Tea's soothing properties

Oolong, rooibos, sencha, chai. Not exactly what comes to mind when you think of tea.

In the West, we view tea as a beverage just like any other hot drink. Lipton's, Tetley's or Celestial Seasonings will do just fine. Add some milk, sugar and maybe some lemon to your brew and you've got the perfect comfort drink. But in Asia, tea has long been considered an essential component to a person's diet.

It is said that tea, Camellia sinensis, was accidentally discovered in 2737 BC in China by Emperor Shen Nung. The ruler was about to drink a mug of hot water when a few leaves from an overhanging tree blew into his beverage. He tried it, liked it and the rest is history.

Throughout the ages, tea has played an integral role in our collective history from the Dutch and Portuguese mercantilism of colonial times to the British East India Tea Company monopoly to the Boston Tea Party. Tea used to be such a hot commodity that people would hide their stash in tea caddies under lock and key.    Over the years, while it looks like coffee is king based on the ubiquitous Starbuck's on every corner, tea consumption is actually growing at a faster rate worldwide than ever before. According to Twinings, roughly 3 million tons of tea are harvested each year. Tea houses are coming back into style and consumers now have unlimited choices in teas from the exotic to the ordinary. [Cancer - Topix.net]

Posted August 2004 | Permanent Link


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