Anji bai cha

Anji Bai Cha
TypeGreen
Other namesAnji white tea,安吉白茶
OriginAnji County, Zhejiang Province, China
Quick descriptionRare, large-leafed green tea
A map of China with Zhejiang province highlighted
Anji bai cha is grown in Zhejiang province, China.

Anji bai (Chinese: 安吉白; pinyin: Ānjí bái; pronounced [án.tɕǐ pǎɪ]) or Anji white[1] is a green tea originally produced in Anji County, Zhejiang Province, China.[1] Now, it can also be found in Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, China.

This tea cultivar was discovered in 1982,[2] is not as widely planted as other teas and has a short harvesting period; it is a comparatively rare tea, and as such, is among the most expensive teas in China.[3]

It is called "white" tea although it is a green tea.[4] This is because the leaves turn a jade-white colour during the low-temperature seasons in Anji. As the temperature rises, the leaves gradually return to their green colour.[5] The processed, long, narrow leaves are yellow and have a recognisable fold along the length of the leaf.[6]

A 2010 study found that the tea is high in polysaccharides which can inhibit the hemolysis of blood cells.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "An Ji Bai Cha". Archived from the original on 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2016-02-24.
  2. ^ "Anji Bai Cha Green Tea of Zhejiang". Yunnan Sourcing. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Anji White Tea". Kaleidoscope - Food Culture. Cultural China. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Anji White Tea". Tea Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  5. ^ 胡 (Hú), 涛 (Tāo) (2019). 中国茶图鉴全书 [The Complete Illustrated Book of Chinese Tea] (in Simplified Chinese). 南昌 (Nanchang): 江西科学技术出版社 (Jiangxi Science and Technology Publishing House). p. 54. ISBN 978-7-53-906625-7.
  6. ^ Mary Lou Heiss; Robert J. Heiss (18 January 2012). The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook: A Guide to the World's Best Teas. Ten Speed Press. p. 44. ISBN 978-1-60774-378-1.
  7. ^ Victor R. Preedy (2013). Tea in Health and Disease Prevention. Academic Press. p. 233. ISBN 978-0-12-384937-3.