The Natural Energy of Life
qi {chi/chee}
Please note that due to staff holidays, no orders will be despatched between Wed 24th May and Thursday 1st June. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Types of Tea
All tea; Green, White, Oolong, Pu-erh and Black are produced come from the leaves and buds of the amazing Camellia Sinensis plant, the difference between them is produced from the variety in the processing of the leaves and buds. Different processes create different characteristics, depths and flavours.
These five main types of tea all have their own “personalities” so to speak, using Fairtrade and Organic China Tea we have created delicately infused blends taking advantage of 100% natural fruits, spices and herbs and essential oils which enhance both the flavour and the health benefits of all of our teas.
Green Tea
Could green tea be the healthiest beverage on the entire planet?? We certainly have struggled to find a beverage more deliciously refreshing and good for our bodies, minds and souls! Green tea is the totally un-oxidised member of the Camellia Sinensis family. Fermentation is blocked as soon as possible to preserve all the natural properties of the leaf. The freshly plucked leaves of green tea are tumbled quickly in a panning machine and are then rolled by hand to give the leaf a particular appearance. To remove all but 2-3% of the remaining water, the tea is then dried in hot ovens.
Drinking regular amounts of green tea is said to aid in a plethora of healthy ways, ranging from aiding brain function and health to boosting metabolism, reducing the risk of certain types of cancer and vastly improving dental health! Some even say that drinking green tea can help us loose weight and enable us to live longer - Is there anything this glorious green beverage can’t do!?
What we do know for sure is that Qi Organic, Fairtrade green tea is prepared in a way which prevents any bitter aftertaste commonly associated with other brands whilst maintaining high levels of green goodness and always staying 100% natural!
White tea (Bai Mu Dan)
Getting its name from the stunning silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds of the Camellia Sinensis plant, white tea is prepared from only fresh young spring buds and baby tea leaves creating the most beautifully clean and healthy cuppa. The perfect leaves are carefully selected and allowed to gently wither in the sun, getting this right is a complicated process and is only done under the expert supervision of a Tea Master. White tea is rare and more sought after than green tea but has very similar health benefits as its green cousin. Rumoured to have powerful anti-ageing properties and as such makes an appearance in several skin care products, white tea is also said to contain antibacterial properties which can protect our skin from bacteria and other germs.
Black Tea
Black tea is the most oxidised of the glorious family we call tea… In addition to the leaves being withered, rolled and heated, black tea leaves are fermented before the final heating process. With a higher caffeine content, black tea tends to have a stronger flavour than many other tea varieties.
The name 'black' tea comes from the wonderful tea leaves themselves. After the leaves have been plucked and processed they turn black in colour, when poured however, our black teas have a beautiful dark amber hue to them.
Delicious black tea is rumoured to have many health benefits, as well as being said to help reduce oral plaque formation and promote heart and bone health it could also help our immune systems and our stress levels!
Oolong & Puerh Tea
Do you love the strength of black tea but long for the delicate flavours of green tea? Then oolong is the tea for you! This semi-oxidised tea is a fantastic combination of what we believe are the best bits of both green and black tea. The freshly plucked leaf is withered and then shaken in a tumbling machine to lightly bruise parts of the leaf. Next the leaves are oxidised for only a short time so that the bruised parts of the leaf begin to oxidise. When 60-70% oxidation has been reached, the leaf is dried and we are left with the magical characteristics of oolong tea!
The combined qualities of these two delicious teas means that oolong tea packs a heavy antioxidant punch, not to mention the combined health benefits from both green and black tea! What a fabulous 100% natural gift…
Pu-erh tea (pronounced ‘poo-air’) is named after Puerh city in Yunnan province. This tea stands apart from every other one as its leaves go through a natural fermentation process before being gently dried.
This one off speciality tea is aged for up to 50 years in humidity and temperature-controlled conditions producing a tea that has a typically earthy, mature, smooth flavour and aroma. Simply delicious after a meal to refresh the pallet!
Pu-erh Tea has been used and valued for centuries in Chinese Herbalism and Medicine, revered for its vast health benefits and containing high levels of polyphenols which are known for their antioxidant activity. The Theanine and Flavoids found within pu-erh tea are said to aid in digestion after meals by acting as a “sponge” and accelerator for fat burning, it creates a cuppa with zero astringency and deep, rich body, but this fermentation process also helps produce micro-organisms which are being shown to be particularly beneficial to our bodies.