Also known as Sri Lankan tea, Ceylon tea is a popular black tea type. Served warm or as iced variety, it is a favorite among many tea drinkers for its bold flavor and variety of tastes, depending on where it was grown and tea type. Let’s talk about Ceylon tea benefits, types, caffeine, and more, so you can find out what’s most important about it!
Is it hard to find?
No. You can find the tasty Ceylon beverage in local stores in tea bags or loose leaf. Ceylon drinkers can also purchase the yummy beverage at an online tea and coffee shop without having to leave the house.
What is Ceylon tea?
Ceylon is manufactured on the island state of Sri Lanka, initially called Ceylon. Now you know where the name comes from!
Sri Lanka is quite small, although it has a huge range in soil type, climate, elevation, weather, and plant varietals. That makes for a great variety of flavors of teas produced there.
Even with there being regional shades, a definitive Ceylon flavor is brisk, bold, and full. It has some citrus notes, spice, and medium-to-full tannins.
Ceylon is produced from well-dried leaves of the plant camellia sinensis. Its leaves can be described as wiry; they are thin and long with a unique wirelike look.
These leaves are easy to recognize in the tea world because of their unique look. Ceylon is mainly processed by hand, which produces a bold and refreshing drink.
Top 5 Ceylon tea benefits
Being a popular beverage, Ceylon has a number of health benefits. Here are the top five things every Ceylon drinker ought to know:
1. It helps in weight loss
Taking Ceylon enhances your metabolism, which in turn increases your energy levels helping your body to burn fat. If you are on a weight loss journey, include this amazing beverage in your diet for impressive results.
2. Ceylon tea is good for the skin
Collagen is essential for skin elasticity. Ceylon contains certain antioxidants linked to the reduction of collagen loss in our skin by preventing oxidative stress in the nearby body cells.
3. It helps with diabetes
Consumption of Ceylon has proved a reduction of glucose levels in the blood, which especially matters to those who are diabetic. Through regulation of insulin and glucose levels in the body, this special tea may aid in the prevention of the dangerous spikes and drops in people with diabetes.
4. It helps boost the immune system
Since it is rich in antioxidants, Ceylon may intensify white blood cells in the body, fighting disease-causing bacteria and viruses in the body. Increases in white blood cells boost the immune system, so the body is strong enough to fight diseases.
5. Ceylon tea benefits including helping improve heart health
Research shows that taking black tea can help in reducing blood pressure. Being a type of black teas, Ceylon contains potassium which helps in relaxing blood tension in the arteries and blood vessels. Regular consumption of this tea can improve heart health, making it stronger and less prone to diseases.
Types of Ceylon tea
Although some producers are splitting their main offerings to incorporate green tea and other types, most are black teas. There are about seven territories in Sri Lanka where the Ceylon grows, and they have three main altitudes. The three categories are: low grown, medium grown and high grown.
The main Ceylon tea types are:
1. Nuwara Eliya
This is the highest producing location in Sri Lanka. Situated at the center of the great island, north of Dimbula and west of Uva, the area produces a type of tea with a delicate light brisk flavor and a unique floral fragrance.
These high altitude teas are ones you can serve with an extra flavor of lemon or as a simple iced tea. This one might be your new favorite tea to have in the morning.
2. Uva
Being the most popular growing zone on the island, most Ceylon tea drinkers are familiar with the type of beverage from the area. This territory produces a special type of black tea that has a woodsy aroma and a distinctly sweet flavor.
Uva tea tastes great with some milk, if you want to add it. There are some white teas produced in this region too.
3. Ruhuna and Sabaragamuwa
They are among the low-altitude regions that produce Ceylon. Their beverage has a full flavor with notes of caramel, chocolate and honey.
It is colorful with hues of red and orange. Most teas produced in the regions here are flowery pekoes and orange pekoes.
4. Kandy
This medium elevation region produces moderate Ceylon teas that vary in flavor, according to their exposure to the monsoon winds. The teas are mainly copper color. They are malty and usually are full-bodied.
5. Uda Pussellawa
Located close to the Nuwara Eliya, this region experiences heavy rainfall. The types of teas grown here are similar to those grown in Nuwaya Eliya. The difference is the Uda Pussellawa is darker, with a stronger flavor and some pinkish hue.
6. Dimbula
Also known as Dimbulla, this region is located at the center of Sri Lanka. It is the southernmost of the popular regions.
Since it has many mountain slopes, this territory is high in elevation. Teas produced here taste delicate but mostly mellow.
The amount of caffeine in Ceylon tea
Ceylon contains caffeine, although the amount of it varies, depending on the type of leaves and method of preparation. However, the tea bags contain more caffeine content than loose leaf. The saturation time will also determine the amount of caffeine.
An eight-ounce cup of the Ceylon beverage contains an average of fifty to ninety milligrams of caffeine, depending on how strong you brew it. Ceylon green tea has an average of thirty-five milligrams in every cup. As for the white one, it has about six milligrams, depending on the originating region.
How to enjoy Ceylon tea and its benefits
The availability of different teas, including Ceylon tea bags leads to a variety of ways to enjoy it. Although they are famous as iced teas, they can be taken as hot refreshing drinks with no enhancements as they are perfect on their own.
Since it has traces of bitterness, you can take it with milk to soothe the bitterness. For a stronger flavor and greater caffeine content, allow the brew to settle for a while.
Top photo by Samson Katt from Pexels