"Tea is nothing other than this: Heat the water, prepare the tea and drink it with propriety. That is all you need to know."
- Sen Rikyu, 16th Century Oriental Tea Master

The health benefits of white tea are slowly being discovered by health enthusiasts from the world over. Like other teas, white tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, but the leaves are picked and harvested before they fully open, when the buds are still covered by silver fuzz, which turns white when the tea is steamed.

White tea is known to be abundant in antioxidants that many believe fend off cancer, increase the chances of long life and improve dental health.

Tea leaves for white tea undergo even less processing than green tea leaves. Leaving them so close to their natural state means they contain more polyphenols, the antioxidant that fights and kills cancer-causing cells. A 2004 study at Pace University concluded that white tea can help the body's immune system fight off viruses and dangerous infection-causing bacteria. The same study concluded that fluoride-rich white tea helps prevent the growth of dental plaque, the chief cause of tooth decay.

In 2000, Oregon State University researchers found that white tea may prevent DNA mutations, the earliest steps leading to cancer. The researchers' latest data indicates white tea may protect against colon cancer in particular.