Ceylon vs. Assam Tea: Differences and Benefits

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between Ceylon and Assam tea? There are a slew of various teas on the market, but these two varieties of black tea might be a little more mysterious to the average tea enthusiast than the more well-known Earl Grey or English Breakfast varieties. So, what are Ceylon and Assam tea and what makes them so different?

Ceylon Vs. Assam Tea: What’s the Difference? Ceylon tea is a black tea that originates from Sri Lanka with a bold, full taste that can vary based on where the tea is grown. Assam tea is a black tea from the Assam region in India. It is often used in tea blends, but on its own, it tends to have an earthy, malty flavor.

Tea drinkers around the world have probably enjoyed the delicious flavors of both Assam (pronounced “ah-som”) and Ceylon (pronounced “say-lon”) tea at one time or another.

Although both teas come from a similar region of the world and their production has influenced each other over the years, the flavor profiles can vary significantly and they can each offer a unique and delightful cup of tea.

Let’s cover both teas, along with their health benefits and how to brew them.

The Crucial Differences Between Ceylon and Assam Teas

While Assam tea is grown and cultivated in India, Ceylon tea comes from the island of Sri Lanka, which has a diverse terrain that can result in vastly varying types of tea depending on where the tea plants are grown.

Assam tea was in production prior to Ceylon tea, and the original producers of Ceylon tea actually consulted Assam tea planters in order to learn how to better propagate tea in Sri Lanka. 

Ceylon tea can vary in flavor based on its region of origin, but it is generally known for a full-bodied and brisk flavor. Assam tea, alternatively, is known for its strong flavor profile that makes it a great base for many bold tea blends such as breakfast tea blends and chai teas. It tends to have a malty, smoky flavor that can range from very mild to rather intense.

There is a very interesting and remarkable history behind both Ceylon and Assam tea, as well as a number of benefits to drinking them.

If you’d like to know more about what makes these teas so special, as well as how to properly brew the perfect cup of tea and where to buy Ceylon and Assam, read on below.

What Is Ceylon Tea?

Originating in Sri Lanka, Ceylon tea (pronounced “say-lon) is a black tea that can be enjoyed both warm and iced. Sri Lanka was formerly known as Ceylon, hence the name of the tea. It lies as an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of India. The island has a widely varying terrain with differing climates, so the flavor of Ceylon tea can vary based on where the tea was grown and harvested.

Ceylon tea got its start from a man named James Taylor. Taylor was born in Scotland in 1835 but moved to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) at the age of 16. He came to manage a plantation and found success in the tea cultivation process. Taylor actually consulted Assam tea planters on the Indian continent in order to improve his Ceylon tea production. He is thought of as the father of Ceylon tea and is largely responsible for it becoming available mainstream.

Sri Lanka is currently fourth in the world among tea producing nations and its government holds strict regulations over the standards of tea production. Its climate allows year-round harvesting and so Ceylon tea is widely available around the world.

Ceylon tea varies by region of origin, but it is generally known for producing a bright, brisk cup of tea. In order to ensure the tea is 100% pure, Ceylon tea must be labeled by the Sri Lankan government with the Ceylon Tea Board Lion Logo in order to be authentic.

Types of Ceylon Tea

There are several types of Ceylon tea, which are generally divided by the elevation of the region they are grown within. Ceylon teas can be grown in low country, midland, or high country. There are six main regions of tea production: Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Galle, Uva, Kandy, and Dimbula.

Pahata Rata

Low country teas, known as Pahata Rata, are those teas grown in Sri Lanka from sea level up to 2,000 feet elevation. The leaves of these teas tend to be larger, and the resulting cup of tea is particularly strong and robust. This makes Pahata Rata Ceylon teas great for adding milk and sugar.

Medarata

Medarata is the name for midland tea, and these teas are grown between 2,000 and 4,000 feet elevations. James Taylor’s first tea plantation was located at a midland elevation. These teas tend to be slightly less strong compared to those grown in Pahata Rata, but still boast a flavorful profile with fruit and citrus notes.

Udarata

Udarata tea, or high country tea, is grown in Sri Lanka at elevations greater than 4,000 feet. These teas are similar to Darjeeling tea, with a lighter, golden brew that has a sweet scent with notes of citrus and flora. High country Ceylon teas lean towards a medium body strength but still have a well-balanced profile that make them a great midday pick me up.

What Are the Benefits of Drinking Ceylon Tea?

Black and green tea have been noted for their health benefits, and Ceylon tea is no exception. 

