Have you tried a cup of green tea yet? If you have, you are one of a growing number of people who are catching on to a growing trend. The green tea wave is one of the strongest tendencies among the growing number of people who want to live healthily. Green tea is increasingly lauded for its claimed health benefits, ranging from promoting mental clarity to preventing several types of cancer, or even prolonging life. That's why a lot of health-conscious individuals have made green tea a part of their daily diet, some having made a complete switch from coffee to the green brew.

Behind the health claims lie the green beverage's high content of antioxidants, substances that protect the cells of the body and strengthen the immune system. While several foods can claim to contain antioxidants, the tea plant has its own brand, called epogallocatechin gallate, or EGCG. In laboratory tests, EGCG displays extremely strong antioxidant qualities, and is several hundred times stronger than more famous substances such as vitamin E and vitamin C. Green tea contains more EGCG than black teas, as up to thirty percent of the dry weight of the tea is pure antioxidant healthiness.

But the next wave is already gathering momentum, and this time it's white. White tea is measured to have an antioxidant content up to three times greater that green tea. In addition, white tea lacks the vegetal, «grassy» taste that characterizes green tea.

There are two main reasons why white tea has such a high concentration of antioxidants. First, white tea is only minimally processed after the harvest. Green tea, by contrast, is slightly oxidized («fermented») and then pan-fried or steamed to halt the oxidation process. White tea is not oxidized at all, which means that the antioxidants are intact when the tea ships.

Second, because white tea is harvested only during a few days very early in the spring, the leaves are very young. In fact, they are still buds, which means that the antioxidants that have been generated in the leaves throughout the winter are at their highest concentration.

Unlike animals, plants don't have an active immune system, and must depend on various chemicals to fight decay of the cells. The antioxidants are vital in that regard, and in white tea, they are concentrated more than in any other natural product.

When brewed, white tea takes on a pale, golden hue. The aroma is mild and fresh, and the flavor is subtle, fresh, and almost flowery. Many who have tried green tea are surprised to find that this even healthier tea does not have the same leafy flavor. White tea comes in several varieties, but the most exclusive ones consist entirely of very young, tightly rolled buds covered in the fine, white down that gives the tea its name.

White tea is usually sold only in loose leaves, and is more expensive than green tea. This is due to the rarity of the tea – only a tiny amount of this luxurious product is manufactured each year. But unlike most other luxuries, white tea is expressly good for you. So good, in fact, that you'd be hard pressed to find a healthier beverage anywhere.