Chinese tea is well known for being more than just a drink. It is a product that has countless health benefits. For example weight loss can easily be achieved by regularly drinking a couple of cups a day. In China it is an integral part of the culture. It is a way of socializing and doing business. In fact it has been this way for thousands of years. It is no surprise that now more people around the world are switching to Chinese Tea as opposed to the more commonly consumed fermented tea (brown tea) which has been popular in the west for a long time.

Did you know that there are actually hundreds of different types of Chinese tea? For example there is green tea, red tea, white tea, and oolong tea. All are unique but also share certain medicinal properties such as being high in anti-oxidants. Not all have the same amount of caffeine, if any at all.

The taste of different teas is not for every palette. It would depend upon your personal choice and the reasons for consumption. For example Oolong tea is known to help our metabolism work more effectively, but it also has far higher caffeine content than does green tea. Without sugar it contains only four calories per cup, far lower than most varieties which are consumed in Europe and North America.

To ensure you get the maximum enjoyment from the Chinese tea you buy it is essential to prepare the concoction in the right manner. This would help to ensure you get all the benefits possible. The following technique is the most common.

To begin with you will need water that is off the highest quality. Do not use ordinary tap water if it smells heavily of chemicals such as fluoride and chlorine, if possible use natural spring water. Fill your teapot up with the tea leaves approximately one third in height. Next pour in boiled water that has sat for a couple of minutes, this is not the water that will be consumed it is simply to cleanse the leaves of any dirt or dust.

Empty out the first water and then add boiling spring water to the pot. Let this stand for between two and five minutes to give the tea adequate time to be diffused. Take the tea pot and slowly pour out the teas into cups. In Chinese culture it's traditionally the young person's duty to serve their elders.