Black Tea

The color of black tea is not actually black, but coppery red. In China it is called "hong cha" which means red tea. It gets its dark red color when the leaves oxidize, i.e. the juice in the leaves react with the oxygen in the air when they are rolled. The process is called oxidation or fermentation, and it makes the leaves dark and coppery red.

Also, more theine (caffeine) is accessible from the leaves and is released into your cup of tea. This is why black tea contains a rather high amount of theine. However, some of the nutrients are also destroyed during the fermentation process. The flavor of black tea is less bitter and astringent, thus easier for us in the west to appreciate, since we are not used to beverages that are bitter.

Three Big Producers

India, China and Sri Lanka (Ceylon) are the three biggest producers of black tea. The Indian variety of the tea bush called Camellia sinensis assamica is often used in Sri Lanka and India. It has bigger leaves and is more cold tolerant than the Chinese Camellia sinensis sinensis.

Two well known areas in India that produce black tea are Assam and Darjeeling. Tea from Assam is dark red and strong, whereas Darjeeling produces an orange tea that looks more like oolong rather than black tea.

Tea Grades

When it comes to black tea you will often see abbreviations like FOP and FNGS. These are tea grades that tell you the size of the leaf and the quality of the tea. Tea that has been cut into small pieces renders a stronger and darker cup of tea, because more tea is in contact with the hot water. This type of tea is often sold in teabags.

Below is a simplified description of the different tea grades.

The grades that are mainly related to leaf size are these:

Grades that are mainly related to tea quality:

Is Black Tea Healthy?

All types of tea are good for your health, since they all come from the tea plant Camellia sinensis. The tea leaves are full of antioxidants that protect the cells in the body from free radicals. However, the unfermented green teas are less processed and therefore contain more nutrients. If you pour sugar or use other additives in your tea, then it will naturally not be as healthy.

A report was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2006 that concluded that three cups of tea per day, or more, reduce the risk of heart attack. The researchers found no evidence that tea in any way would be bad for your health. The exception is people who suffer from anaemia. If you drink black tea after you have eaten it may interfere with the absorption of non-heme iron.

Another positive effect of black tea is that theine (caffeine) appears to improve mental capacity, since it has a stimulating effect. A negative aspect though is that it can be dehydrating. However, the researchers did not see any major risk for this as long as the amount of theine per cup is less than 250 mg. A cup of black tea (15 cl) normally contains only 40-60 mg of theine.

Preparing Black Tea

When you prepare black tea you should use hot water (95-100 degrees Celsius) to fully extract all the flavors from the leaves. Use one tablespoon tea per cup and let it steep for 2-3 minutes.