Top 15 Best White Teas
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Tea is a popular drink in the world and is present in almost every home besides water and coffee. For those who rarely drink tea, maybe all types of tea are the same, but for tea lovers, the difference is undeniable.
Today we will learn about white tea, so-called “the lord of all tea,” one of the five popular teas in the market.
I will help you choose a good cup of white tea to drink daily.
What Is White Tea?
Green tea and black tea, even oolong tea are more familiar than white teas. So what white tea is.
In the beginning, I thought different kinds of tea grow from different types of plants, but it turned out they are all the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Only the process after harvest is different.
White tea is known as the least processed form of tea.
It is called white tea because the leaves are harvested when they are buds and still covered by white hair. When the drying process is over, the white tea will have a lighter color than other teas.
White tea has a mild taste, not as dark and bitter as black tea. Most white tea brands have low caffeine content, so it is suitable for a large number of customers.
White tea is often grown and harvested in China, Sri Lanka, India, but the most popular white tea is grown in Fujian, the province on the southeast coast of mainland China.
The Art of Making White Tea
White tea is the most expensive tea on the market. Why so? The secret lies in the production process.
During the first few days of the first tea flush of the year, people start the work of picking unopened leaf buds and young leaves to prepare for making white tea.
White tea is minimally processed compared to black tea, green tea, or oolong tea. This simple process is the reason why white tea retains the light green color and has a gentle, original flavor of tea leaves.
The processing of producing white tea involves making leaves wither for 72 hours, then drying them in the sun. Some harvesters might use an oven with a temperature of about 110 degrees instead.
Different Types of White Tea
The first step to choose the right product of white tea just for you, you need to cultivate knowledge about four popular white teas:
Silver Needle
The Silver Needle is the most premium white tea because it is only hand-picked unopened top tea buds and not including the leaves. The price of Silver Needle white tea is also higher than other white teas. It tastes mild and slightly sweet.
White Peony
White Peony, also known as Bai Mu Dan in China, is a bit similar to Needle White, but besides tea buds, harvesters also pick one or two more tea leaves at the top.
White Peony has a stronger flavour and darker color than silver needle.
Long Life Eyebrow
In the third row, long life eyebrow white tea is made from the buds and leaves that remain after harvesting silver needle and white peony.
Tribute Eyebrow
The lower type is tribute eyebrow white tea made from a special variety of tea and slightly different from the white tea production process. Can use one bud and three leaves.
Other types of tea are Ceylon White, African White, Darjeeling White and Imperial Himalayan White.
The Health Benefits of White Tea
Many recent studies also noted the positive effects when using white tea as:
- Due to the minimal processing, white tea buds still retain a rich amount of phytochemicals, including vitamin C and polyphenols that reduce blood pressure and strengthen blood vessel walls.
- White tea buds contain lots of antioxidants, most notably theanine and flavonoids that can slow down the aging process and neutralize harmful free radicals. Free radicals are considered to accelerate the aging process, cardiovascular disease, diabetes.
- Drinking tea daily helps provide a good amount of catechin for the body. The effect of this substance is to reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol for the body.
- Drinking tea helps increase the amount of antioxidants for the body, in particular, these antioxidants are very active in the process of restoring skin damage due to external influences and age.
- Flavonoids, polyphenols and tannins in tea help control the growth of bacteria in the oral cavity. Tea also has a certain amount of fluoride to help strengthen tooth enamel.
- Studies show that drinking tea regularly can prevent the formation of fat cells. Therefore, this is a great supplement besides maintaining healthy diets to lose weight.
- The antioxidants in tea have the effect of boosting immunity, making the body ready to fight off invading bacteria and viruses.
Which Are The Best White Tea?
In this list, I highlight some best white tea and their particular characteristics. Let’s go through these products before deciding.
