By: Mariam Elhamy
Most people drink tea on a daily basis, whether with breakfast after meals or even in between meals, tea is very popular across all social classes. But, have you ever wondered about the origins of tea? Come with us on a journey through history, and discover the health benefits of this comfort beverage and how people worldwide enjoy it.
Did you know that …
- Two separate wars were fought between Britain and China in the 19th century over trade disputes pertaining to tea, aside from the American revolution named The Boston Tea Party which occurred in 1773.
- It takes around 2,000 tiny leaves to make just one pound of tea.
- Turks consume an average of almost seven pounds of tea per person annually. The Irish are the world’s second-biggest tea drinkers, they consume less than five pounds per person a year.
- People were using ceramic teapots 11,000 years ago in Asia and the Middle East. Tea didn’t reach most Europeans until the late 16th century.
- Technically, herbal tea isn’t actually tea. Herbal tea blends don’t contain any actual tea leaves, which is why they’re usually caffeine-free.
- Most Americans prefer their tea cold. About 85% of tea sales in the U.S. are iced tea.
- In the Himalayas, it’s traditional to add butter (usually from a yak) to milky black tea.
Health benefits of drinking tea:
- In addition to external healing properties, green tea is known as a super food when it’s consumed.
You are less likely to get a “caffeine crash” when you drink tea (as opposed to soda or coffee). The high levels of antioxidants in tea slow the absorption of caffeine, which results in a gentler increase caffeine in your system and a longer period of alertness with no crash at the end.- Drinking several cups of tea per day has been associated with lower risks of liver disease, depression, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes.
However, high concentrations of oxalate, found in black tea, can lead to renal failure … so don’t go overboard with your tea habit.
Ever wondered how people enjoy tea around the world?
Japan
Matcha is an iconic tea made by grinding Japanese green tea leaves into a fine powder, which is then mixed directly with hot water to make tea, this makes matcha one of the most nutritionally rich types of tea available.
britain
A typical British teacup is made with black tea with sugar and sometimes milk, it’s usually served with butter biscuits or scones. Did you know that the Brits refer to lunch as “tea”? Yea, it confuses every much any non-Brit.
Morocco
Moroccan mint tea is a green tea prepared with spearmint leaves and sugar.
India
Indian tea is black tea brewed with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, star anise, fennel and milk.
Turkey
A typical Turkish tea set includes Turkish tea glasses, tiny teaspoons, small plates and a tray to serve all the glasses together which creates a unique tea drinking experience.
Russia
Russian tea is often made with sugar and a base of Tang or orange juice concentrate along with black or instant tea resulting in a tangy-sweet taste.
Tibet
This tea is made with butter! Tibetan Butter Tea, known as Po cha, is made from churning tea, salt and yak butter. The tea used is a particularly potent, smoky type of brick tea from Pemagul, Tibet. A portion of this brick tea is crumbled into water and boiled for hours to produce a smoky, bitter brew called chaku.
Thailand
Thai tea is a mixture of black tea, condensed milk, and ice. The drink is made by placing the tea in a pot lined with a pantyhose filter, brewing the leaves for a long time, then adding condensed milk and crushed (never cubed) ice. Food coloring is sometimes added for the strong orange color.
Taiwan
Bubble tea, also called pearl tea or Boba, is a drink which comes from Taichung, Taiwan. It is made by mixing black tea with non-dairy creamer or milk and adding round “pearl” tapioca.ARGENTINA
Mate tea is the most well known tea in Argentina and is prepared by steeping dried leaves of yerba mate in hot water. It is served with a straw that is traditionally made of silver.
USA
Americans are used to having their tea sweet and iced. Iced tea is made by adding sugar or syrup to black tea either while the tea is brewing or still hot then adding ice cubes. It’s sometimes flavored, most commonly with lemon, peach, raspberry or mint.EGYPT
Egyptian tea comes in two varieties: koshary and saiidi. Koshary tea, popular in the North, involves steeping black tea in boiled water and letting it sit for a few minutes. It is sweetened with sugar and often flavored with fresh mint leaves. Adding milk is also common. Koshary tea is usually light.
Saiidi tea is common in Upper Egypt (the South). It is prepared by boiling black tea with water for as long as 5 minutes over a strong flame. Saiidi tea is extremely heavy, with 2 teaspoonfuls per cup being the norm. It is sweetened with large amounts of sugar.
How do you like your tea? Hot or iced, black or green, flavored or plain, milk or lemon, with honey or sugar?