For example, one cup of Ceylon tea contains 25mg of potassium. This potassium can help regulate blood pressure and improve overall heart health.

Some research has specifically studied Ceylon tea and analyzed the benefits of the antioxidants contained within it. This research showed Ceylon tea actually has higher concentrations of flavonoids, a type of phytonutrients, than Assam tea varieties. These flavonoids have a number of notable health benefits.

Flavonoids have antioxidant properties, helping reduce free-radicals and protecting tissues and organs. Consumption of teas with flavonoids have been shown to reduce the risk of certain forms of cancer. As such, consuming Ceylon tea may be not only delicious, but it may help lower your risk of disease.

It is thought that oxidative stress, caused by free radicals circulating in the body, can result in degenerative disease and inflammatory diseases. The flavanols in Ceylon tea help prevent this oxidative stress from occurring, which can help reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and other degenerative conditions.

How to Brew Ceylon Tea

Before you start brewing Ceylon tea, you may need to confirm what region your tea comes from. Different varieties may have slightly varying brew requirements, but even if you aren’t sure exactly what type of Ceylon tea you have you can still brew a very tasty cup.

Follow this simple process for brewing Ceylon tea:

1. First, make sure your storage container for the tea is airtight. Tea is similar to coffee in that it is hygroscopic, meaning it will absorb any surrounding moisture and odors. As such, you want to make sure it is kept in a dark, cool, and dry airtight container.
2. Water quality can also make a difference in the quality of your brew. If you know your tap water is high in mineral content or has a particular taste or odor, this can overwhelm the delicate nuances of Ceylon tea. In such cases, it is usually best to use a filtered source of water. 
3. The general ratio for brewing Ceylon tea is to use 2.5g of tea for every 220ml of water. Boil the water first, then add the tea. For black Ceylon tea, a higher water temperature is recommended than that used for green or white teas. As a general rule, the water temperature should range between 85 to 95 degrees, depending on the variety of tea.
4. After a minute or two of steeping, stir the tea leaves to encourage better extraction from all the tea leaves. Let the tea steep for another minute or two before serving, being careful not to over steep the tea as this can result in a bitter brew. If the Ceylon tea is particularly strong, it can be balanced nicely with the addition of a dash of warm milk and/or a sweetener like monkfruit or honey.

What Is Assam Tea?

Compared to other teas, Assam (pronounced “ah-som”) is a relatively new type of tea. It is grown in the Assam region of India, which is responsible for as much as 50% of India’s tea production and is the largest contiguous tea-growing region in the world.

Assam tea is produced from the Camellia sinensis assamica plant, which is native to the Assam region. It is an evergreen shrub and in addition to the leaves being used for tea, the flowers, seeds, and leaves can also be used to create essential oils which are used in cosmetics and as a food flavoring.

Furthermore, Assam tea has been found to have numerous medicinal uses, which will be discussed later in this post. 

As a tea, Assam is frequently used in tea blends, and these blends are often marketed as “breakfast” teas. As such, you may have consumed Assam tea without even realizing it if you like to drink tea blends. The fact that it tends to have a higher caffeine content also makes it ideal for these morning brews.

According to Tea Board India, Assam tea is characterized by a deep-amber color and a rich, strong flavor profile. It’s taste has been described as brisk, malty, smoky, and earthy, although some preparations are lighter and have more of a chocolate or spicy flavor. 

Since Assam tea is relatively strong, it makes a great base for tea blends like chai teas, since it will hold its flavor and aroma even when combined with copious amounts of sugar and milk. 

Assam tea is available as either orthodox or CTC (crush, tea, curl) tea. Orthodox tea is produced by traditional processes and tends to be higher quality and take slightly longer to steep than CTC teas. 

What Are the Benefits of Drinking Assam Tea?

Like Ceylon, Assam tea also boasts a significant amount of antioxidants. An overview of numerous studies showed that drinking 3 cups of tea a day or more was correlated to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, possibly due to the antioxidant content in tea. 

Another study showed that black teas like Assam can help reduce the risk of atherosclerosis by up to 63%. Teas like Assam have properties that reduce harmful lipids in the body as well as discourage fibrosis, which helps keep arteries healthy and functional. In the same study, tea consumption was shown to improve cholesterol levels.

Assam tea has a high caffeine content, which can be beneficial. The moderate amounts of caffeine found in tea has been shown to increase mental performance, and the caffeine amounts were not at risk of becoming excessive as long as eight or fewer cups were consumed per day.

