”Where there’s tea there’s hope.”
-Arthur Wing Pinero
Have you ever wondered, what is the second most consumed beverage in the world? , It’s tea. Tea has even greater consumption than coffee. Much of the Middle East and Asia have tea-drinking habits deep-rooted in their culture.
Here are some amazing facts about tea to hook up the conversation at your next tea party.
- Tea keeps you healthy.
Tea contains antioxidants called Polyphenols which repair cells and aid our immune system and body to help fight diseases like cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other potential ailments. The high level of antioxidants in tea slows the absorption of caffeine into your body system. Tea is known to be a natural source of fluoride. It helps to protect against both tooth decay and gum disease. The less oxidized version of tea benefits in lower risk of stroke, depression, heart disease and etc.
It’s commonly believed that only green tea has health gains. But all varieties of tea are good for you in moderate amounts.
- How tea comes.
It takes about 2000 tiny leaves to make just a pound of premium tea. The best tea comes from high elevators, and it’s hand-picked. In part of Asia, tea plants can grow wild, but it is farmed instead.
All tea comes from the same plant called Camellia Sinensis. There are four basic types of tea, possibly five or six. Various tea are created based on how the tea plant is treated and harvested. Black tea leaves are left to ferment until they become black, Green tea is steamed or pan-fried, While White tea is just briefly left to dry.
Other than tea made from tea leaves some teas are made of herbs.
- Americans tasted their first tea in 1904.
In 1904 at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, a tea merchant named Richard Blechyden had planned to give away free samples of tea to attendees. But it was hot outside no one wanted to try it. So he dumped a bucket of ice into his fermented batch. So that passerby could enjoy a cool refreshment. That is how Iced tea was introduced to the US out of necessity and iced tea was a hit ever since.
- Best tea on the planet.
The most expensive tea in the world is a Chinese variety called ‘Da Hong Pao.’ Da Hong Pao tea, also known as Big Red Robe tea, is the priciest black tea on the planet. The rare tea is so expensive because the leaves are harvested from plants that have grown in the mountains for more than 300 years.
The Chinese tea variety Teguanyin is a type of tea known as oolong tea. That is prized for its five-sense experience. These tea leaves can be brewed up to seven times before losing flavor. Teguanyin holds the title for the most expensive tea sold in the United Kingdom. Just a pound of this rare tea costs $1500.
- Ideal steeping for a fine tea.
Steep time is one of the most important things to nail when it comes to brewing up a tasty, balanced cup of tea. Steeping tea is an ancient art that has been studied and perfected for thousands of years. Different teas take different infusing times. It’s important to know that over-steeping can lead to bitterness. So, it’s crucial to remember the exact steeping times for different types of teas.
For a cup of black tea, the ideal steeping time is 3-5 minutes
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- Tea growing countries
The four biggest tea-producing countries today are China, India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya. Together they represent 75% of world production.
In 2020, China exported approximately $2.04 billion worth of tea, making it the leading exporter of tea worldwide. Other major tea exporters included Sri Lanka and India that year. Genuine “Darjeeling” tea is grown in India at the foot of the Himalayas that are less than 70 square miles large. For this reason, Darjeeling is highly prized and known as the “Champagne of teas.”
There is tea plantation as its in the United States. Off the coast of South Carolina, there is an island plantation, and it’s also planted in Hawaii.
Globally, over 3 million tons of tea is produced every year.
