What comes to mind when you hear the word tea? for most people, they may say oolong tea or ginger tea. However, do you know that both are not the same? one is regular tea, and the other is herbal tea. If you are confused, don’t worry. In this article we’ll explore the various differences between regular teas and herbal teas. Five Major Differences Between Regular Tea and Herbal Tea Role of Ingredients and Composition
The truth is that regular tea-Black, Green, White, and Oolong are all derived from the leaves of Camellia sinensis. The flavours and caffeine content vary in the four teas mentioned above because of processing and levels of oxidation reached during their processing.
On the other hand, herbal teas are completely different since they are never made with Camellia sinensis leaves at all. Instead, they have a blend of dried herbs, fruits, flowers, or even scents. The ingredients differentiate one from the other; this is how numerous tastes could be packed into herbal teas given birth to various health benefits unlike normal tea.
Methods of Preparations
The different forms of regular tea all come with specified brewing instructions to keep their flavours and properties. Black tea deals mostly with boiling water and a long steeping time, while green tea is best prepared in lower temperatures, and with short steeping times to retain its delicate taste.
The herbal tea ingredients determine different brewing techniques. For instance, the delicate herbs like chamomile may need less steeping time to avoid the bitterness of this herb. On the other hand, some strong herbal blends, the hibiscus, or ginger need an extended steep to elicit flavour and probable health benefits.
Flavour Profiles
Regular teas could have an array of flavours such as robust and malty, black, or grassy and vegetal. On the other hand, herbal teas display some varied flavour characteristics, rooted in botanical components: light and floral from the chamomile, refreshing and minty cool from peppermint, and tart, tangy from hibiscus. if you are looking for a tea store with an amazing collection, that sell different tea blends with unique flavour consider Honey Heaven.
Caffeine Content
Of course, the normal teas all pack in some quantity of caffeine, since they all derive exclusively from Camellia sinensis. While, herbal teas absolutely have no caffeine and hence are perfect for those who are most sensitive to.
Health Benefits
Regular teas, especially green and white, do contain some antioxidants believed to promote overall good health and fight off oxidative stress. This is associated with the benefits of keeping a healthy heart with moderate intake of black tea.
The difference in health benefits can be rooted in botanical sourcing with herbal teas. Take, for example, the calming effects one derives from having a cup of chamomile tea, or ginger tea for how it supports a person’s stomach. In this case, some cardiovascular-related benefits are claimed for the hibiscus tea. It is easy to go on associating single benefits with herbal teas, making this wellness area rather diverse in that respect.
Final Thoughts
While ordinary tea and herbal have basically enjoyed overall acceptance by most tea lovers worldwide, differences in their ingredients, mode of preparation, flavour, and caffeine content, among others coupled with their health properties suit different tastes and wellness preferences. All these different types of teas each occupy their unique place in creating that very colourful tapestry that defines the culture of tea across the world.