- Best Overall – Numi Organic Tea Orange Spice White Tea
“Wonderful, light, and fruity and healthy white tea for all tea lovers.” - Best Budget – Uncle Lee’s Tea Organic White Tea
“The price is great for plain straight organic white tea. You will fall in love with it from the first cup.” - Best Original Flavour – The Republic of Tea Emperor’s White Tea
“This authentic pure white tea is processed less than any other tea in order to maintain the most of its antioxidants.” - Best for Energy Boost – Jocko White Tea RELOAD
“Smooth flavor. Full of inspiration. A strong morning caffeine kick for starting my day!” - Best White Tea Blend – Teavana Youthberry White Tea
“Try it and you will be excited about it as much as I am. You will be engulfed by its delicious fruity taste and never forget.” - Best for Detox and Slimming – VAHDAM Himalayan Imperial White Tea
“Looking for a daily healthy dose to refresh your body and soul? This is it!” - Best for Stress Relief – Harney & Sons Dragon Pearl Jasmine White Tea
“Light a candle, find a good book and drink a cup of jasmine white tea, let the stress fade away with the smell of flowers.” - Best Silver Needle – Tealyra Premium Silver Needle
“An affordable premium tea leaves for tea enthusiasts.” - Best for Health – Salada White Tea – Pure White
“A daily cup of good taste brings you a lot of health benefits.” - Best Sparkling Tea – Hoplark HopTea – The White Tea One
“A perfect alternative sparkling refreshing tea for beer drinkers.” - Best for Upset Stomach – Tea Forté WHITE GINGER PEAR Organic White Tea
“You can relax with a cup of warm and mild white tea. The healing properties of ginger will be helpful for your troubled tummy.” - Best for Skin – Yogi Tea White Tea with Aloe Vera
“It is a harmonious Ayurveda tea blend for the daily cup, not only good for overall health but also makes your skin more and more glowing.” - Best for Belly Fat – Skinnygirl Cranberry Cosmo White Tea
“The perfect combination of white tea and cranberry helps you relax your mind and flat your tummy.” - Best for Weight Loss – The Tao of Tea – Imperial White Tea
“This tea is delicious and very healthy. You will be impressed with the quality of the tea.”
White Tea Comparison Chart
Before going into the reviews of each white tea products I have selected for this article, it’s important to notice the difference between them.
Top 15 Best White Tea Reviews
It’s time to look closely at 15 best white tea products that I have chosen. Here are the pros, cons, and my personal experience with each product. I hope to help you have more considerations before deciding to buy your own tea.
1. Numi Organic Tea Orange Spice White Tea
(Best Overall)
It’s a well-mixed organic Bai Mu Dan white tea, cinnamon, orange peel, cloves, hibiscus, ginger, lemongrass, schizandra berry ,and dried lime.
Bai Mu Dan is the second-row white tea, only after Silver Needle, made from unopened buds and one or two young leaves.
The ingredients of tea are completely natural, not including oils or natural flavorings. This tea is also Non-GMO Project Verified. It is also free from any artificial additives.
Tea bags are biodegradable and recyclable, the carton is made of 100% post-consumer waste.
It has such beautiful, pleasant flavor and good for drinking daily.
When it comes to brewing, five to seven minutes steep is suggested in freshly boiled water.
Key features
- Biodegradable tea bags
- Orange spice and white tea
- Lower caffeine
Pros
- USDA Organic
- Non-GMO
- Real ingredients
- Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients
Cons
- Clove flavor can overpower the white tea
- Require long steeping time
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 1.6 ounces |
Dimension | 5.5 x 2.5 x 3.5 inches |
Brand | Numi |
Type | Biodegradable tea bags |
Ingredients | Organic Bai Mu Dan white tea, cinnamon, orange peel, cloves, hibiscus, ginger, lemongrass, schizandra berry, and dried lime. |
Let’s see how tea lover feels when enjoying Numi Organic tea:
2. The Republic of Tea Emperor’s White Tea
(Best Original Flavour)
For those who are fans of tea and are looking for a chance to level up your experience with tea, the republic of tea emperor’s white tea is a good choice. In ancient times, kings and his royal family used this tea as a privilege only they had. It’s grown and harvested carefully by hands in the mountainous Fujian province of China.
This tea has subtle, delicate and original flavour. This authentic, pure white tea is processed less than any other variety to maintain the most of its antioxidants, called polyphenols. These polyphenols increase cell death of two different types of non-small cell lung cancer cells. At the same time, white tea prevents cell mutation better than green tea, because green tea requires more processing.
