Both green and black tea leaves are sifted and sorted through meshes into different sizes and then packed according to several standards of size and grade. The smallest leaves are considered best because they have not grown large enough to develop tannic acid which gives tea a bitter taste. To produce a full-bodied beverage, the leaves for Oolong tea must not be picked too early and the leaves are wilted in direct sunlight. Then they are shaken in bamboo baskets to bruise the leaf edges which causes the edges to oxidize faster than the center. Oolong is produced mainly in Taiwan and is the tea most often served in Chinese restaurants in the United States.
Epicures describe green tea as cool, refreshing, and clean in flavor.
It is said to aid digestion, and is served with highly flavored and fried food. Black tea's color pleases the eye. It has a full-bodied flavor, and usually served with seafood. The Chinese have many beliefs about the medicinal properties of tea. Many benefits of tea drinking include an excellent stimulant, helps headaches and dizziness, clears the kidney, liver and spleen, prevents stones, settles the stomach, aids digestion, relaxes the brain and improves memory.