Tag: Thearubigins

The tea plant, Camellia sinensis, contains over 230 chemical compounds, of which polyphenols are the most significant fraction. Black tea extract is a highly concentrated form of the leaves' soluble components, capturing a unique profile of ingredients that result from the plant's full oxidation process.

Black tea is the most consumed tea globally, with millions of metric tons produced and consumed each year. But beneath its familiar flavor lies a complex array of phytochemicals, powerful plant compounds responsible for many of its health properties.

During its manufacturing process, black tea undergoes full oxidation, a step that fundamentally changes its chemical composition. This process is crucial in determining **what are the major polyphenols in black tea**, transforming simple catechins into the complex antioxidant compounds that provide its distinctive flavor, color, and potential health benefits.

While green tea is celebrated for its high levels of the antioxidant Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the question remains: **Does black tea contain any EGCG?** The truth is that black tea does contain this compound, but in much smaller amounts, due to the unique processing method that converts most of the original catechins into other powerful antioxidants.