Another relatively new study has shown that the polyphenols found in black tea like Assam tea may help promote a healthier digestive tract by encouraging the proliferation of beneficial gut microbes.

Finally, a single study from 2019 showed that these same polyphenols found in black tea may help ward off the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. More study needs to be done on this subject, but it offers a promising potential alternative treatment in the future. 

How to Brew Assam Tea

Brewing Assam tea is fairly straightforward and follows a similar process to brewing Ceylon tea.

1. Again, be sure to store your tea in an airtight container, preferably in a dark, cool environment, in order to ensure the freshest tasting tea. As mentioned before, water quality can also have a significant impact on the final product, and so it is best to use filtered water when brewing.
2. To start, pre-warm your teapot and the cups you intend to drink the tea out of by filling them with warm water. Discard this water after a few moments. Similarly to Ceylon tea, for Assam tea use 2.5g of tea for every 220ml of water. Boil the water to a temperature of 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and pour into a teapot. Add the Assam tea and let steep for two to three minutes. If you feel like you haven’t extracted enough flavor, you can steep slightly longer.
3. If brewed for too long, however, Assam tea can become very bitter. If you feel like your resulting tea isn’t strong enough, it is better to steep a larger quantity of tea for the next brew rather than letting it steep for longer.
4. Because of its bold, robust flavor, Assam tea works very well if you want to add milk, sugar, or other spices. Assam is often found as the base for flavorful tea blends like breakfast blends or chai tea blends, because its malty characteristics are able to hold up well when combined with other elements.

Feel free to experiment with flavorful additions and make your cup of tea unique to suit your tastes.

What Is the Difference Between Orthodox Teas and CTC Teas?

When you are buying tea, whether it is Assam, Ceylon, or another variety, you may notice that there are options for Orthodox tea or CTC teas. These terms refer to the type of manufacturing process involved with preparing the tea and it can have a significant effect on the taste of the tea and how you should brew it.

Orthodox tea is produced using the traditional manufacturing process. The tea leaves are picked whole, usually by hand, and then laid out to dry slightly, so that most of the moisture is gone but the leaves are still supple enough to be carefully rolled and shaped. The leaves are shaped either by machine or by hand into various sizes depending on the type of tea.

After being rolled, the Orthodox process involves letting the tea leaves become oxidized and then completely dry before finally being packed to sell. Orthodox tea has higher antioxidants than CTC tea and also tends to have a much more complex flavor profile. Orthodox teas generally need slightly longer steeping times than CTC tea but result in more nuanced flavors.

CTC tea, alternatively, is made via the crush, tear, and curl (CTC) manufacturing process. This results in the tea being varying particle sizes and much smaller than Orthodox tea. The smaller particle size means more surface area to come in contact with the hot water, so CTC tea tends to give a much bolder, full-bodied tasting tea than Orthodox teas and they also don’t need to steep as long.

The CTC process actually originated in Assam, India in the 1930s. The majority of black tea produced is via the CTC method, because it is generally cheaper to manufacture, is strongly flavored, and is ideal for use in tea bags. However, the CTC method results in the tea losing many of the complex, nuanced flavors that are present in Orthodox tea. However, CTC tea flavors are consistent from one batch to the next, so many manufacturers favor it for mass tea production.

Where Can You Buy Assam and Ceylon Teas?

If you have bought any sort of breakfast or chai tea before, you have most likely unknowingly purchased Assam tea. Assam tea serves as a classic black tea base for these bold tea blends. However, you can also purchase Assam tea by itself. Assam tea is easily available due to its massive worldwide popularity.

If you can’t find Assam tea in your local grocery store, consider visiting any tea or coffee shops that are in your area and see if they carry any available for purchase. The internet has made it easier than ever to acquire tea, no matter where you live. There are a wide variety of Assam teas available from online retailers.

Ceylon tea has also enjoyed massive popularity, so it is often available in stores. The main thing to keep in mind when buying Ceylon tea is that the only way to ensure it is pure, quality Ceylon tea is if it has the Lion Logo of the Sri Lanka Tea Board. All teas that receive this logo are tested and certified by the Sri Lanka Tea Board and meet the government’s regulations. It assures you the tea is 100% pure Ceylon tea and was packed in Sri Lanka.

Like Assam, Ceylon tea is readily available from many online retailers and comes in a variety of types depending on the region it was grown. The tea is also available as either Orthodox tea or CTC tea, and your purchase choice will depend upon your personal preference in regard to how you like your tea to taste and your brewing methods.

These black teas might just be the perfect addition to your steeping practice.