The Emperor’s 100% White Tea is Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Carb-Free, and Zero Calorie.
You can reuse it more than three times and still have a good quality cup of tea.
It’s packaged in a tin, which keeps it fresh in a long time.
Key features
- Harvested in Fujian province, China
- Having tea in a tin
- Original tea flavour
Pros
- Non-GMO Project Verified
- Kosher
- Gluten-Free
- Sugar-Free
- Carb-Free
- Zero Calorie
- Can re-steep three times
Cons
- The bag is not really well-made, you need tea strainer sometimes
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 5.6 ounces |
Dimension | 5.3 x 2.6 x 1.6 inches |
Brand | The Republic of Tea |
Type | Tin |
Ingredients | 100% white tea |
Find out more about this famous white tea:
3. Uncle Lee’s Tea Organic White Tea
(Best Budget Option)
Drink a cup of Uncle Lee’s Tea organic white tea in the morning can have a positive and refreshing effect on your health and mood.
This tea has light, mildly sweet and a little bit floral aroma. You should taste it yourself soon.
Like many other white tea brands, it’s made from Fujian buds and young leaves or Bai Mu Dan.There is not a lot of caffeine in this tea, so you can drink it even one or two hours before bed.
Because of its delicate flavour, it could be drunk deliciously without any sweetener like honey or sugar and even milk.
Key features
- Fujian Bai Mu Dan tea
- 100 individually wrapped tea bags
Pros
- Tea bags are oxygen bleached
- Affordable price for organic tea
- Organic Certified by ECOCERT SA
Cons
- You need to use two bags at the same time to feel stronger taste of tea
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 11.2 ounces |
Dimension | 10 x 10 x 10 inches |
Brand | Uncle Lee’s Tea |
Type | Tea bag |
Ingredients | 100% white tea |
4. Jocko White Tea RELOAD
(Best for Energy Boost)
This tea is the combination of organic white tea, organic hibiscus, organic lemongrass, organic dried pomegranate without any artificial sweeteners and additives.
This tea is in the Jocko collection founded by Jocko Willink – a Navy Seal commander and top business podcast owner.
It tastes good hot and cold with light pomegranate flavour; and contains 37mg of natural caffeine, which will give you a quick boost of energy and focus. You can have it right before and after doing exercise like a healthy energy drink.
This tea can also be taken along with most modern diets like Keto, Paleo or low-carb.
Key features
- 100 individually wrapped tea bags
- Light pomegranate flavour
- Organic white tea – rich antioxidants
- Only five calories
Pros
- USDA certified organic white tea
- Non-GMO
- Boosting energy
- Diet-friendly
Cons
- High caffeine content
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 14.4 ounces |
Dimension | Not specific |
Brand | Jocko |
Type | Tea bag |
Ingredients | White tea, hibiscus, lemongrass, dried pomegranate, and natural flavors. |
Find out more about this inspirational Jocko White Tea before buying ( This video is about Jocko White Tea 25 CT, different packages but same flavour compared to Jocko White Tea 100 CT):
5. Skinnygirl Cranberry Cosmo White Tea
(Best for Belly Fat)
It’s a perfect sipping tea in the afternoon, especially when you have to stay in the office for long hours. The relaxing taste and smell of this cranberry white tea will give your mind a break from the tedious pace of repitition at work.
This tea is very nice and light, slightly sweet. For your information, it’s subtly sweetened with Stevia.
It contains zero calories and it’s diet-friendly. You can have it after a healthy meal to support the metabolism process.
Personally, I wish the cranberry is a little bit stronger, but overall it’s a great tea for the afternoon hot or cold.
Key features
- Individually wrapped tea bag
- Zero calories
- Subtly sweetened with Stevia
- No artificial flavors or colors
Pros
- Smooth and light flavour
- Compatible with Keurig Original and Keurig 2.0 K-Cup Brewing Systems
Cons
- The cranberry flavour is too light
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 8 ounces |
Dimension | Not specific |
Brand | Skinnygirl |
Type | Tea K cup |
Ingredients | White tea, cranberry, orange citrus |
6. Teavana Youthberry White Tea
(Best White Tea Blend)
If you are bored with the taste of plain white tea and want to have more variety of flavours, this is one of the wonderful options.
