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CTC Black Tea as a method of manufacturing was invented only in the late 1930’s as a response to increasing the efficiency of converting fresh tea leaves into black tea powder.
CTC stands for Crush-Tear-Curl which is the name of the machine through which the fresh tea leaves are put so as to crush them into pulp and then reconstitute them into homogenous tea powder.
It results in a type of tea that is strong, astringent and best enjoyed with milk and sugar which can cut through the inherent bitterness.
CTC Black Teas go through four stages of processing which converts the fresh green leaf into finished CTC tea powder.
Click here to learn more about each of these processes
Plucking
Withering
Maceration
Oxidation
Grading
BREW TIME
8-10 min
CTC Black Tea is usually enjoyed in tea bags for a quick, cheap cup of tea or boiled along with milk and sugar for a more filling beverage.
‘Chai’ which is the primary method of tea consumption in India is a recipe in which CTC Black Tea, milk, water, sugar and spices are boiled together for 8-10 minutes resulting in a hot, sweet and creamy beverage which millions of Indians start their day with.
Tea is the most popular beverage in the world after water and this popularity is further rising with more research going into the health benefits of tea.
CTC Black Tea is not as popular as Orthodox Black Tea worldwide and is sometimes considered an inexpensive “filler tea” to make a tea blend more affordable.
However, CTC Black Tea is quicker and more efficient to manufacture which helps to increase yields in the fields and reduce costs in the factory.
CTC Black Tea enjoys immense popularity in India as it is the type of tea primarily used to make ‘chai’ in most Indian households.
CTC Black Tea contains similar health benefits to Orthodox Black Tea in its raw form, however the addition of milk to CTC Black Tea considerably reduces its health benefits.
Most notably, the casein in milk binds to theaflavins in Black Tea resulting in reduced absorption of this potent antioxidant by the human body.
Since CTC Black Tea is more astringent than Orthodox Black Tea, it is generally mixed with milk and sugar thereby reducing the health benefits.
The Jokai Group currently makes 100% CTC Black Teas in Nangdala Tea Estate. Nangdala teas are highly sought after for their bright, golden-yellow cups which take milk exceptionally well.
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