Baihao Yinzhen also known as White Hair Silver Needle, is a white tea. A genuine Silver Needle is a white tea. As such, it is only lightly oxidized. Traditionally, the plucks are laid in shallow baskets to wilt under the sun for an extended period, and the best quality produced today are still made this way.

The highest grade of the finished Silver Needle(White Tea), Silver Needle will be fleshy, bright colored and covered with tiny white hairs. The shape should be very uniform, with no stems or leaves.There are two intact grayish white leaves that surround a silver bud covered with a silvery white down. No purple buds are allowed and the stems must not be too long or too short. Leaves damaged by wind, handling, insects or partially open are not used for Silver needle(White Tea). Amongst white teas this is the most expensive variety and the most prized as only top buds are used to produce the tea. Silver Needle(White Tea) tea is considered to be good for health, as it is extremely low in caffeine.  Silver Needle(white tea) tea retains the high concentrations of catechins present in fresh tea leaves. When brewed, Silver Needle(white tea) give hardly any color and infuse a very delicate flavor into the water. Green tea is made from more mature tea leaves than white tea, and may be withered prior to steaming or firing.

Brewing
Place about 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons or 6-8 Buds in your cup.
Pour boiling water that has been cooled to 75 degrees Celsius
Stir (virtually all the leaves will sink)
Allow tea to steep for about 2-4 minutes
Do not add milk or sugar since this tea is enjoyed ‘straight-up’
Note : Do not remove the leaves from the cup. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted

Benefits
1. Health benefits of white tea include improvement in oral health. The presence of polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins help in inhibiting growth of various bacteria that may cause plaque formation.
2. White tea also helps in maintaining healthy and youthful skin. Use of white tea is recommended due to its antioxidant properties which help in quick repair and recovery of damaged skin. It is also beneficial in protecting skin against effects of ultraviolet light.
3. White tea provides relief to diabetic people from symptoms such as decrease plasma glucose levels, increase insulin secretion and excessive thirst (polydipsia).  Intake of white tea also helps in losing weight.
4. Just like green tea, white tea may be beneficial in preventing cancer such as lung cancer. Research suggests that white tea is a potential anticancer, chemopreventive agent and its extract may induce apoptosis or cell death and may help in preventing new cell growth in lung cancer.
5.White tea contains polyphenols which helps in of neutralizing these free radicals making them less destructive to the body.
6. The flavonoids found white tea help decreasing the blood pressure. It also helps in improving dyslipidemia, endothelial function and inhibits low-density lipoprotein oxidation.
7. White tea has antibacterial properties which can protect our skin from bacteria and other germs.
8. Intake of white tea may prevent adipogenesis, the process of formation of fat cells and also known as adipogenesis and may control the life cycle of these fat cells called as adipocytes.
9. White tea is replete with antioxidants, and according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the anti-inflammatory properties of these antioxidants strengthen the connective tissue and help reduce allergies like dandruff or eczema.
10. The catechins play a mighty role here – they reduce inflammation, and also reduce the risk of diseases linked to chronic inflammation.
11. White tea is a good source of antioxidants, and one of the best sources of catechins. This makes it one good food for improving memory, or even slowing memory decline.