What are the Benefits of Tea

Camellia sinensis

This is a tough one. Tea has been around so long that botanists have theorized that tea originated in at two locations. New research indicates that this is unlikely since the two most common varieties, Assamese and Chinese, share the same chromosome. Because the two varieties are so easy to hybridize it is now thought that tea originated in the area near part of Burma, and Yunnan and Sichuan provinces of China.

World History
The Lincang City Prefecture of Yunnan Province is home to the world's oldest cultivated tea tree. The claim is that the tree is some 3,200 years old. Though this is unlikely it still fits in with botanical analysis above.

It is known that the Chinese have consumed tea (and have written records about tea) dating to 10,000 BCE. Wang Bao wrote the first detailed instructions on procuring and brewing tea. The book was written in 59 BCE.

Tea made its way to Japan, via Buddhist Monks, in 500~600 CE.

Tea was introduced to Europe via the Dutch when the Dutch East India Company brought tea to Amsterdam from China early in the 17th century. Russia was also introduced to tea about this time. By the mid 17th century tea had made it's way to France (Paris) and Germany. By 1650 the drink had made it to England and from there to the Americas.

Tea's popularity in England soared between 1690 and 1750. It is notable that cane sugar's popularity soared right along with it; meaning the English were drinking sweetened tea.

Because China needed little from the British in the way of trade goods the English paid for the tea in silver bullion. This alarmed many on the island and the British East India Company (BEIC) began growing the opium poppy in India as a trade good in exchange for tea. Though clearly against Chinese law, the Qing dynasty ignored this illegal trade until Opium became a major problem for China.

Since this trade exchange was not to last the British sent a botanist into China to procure living tea trees which were transported to India for cultivation. It was shortly after this that the BEIC discovered that India had it's own tea plant and that plant was exploited instead thus relieving the BEIC having to deal with China.

As related in the What are the Benefits of Coffee hub, tea was quite popular with American colonists until the Boston Tea Party of 1773.

"The Americans love it very much, but they had resolved to drink it no longer."
- Anonymous

Popularity
Tea is by far the most popular drink on the planet far surpassing coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, and alcohol combined!

India, due to population density, and Turkey due to consumption, are the two largest consumers of tea. The biggest producers of tea are The People's Republic of China, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Turkey.

Tea contains a type of antioxidant. In a freshly-picked tea leaf, catechins can make up 30% of the dry weight of the leaf. The highest concentrations are in white and green teas, while black tea has substantially fewer due to the way its prepared.

Even so U.S. Department of Agriculture studies show that there is little difference in the level of this antioxidant between green and black tea with green tea having slightly more. Tea also contains theanine, caffeine, along with smaller amounts of theobromine, theophylline and fluoride.

Due to the way tea is processed, prepared, stored, and brewed it has much less caffeine than coffee. Tea has no fat, carbohydrates or protein.

There are six main varieties of tea. The are white, yellow, green, Oolong, black and Pu-erh. Despite the varieties all tea comes from the same plant; the classifications above have to do with the way the picked leaves are processed and then dried.

In essence tea is allowed to wilt and oxidize at a certain rate until it is cooked which stops this process. White tea is allowed to wilt slightly before being heated; there is no oxidation.

Green tea is not allowed to wilt or oxidize before heating; this makes it as close to the "picked" state of any of the teas.

Yellow tea is allowed to change color, but without wilting or oxidizing before heating.

Oolong is allowed to both wilt and and partially oxidize; it is also bruised slightly before heating.

Black is allowed to wilt and oxidize completely and may even be crushed.

Pu-erh is a very different class of tea despite coming from the same plant. It is made with older, more mature leaves or the leaves from from older "wild" plants. Pu-erh can be made from "new" green tea leaves or, because it can be stored for decades, a cake of up to fifty years of age. True Pu-erh is hard to find since so few "wild" tea bushes exist. It is highly sought after by connoisseur.

Ginseng Tea Bath
Make about ten tea bags worth of Ginseng tea in a teapot. When slightly cooled add to your bathwater for a skin-softening bath.

"Tired Eye" Tea Treatment
Use Chamomile or Camellia tea for this. Prepare two tea-bags in water as you would for a brewed cup. Steep for about five minutes. Once cool place the bags on your closed eyes for no more than ten minutes.

Dandruff Cure
Brew one cup of strong black tea with 1-2 Tablespoons of rosemary. When cool, apply to hair as a final rinse.

From the table above the ideal brewing temperatures and steep times are shown. In China a tea is also judged by the number of times the same set of leaves can be used. Of course the tea changes in taste slightly each time it is steeped and this is considered at attribute of the tea.

Note that Green an Oolong can be "re-used" many more times than Black, White, or Yellow teas.

Only when brewing Black or Pu-reh teas should the water be at or near boiling temperatures.

Sweet Julip Tea

Ingredients

• 6 Cups Water
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 6 Tea bags (or 3 Tablespoons of your favorite tea)
• 1 Bunch mint leaves (cleaned and dried on a towel)
  
• 6 shots (ounces) Kentucky Bourbon (optional)

Directions

1. Boil the water.
2. Once at the boil remove pan and add sugar.
3. Add tea (if loose use a tea ball or infuser) and steep for the time in the table above.
4. Fill each glass with ice cubes (or crushed ice).
   
5. Decorate with mint sprigs (cleaned of course).
   
6. Add a shot or bourbon (optional).
7. Add tea to 1/4" of rim.

Ginger Tea
Ingredients

• 2 Cups Water
• 3 black tea-bags (or 1 1/2 Tablespoons of your favorite)
• 1 1/3 Cup of Ginger syrup (see below)
• 2/3 Cup Lemonade (optional)
• 1 Cup sparkling water
• 2 Cups Ice (crushed or cubed)
• Lemon slices as garnish

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat.
   
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tea. Use a tea ball or infuser if using loose tea.
3. Stir and let cool; about twenty (20) minutes.
4. Remove the tea and discard.
   
5. Add the Ginger Simple Syrup, lemon juice, and sparkling water.
6. Add the ice to a large pitcher. Add the optional lemonade if desired, and garnish with lemon slices.
   

Ginger Syrup

Ingredients

• 1 Cup white sugar
• 1 Cup water
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1. At medium heat in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water and ginger.
   
2. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer stirring for about 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.
   
3. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool for twenty minutes before using.
4. Strain if necessary.