This tea is filled with the aroma of tropical fruits and flowers including white tea, mango, orange, hibiscus and rose petals.
Teavana is famous for its delicious tea blends, so you can count on the taste of the tea once you’ve chosen it.
This company is also committed to 100% ethically sourced tea by; and support tea-growing communities and sustainable farming practices.
I love to sip a hot Teavana Youthberry in the morning because it makes me feel comfortable, full of energy and also helps me stay awake enough to work.
Key features
- Rich in flavours
- Unique tea blending formula
- 16–25 mg of caffeine content
Pros
- 100% ethically sourced tea
Cons
- Comes in plastic tubs
- Note that it’s not similar to Teavana store blend
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 1 pound |
Dimension | Not specific |
Brand | Teavana |
Type | Tea sachets |
Ingredients | Apple, white tea, hibiscus, rose hips, candied mango (mango, sugar, citric acid), orange peels, natural flavors, candied pineapple (sugar, pineapple, citric acid), rose petals. |
Teavana Youthberry review including comparison between new and old version of this tea:
7. VAHDAM Himalayan Imperial White Tea
(Best for Detox and Slimming)
Tea leaves are grown and harvested in farmland facing the Himalayas, the border between Nepal & Darjeeling, India. Then the products of Vahdam will go directly to customers without intermediaries. This business model helps the company provide high-quality tea at a reasonable price. If you like white tea – give this a try!
The Himalayan white tea contains the highest amount of antioxidants and flavonoids, which prevents aging, cancer, and boosts skin health.
This excellent quality tea contains a rich grassy taste with floral notes and incredibly soothing aftertaste, which makes you want another cup. It’s mild so you can drink without milk. Low caffeine content allows you to drink anytime you want.
When brewed, the tea is light yellow like diluted honey.
The tea comes in a vacuum-sealed bag that retained its freshness.
Simply it’s an ideal choice for any tea enthusiast.
Key features
- Himalayan loose-leaf tea
- Beautiful packaging with careful brewing guidance
- Stored in vacuum-sealed bag for freshness
- Low caffeine content
Pros
- Purest white tea flavour
- Floral aroma with a soothing aftertaste
- Rich in antioxidants and flavonoids
- Good for overall health
Cons
- Stronger taste than other white tea in the market
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 3.2 ounces |
Dimension | Not specific |
Brand | Vahdam |
Type | Loose-leaf |
Ingredients | 100% Natural tea leaves |
People love the Vahdam smart package. Let’s find out why in this following video:
8. Harney & Sons Dragon Pearl Jasmine White Tea
(Best for Stress Relief)
Tea leaves are hand-rolled into balls that look like precious pearls which will bring excitement to tea drinkers and make Harney&Sons Dragon Pearl Jasmine special among other white teas in the market.
Jasmine, white flower originated from Mediterranea, is not only beautiful but also commonly used to make a delicious tea.This tea features a combination of white tea and jasmine, which brings you an unforgettably relaxing and soothing drink. It has a light color and tastes delicious with a slight touch of sweetness.
The pyramid silk sachet allows the tea leaves to slowly open when being well-steeped in hot water in about 4 minutes.Tea is stored in a tint box with beautiful decorative patterns, suitable as gifts for special occasions.
Key features
- White tea and jasmine
- Stored in a tint for retaining freshness and aroma
- Hand-rolled into balls
- Sweet and floral flavour
Pros
- Nice packaging
- Good for storage
Cons
- The flavor of jasmine does have a tendency to overpower the flavors of tea
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 5.6 ounces |
Dimension | 4.75 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches |
Brand | Harney and Sons |
Type | Sachets in a tint |
Ingredients | White tea with jasmine flowers |
Check it out for more information:
9. Twinings of London 100% Pure White Tea
It features fine white tea expertly selected from the Fujian Provence, China. This tea is mild, delicate, and delicious. You can drink straight without milk and honey.
My body, especially my stomach, feels good after drinking a cup of Twinings of London white tea.
