- Nov 18, 2022
Tea gets its flavor and astringency from tannins and flavonoids.
All tea, no matter how it is processed, contains anti-oxidants (polyphenols).
All polyphenols are anti-oxidants which fight free radicals, the cause of many diseases.
Flavonoids give tea its crisp astringent taste. It is a polyphenol.
Two additional anti-oxidants appear in tea after oxidation in the form of polymeric polyphenols called theaflavins and thearubigins.
Tea is the only plant that provides an amino acid in its leaves, L-Theanine, which appears primarily in unprocessed white and green tea leaves. L-Theanine helps keep the brain alert.
Green tea contains polyphenols called catechins. White, and oxidized teas, contain much smaller amounts.
Other stimulants in tea are theine and theobromine. Theine and theobromine are part of the methyl-xanthine family which also includes mateine (in yerba mate) and caffeine (in coffee, cola, chocolate and tea.) Caffeine appears in very small quantities in tea.