polyphenols and catechins, may help prevent some types of cancer.

Is black tea better than green tea?

Both green and black tea are rich in a group of protective antioxidants called polyphenols. ... However, the type and amount of flavonoids they contain differ. For example, green tea contains a much higher amount of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), whereas black tea is a rich source of theaflavins

Black tea history

Black tea, also known as “red tea,” was discovered in China in the mid 17^th century. Many years prior, only green and oolong teas were consumed. The story of how black tea came to be is that an army from Jianxi entered the Fujian Province and camped at a nearby tea factory.

Originating in the Assam district of India, it grows in warm, moist climates and is prolific in sub-tropical forests. Camellia sinensis is a smaller-leafed variety native to China that is typically used to make green and white tea.