It’s delicious whether it’s served hot or cold. For iced tea, brew 5 to 6 packs with 1/3 liter of water, add ice and enjoy. You can have it on the go to satisfy your thirst when needed. It’s light and refreshing.
Key features
- 20 individually wrapped tea bags
- Mild and subtle taste white tea
- Grown and harvested in Fujian
Pros
- Only two minutes steeping time
- Distributed by English trusted brand
- Gentle with stomach
Cons
- Has a mild black tea aftertaste
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 2.4 ounces |
Dimension | 35 x 50 x 30 inches |
Brand | Twinings of London |
Type | Tea bag |
Ingredients | Pure white tea |
Let’s see Twinings of London introduction and how to brew a cup of tea:
10. Tealyra Premium Silver Needle
(Best Silver Needle White Tea)
This tea is Silver Needle white tea – the most premium white tea, which is made from only unopened buds of tea plants. It’s rare and contains highest amount of antioxidants.
Silver needle white is often sold at a high price in the market because it is harvested only a few days a year in the first flush around April by experienced harvesters.
If you are curious about silver needle white tea at a reasonable price, you can give it a try.
This tea tastes light, a little bit grassy with a hint of floral.
You can have a good cup of tea unless you pay close attention to steeping time and water temperature.
Key features
- Silver needle white tea
- Grown and harvested in Fujian
Pros
- High antioxidants content
- Affordable price for such a premium white tea
- Light and comforting taste
Cons
- The quality of tea leaves are not quite good; the leaves are sometimes dry and broken
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 14 ounces |
Dimension | Not specific |
Brand | Tealyra |
Type | Loose-leaf tea |
Ingredients | Silver needle white tea |
11. Salada White Tea – Pure White
(Best for Health)
This tea is perfect for health benefits. It’s plain and true white tea for tea lovers. You can add more fruits or sweeteners as you prefer. It’s also naturally sweet without a hint of bitterness.
It’s very quick and easy to have yourself a cup of comforting and healthy tea in the morning.
Of course, we can drink it anytime every day around the year to get benefits from its high antioxidant content.
Key features
- 40 individually wrapped tea bags
- Light and subtle taste of true white tea
Pros
- Only 2-3 minutes steeping time
- Good for health
Cons
- If you steep too long, the tea becomes darker and has bitter taste in your mouth
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 2 pounds |
Dimension | 10.9 x 8.8 x 5.6 inches |
Brand | Salada |
Type | Tea bag |
Ingredients | White tea |
12. The Tao of Tea – Imperial White Tea
(Best for Weight Loss)
If you want a drink that is both healthy and has a unique taste, this is definitely the kind of tea to look for.
The Tao of Tea Imperial White Tea is made of white tea (young tea leaves harvested in spring), which is beneficial for health. White tea is known as a rich antioxidant drink which helps our bodies fight cancer and promote the anti-aging process.
This white tea has a very vegetable flavour note to it and smells of pine with a hint of smokiness.
It comes in a tint for retaining freshness and original aroma.
Key features
- Unique flavour with smells of pine and a hint of smokiness
- Loose leaf tea with large leaves
- Stored in a tint
- Steep in 4 minutes at 175F
Pros
- Good for health
- Can re-steep several times
Cons
- Other flavours could overpower the flavour of white tea
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 5.6 ounces |
Dimension | 13.8 x 10.2 x 4.8 inches |
Brand | The Tao of Tea |
Type | Loose-leaf tea |
Ingredients | White tea leaves |
13. Hoplark HopTea – The White Tea One
(Best Sparkling White Tea)
You need to find a healthier alternative to your drinking habit of carbonated water and alcohol; then you should give Hoplark HopTea a try. It contains about 60 mg of caffeine per can, so it’s a good drink for lunch break or with meals.
You can take it with you to the beach and enjoy it under the sun or on a picnic trip. This drink is suitable for many people because it is extremely easy to drink.
This tea has refreshing and delicious taste of white tea, together with sweet lemondrop and simcoe hops. Perfect for people watching their alcohol intake but still want something fun, bitter, daring and with character.
It tastes better when it’s cold.
