Learning About Tea
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by: Gina Taylor
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Word Count: 448
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 Time: 11:09 PM
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The Origin of Tea
From old trading records and writings, we know that tea has been consumed for over three thousand years. The oldest record of tea comes from China so its reasonable to speculate that tea originally came from China. China is still known today to have some of the best varieties of tea. Japan is known to have some of the best green tea and Taiwan is famous for its oolong tea.
After the British took up tea drinking, they began cultivating the plants native to India in order to have more control over the trade. India, Sri Lanka, and other South Asian countries produce a large portion of the world harvest.
So What Is Tea?
Tea is a drink made by infusing leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis, or Thea sinensis) in hot water. The name 'tea' is also used to refer to the leaves themselves; and it is also the name of a mid- to late-afternoon meal in the British Isles and associated countries, at which tea (the drink) is served along with various foods.
There are 3 main types of tea: black, green, and oolong. What most people may not realize is that these 3 types are all made from the same Camellia sinensis plant. What makes them different are how the leaves are processed. With green tea, the leaves are not oxidized. Black tea is oxidized for several hours and oolong tea receives a little less oxidation.
Many different types of tea varieties are available within these 3 categories.
What Exactly Is Herbal Tea?
Different types of herbs with health benefits have been added to tea. These are called herbal teas. Tea professionals sometimes will only use the word "tea" to mean pure tea. For these professionals, you will see them use the following names to mean herbal tea:
1. Herbal infusion which is a drink made by steeping an herb in water that is hot.
2. Tisane which in French means all types of herbal drink.
Some common herbs that are used as tisanes are peppermint, chamomile, rose hips, lemon verbena, and fennel. A number of companies specialize in producing herbal blends. Many tea companies also sell tisanes.
Some exaggerated claims have been made for the medicinal properties of herbal infusions. Even so, some herbs do have generally recognized benefits. For instance, rose hips contain vitamin C; chamomile helps many people relax; and peppermint has a noticeable soothing effect on the stomach. Herbs can also cause problems. Chamomile, for example, can cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to ragweed.
Article Source :: Simply Articles
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