Jasmine Tea

↑About Jasmine Tea

Jasmine tea, in Chinese mòlì huāchá(茉莉花茶), is a scented tea produced by mixing the leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) with jasmine blossoms (Jasminum sp.). Jasmine tea is frequently made out of green tea, although it can be made of black tea, white tea, or pouchong (bao zhong) as well.

Jasmine tea has a floral aroma that is sometimes described as perfume-like.

Although it is usually associated with Chinese tea culture, jasmine tea is one of the most well-known of the traditional scented teas, and is popular and widely-available in Western countries as well, and is one of several teas commonly served in Chinese restaurants.

Regions of production

An overwhelming majority of jasmine tea is produced in China, where it originated, with small amounts made in Taiwan. The largest producer is Fujian province, but some jasmine tea is made in at least 9 different provinces.

Other countries, including India and Boliiva, have produced Jasmine tea but only in limited batches that are not regularly available.

Traditionally-scented jasmine tea

Tea connoisseurs and specialty tea companies make an important distinction between traditionally scented jasmine tea and modern "shortcut" methods. Traditionally, jasmine tea is produced by placing jasmine blossoms together with the tea leaf in a closed area, shortly after the blossoms open. After most of the aroma has left the blossoms, these blossoms are removed, and new, fresh blossoms are added.

The number of scentings differs greatly from tea to tea; because this process is time-consuming and labor intensive, it greatly adds to the cost of the tea. Some high grades of jasmine use as many as 7 or more scentings in their production. In contrast, some tea companies just add an oil or extract to the tea leaves. If this oil is naturally produced (or even organic), the resulting jasmine tea will be considered all natural (or organic) by western standards, but such teas have been produced by a shortcut, from the perspective of traditional processing methods.

Rather than listing jasmine teas under the headings of flavored green, black, etc. teas, RateTea lists all jasmine teas under its own category or sub-categories because they tend to have much more in common with each other aroma-wise than they do with their base teas.

Health benefits and effects specific to jasmine tea

Some studies have examined the health effects of jasmine tea or chemicals isolated from jasmine tea. However, most of these studies have focused on the catechins, antioxidants originating in the tea plant, and not the jasmine flowers. One study, however, examined the aroma of jasmine tea and found that it had a sedative effect. The odor of jasmine tea was compared to lavender, a scent known to also promote relaxation, and found to have a similar effect. The chemical, (R)-(–)-linalool, originating in the jasmine plant, was found to be responsible for some of these effects. [1]

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