Black tea

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/black-tea

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the key biochemical process?Enzymatic oxidation leading to the formation of theaflavins and thearubigins
2. What is the historical economic function?Compressed tea bricks served as a medium of exchange in Central Asia
3. What makes black tea different from green tea?Black tea leaves are allowed to oxidize, which gives them a dark color and strong flavor. Green tea is heated quickly to stop oxidation, so it stays lighter and milder.
4. How does black tea get its dark color?During oxidation, enzymes turn phenolic compounds into theaflavins and thearubigins. These new compounds give black tea its dark color and rich taste.

Oxidation (Tea Processing): Enzymatic browning of tea leaves, crucial for developing the characteristic color, aroma, and flavor of black tea.
Theaflavins and Thearubigins: Complex polyphenolic compounds formed during oxidation, responsible for the dark color and brisk taste of black tea.
Terroir: The environmental factors, including climate, soil, and topography, that affect the taste and quality of agricultural products like tea.