White tea is rare and expensive. Green, black and white tea are all processed from the same bush called Camellia Sinensis. White tea only uses the finest leaves from each bush and is picked early. The tea leaves and white colored buds are slightly steamed and then mostly sun dried using a minimal amount of processing. Because the tea has been hardly processed it contains high levels of antioxidants.
New studies have found that white tea is 10% more effective than green tea. “We found the application of white tea extract protects critical elements of the skin’s immune system,” says Elma Baron, MD, Director of the Skin Study Center at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Baron says. “Similar to the way oxidation causes a car to rust, oxidative stress of the skin causes a breakdown in cellular strength and function. The white tea extract protects against this stress. This study further demonstrates the importance of researching how plant products can actually protect the skin.”