What is Tea?
Tea is a strong and energising beverage made by soaking tea leaves and boiling them in water. Tea is a very popular drink all around Asia, the Middle East and the United Kingdom. Tea is the most popular drink in the world after water.
Where does Tea come from?
All tea comes from the same plant- the Camellia Sinensis. But there exists hundred kinds of teas which have their individual appearances, tastes and aromas. Tea gains its individual character from how the leaves are planted, cultivated and processed.
Popular Tea Types
Black and green teas are the most common types of tea. Others include white tea, oolong and fermented. Many types of fragrant teas with different flavours are also available nowadays- like jasmine, mint or orange.
Origin and History of Tea
Tea originated in Southwest China as a medicinal drink. During the Tang dynasty, Tea gained popularity all over China. During this time tea was steamed not boiled and it was consumed in cake form. Slowly this popular drink spread towards East Asia. In the 16th century the Portugese merchants were introduced to tea in China and they termed it as Cha. The British started drinking tea during the 17th century. Till that time China had a monopoly in tea production. So the British started large-scale tea production in India to bypass the Chinese tea monopoly.
The first tea seeds were brought to India in 1841 by Arthur Campbell who planted these seeds in the Alubari tea garden in Darejeeling. The British later found out that a different variety of tea was already grown by a local tribe in Assam and north-east India. The British then used the Chinese planting and cultivation technique and made tea quite popular in India and other colonies.
Most people prefer to drink their tea hot; many people now have started drinking the United States popular version of the iced tea. Herbal teas have also gained popularity. They are made with flowers or roots of a plant like chamomile tea, South African rooibos or red tea. Herbal teas are considered extremely good to relieve anxiety issues in children. Ginger tea and lemon tea can be had to treat coughs, cold and nausea.