Snapple - Made from the Best Stuff on Earth

Now, we all know Snapple is not above having a little fun (well, a lot of fun, actually), but let’s get serious for a minute. Why? Because we’re talking about tea. And as you know, we take our teas very seriously.

What is Tea?
So what is “tea” and where does it come from? Well, it starts with a tea leaf. Duh. A dried leaf plucked from the Camellia Sinensis plant, to be more specific. The Camellia Sinensis produces white, green, black and oolong teas. (That’s pronounced “ooh” long, by the way.)

And then there are herbal teas – red tea, for example – which are made from completely different plants. But they are all made the same way: by steeping in hot water. They like to keep it simple, those tea people.

A Brief History of Tea
In the beginning, there was tea. According to Chinese folklore, a famous Emperor discovered tea while walking through his garden in 2737 B.C., when a light breeze carried a leaf from the Camellia bush into his steaming bowl of water. He took a sip, and tea was born.

Tea pretty much stayed in Asia until the 16th century, when Dutch traders introduced it to the British. And not content with their accomplishments in England, those ambitious Dutch later introduced it to North America when they settled in what is now Manhattan. Much like the rest of the world, we quickly embraced tea.

Americans found one more reason to love tea in the summer of 1904. An Englishman by the name of Richard Blechhynden (say that five times fast) was sampling Indian teas at America’s first World’s Fair. When no one was buying it due to the scorching heat, he decided to cool things down. Iced tea was born.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Tea Types & Varieties
Good news tea lovers, there’s more than one type of tea for all. In fact, there are a quite a few. And yes, that’s why they use the old phrase, “What’s your cup of tea?” Well, we think that’s why they use that phrase, and until we hear otherwise, we’re going with it.

White Tea
White tea is perhaps the most unfettered of the teas. Its leaves are plucked at a very young age and undergo only minimal processing. Why mess with a good thing? That’s what we say. Compared to other varieties, white tea has a more delicate flavor and may possess more antioxidant properties. That’s good.

Green Tea
Green tea’s distinctively fresh taste comes from minimal fermentation. This also gives green tea its color and helps preserve its natural antioxidants, which include Epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG. We prefer EGCG, because it’s easier to say. Kind of catchy, actually – and believed to have many benefits including boosting metabolism.

Oolong Tea
If tea was a spectrum, oolong would fall somewhere in the middle. Nestled between the minimally-fermented white and green teas, and the fully-fermented black teas. Or “just right,” as we like to say. And as you might expect, oolong tea has a more developed flavor than its less-processed cousins while still maintaining some of their beneficial properties.

Black Tea
Tasty. That’s the word that first comes to mind when we think of black tea. Delicious is a close second. Think of black tea as the aged variety. And as we all know, good things come to those who wait. Complete fermentation over a longer period of time gives black tea its distinctive, robust flavor.

Red Tea
Red tea comes from the leaves of a South African plant known to locals as Rooibos – meaning red bush – because its leaves turn red when fermented. Makes sense to us. Red tea has a sweet, fruity taste, is naturally caffeine-free and also contains antioxidant flavonoids. Not bad, eh.

Congratulations!
You’ve completed Tea 101. And as with any reputable course, you’re required to take a final exam. So here you go: which beverage company has taken the best of these teas and bottled them with flavor and personality that everyone loves? If the answer isn’t on the tip of your tongue, here’s a hint (it starts with “Sn” and ends with “apple”).

Sources:

1. Perry, Sara. The New Tea Book. A guide to black, green herbal and chai tea. Chronicle Books, 2001.

2. The Oolong Tea | Oolong Tea, Source of Health.
3. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia .