Anji Bai Cha | |
---|---|
Type | Green |
Other names | Anji white tea,安吉白茶 |
Origin | Anji County, Zhejiang Province, China |
Quick description | Rare, large-leafed green tea |
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]