Facts About Tea

Refreshing tea is something we make sure we have before we leave to work, during work and after we get home from work. Whether at home, at a friend's place or at work, we all take several tea breaks during the day. We've had some of the most wonderful conversations over a cup of tea. However, did you know that this 'tea break tradition' has been happening since the last 200 years or so? Wow! Tea just happens to be the 'wonder drink' for many of us, though most Americans resort to tea only when they're sick and mainly have coffee on a daily basis. Let's have a look some facts about tea.

Interesting Facts about Tea

• The genesis of tea hails from the land of China, from where some of the finest kinds of green and white tea stem.
• After water, tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world and has been served as a warm beverage for over five thousand years.
• In the nineteenth century, the people of Siberia used solid blocks of tea as money!
• One of the surprising facts about tea is that even though some of the finest tea varieties come from China, the world's most consumed tea hails from India. India happens to be the world's largest producer of tea in the world, processing 850,000 tons of tea every year.
• The Irish are known to consume more tea per capita in the world as compared to other regions.
• There are four different kinds of tea available in the market: white, green, black and oolong tea, of which black tea variety makes up about 80% of total tea consumption. Oolong tea on the other hand, is the least consumed of tea varieties.
• Did you know that all different types of tea, be it oolong, green, white or black come from the same plant Camellia sinensis? Over 3000 varieties of this plant are grown on the mountainous terrains across the globe. What brings about the differentiation is the method and time of processing.
• Tea is known as 'cha' in Chinese, which is why it is quite commonly referred to as 'cha' or 'chai' in UK.
• After tourism, tea is India's next biggest industrial activity.
• A single pound of tea can yield up to 180 cups of brewed tea.
• Did you know 99% of the tea you drink is actually water, so poor quality water will conduce to poor quality tea. So, do not use hard water to prepare tea, lest you like the flavor of minerals in your tea.
• 96% of all cups of tea consumed on a daily basis in UK are brewed from tea bags.
• 98% of the world's tea drinkers take their tea with milk, however only 30% take sugar in their tea.
• The most consumed 'prepared tea type' in the US is iced tea.
• Tea bags were invented accidentally by a tea merchant named Thomas Sullivan in the early 20th century.

Tea Taster Facts

• Tea tasters are people employed by tea sellers as well as tea buyers.
• Tea tasters spend 5 - 7 years of apprenticeship training across several tea producing countries.
• Developing a sensitive palate, these tasters are capable of identifying the region where the particular tea has been grown, when it was harvested and the name of the plantation. He can judge the quality and value and can also identify any mistakes made while processing the tea leaves.
• Did you know that a professional tea taster uses all his senses to judge the quality of the tea? He looks at the dried leaves, feels their density, smells the fragrance, crushes the tea to listen to the crackling sound and tastes brewed tea.
• The speed with which a tea taster can taste and analyze a tea brand is simply phenomenal. By sipping, slurping and spitting tea, he can taste about 300 teas in an hour.

Health Facts about Tea

• Tea is safer than coffee, if you are worried about the amount of caffeine ingested, as it contains half the amount of caffeine present in coffee.
• The basic health benefits of tea comprises boosting the body's immune system, fighting cancer, regulating cholesterol, reducing risks of heart disease, fights harmful bacteria and viruses and helps suppresses one's appetite.
• Consumption of green tea specifically is known to enhance burning of calories. Moreover, it helps reduce cartilage degradation due to the catechins present in them. Moreover, the antioxidants present help destroy free radicals that normally damage the cells.
• Consuming one cup of white tea furnishes the body with antioxidants tantamount to that present in 10 cups of apple juice.
• An apple a day, keeps the doctor away! Well, a cup of tea a day can keep the dentist away. This is because tea contains fluoride which strengthens the tooth enamel and helps fight cavities. However, consumption of excess tea and coffee can cause yellowing of the teeth. So keep it in balance.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School state that consuming a cup of tea daily can cut the risk of heart attack by 44%. Tea is a wonderful, refreshing drink that can get a person relaxed after a long day of work. What's even better about consuming this beverage is that it enhances the health of one's body by furnishing it with antioxidants, etc. thereby, giving us all the more reason to drink it. I hope these facts about tea were informative!