Key features
- Ready to drink, no prep time
- Sparkling tea
- White tea with a hint of lemondrop and simcoe hops
Pros
- Zero calories
- 60mg caffeine per can
- Great alternative for beer
Cons
- Because it’s a combination of tea and hop, it’s doesn’t taste 100% like tea
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 14 pounds |
Dimension | Not specific |
Brand | Hoplark HopTea |
Type | Canned tea |
Ingredients | White tea with sweet lemondrop and simcoe hops |
See how people share opinions about this incredible non-alcoholic tea:
14. Tea Forté WHITE GINGER PEAR Organic White Tea
(Best for Upset Stomach)
This tea features tea buds which is harvested in spring in famous tea regions of China.
Tea Forté has been very successful when mixing many different ingredients together to create a perfect balance of flavours. When brewed, you first smell ginger then after ginger you will get a light sweet smell of pear.
I think if you ever drink this tea, you will never forget this premium taste. It has the capacity to bring balance and make you feel soothing and relaxing.
When it comes to ginger, it has the ability to reduce symptoms of upset stomach.
Key features
- Reusable and recyclable tea tin
- Each canister makes approximately 35 – 50 cups
- White tea flavour with spicy ginger and sweet pear aroma
Pros
- It enables you to feel relaxing
- Reduce symptoms of upset stomach
Cons
- Too much liquorice
- Pricey
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 4.8 ounces |
Dimension | Not specific |
Brand | Tea Forté |
Type | Loose tea canister |
Ingredients | White tea leaves, ginger, lemon balm, liquorice root, natural flavours and organic pear |
15. Yogi Tea White Tea with Aloe Vera
(Best for Skin)
The white tea is mixed with basil, daisy, turmeric which produce a balancing, harmonious, comforting drink for tea lovers.
In other way, this tea is a harmonious Ayurveda tea blend for the daily cup. It’s more like herbal tea than original white tea.
All you need to do is pour 250 ml of freshly boiled water over the teabag and allow to infuse for 7 minutes – or longer for a stronger flavour, then you will have a wonderful cup of tea to enjoy.
Key features
- 17 individually wrapped tea bags
- Rich in flavour
- Good for skin health
Pros
- Certified organic by Soil Association
- Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
- Free of dairy, gluten and soya
Cons
Product Specifications
Item Weight | 39 x 8 x 12.5 cm |
Dimension | Not specific |
Brand | Yogi Tea |
Type | Tea bag |
Ingredients | Basil, white tea, lemon verbena, liquorice, daisy, jasmine green tea (green tea, jasmine flowers), cinnamon, rosemary, sage, turmeric root, fennel, cocoa shells, marshmallow root, schisandra berries, 200 times concentrated aloe vera gel |
Let’s explore some Yoga Tea flavours available and their health benefits:
Buying Guide
As you know, there are many options out there for you to choose from. To avoid confusion, I write down some useful directions when choosing best white tea as below.
- Learn about the five types of white tea and understand the characteristics of each. This will help you when reading information about the products. Notice the caffeine content if you couldn’t tolerate caffeine.
- Buy high-quality loose leaf white tea: The best type of white tea is in the full-bodied whole leaves, they have a much higher quality and flavour than the bagged tea, which is made from shredded leaves. I recommend that you should buy different types to drink alternately.
- Check where tea is grown and harvested as this will greatly affect the quality and taste of the tea.
How to Brew White Tea
The process of making white tea involves white tea buds, hot water, and steeping time.
- Boil water and let it cool down a little bit
- Use 2 teaspoons of loose leaf tea per cup of tea
- Pour hot water over white tea into teapot
- Steep it for 3-4 minutes
Then take a few quiet minutes to relax and enjoy tea. Sit in a comfortable chair, listen to some relaxing music, do whatever you like. Not only will the health benefits from tea, but it will also reduce stress.
FAQs
White tea is a smooth, delicate, sweet tea that you can enjoy throughout the day. You might have some question before making it your daily drink.
My Top Pick
We have just spent some time gathering information about best white tea. Above is what I collect during my research. I hope it will be helpful for you to find your white tea and get a lot of health benefits from it.
And my choice is Numi Organic Tea Orange Spice White Tea for its distinctive flavour and health benefits.
What about you? You are welcome to share your experiences when enjoying different kinds of tea.