How was tea born?
The story goes that nearly 5,000 years ago, the Chinese emperor Shen Nong was quietly seated under a tree with his usual cup of hot water when a leaf, pushed by the wind, landed there. The emperor tasted the water thus perfumed and found it delicious. The tree was a wild tea tree. Tea was born.
Who drinks tea?
The tea is the 2nd most drunk beverage in the world after water (and therefore the first hot drink). The global production of tea represents more than 4 million tonnes, or nearly 130 kilos every second. It is estimated that there are 25,000 cups of tea drunk every second in the world, for around 1,000 billion cups consumed per year.
Can hot tea refresh?
This may seem paradoxical, but the hot tea is indeed a great way to cool off. For what ? Because the fact of drink hot increases body temperature. By sweating, the body then has less energy to provide to regulate its temperature. We understand better why the Tuaregs drink hot in the middle of the desert!
Why does tea have different colors?
All teas come from the same plant, called camellia sinensis. After being picked, the leaves of tea are dried. The longer they remain in the open air, the more they will be oxidized, and the more the color of the tea will change from green to black. The liquor will evolve from a pale yellow to a coppery orange.
Why should tea water never boil?
The water poured on the tea leaves to infuse them must be simmering and not boiling. For what ? Because water that is too hot (above 90°) would burn the tea, which would diminish its flavor. Indeed, aromas are volatile substances that evaporate with water. In addition, boiling water loses oxygen; However, it is precisely the oxygen molecules which convey the aromatic notes. Ideally, the water should be heated to around 70° for the teas greens and 85° to 90° for teas black.
Theine vs caffeine: what are the differences?
The Theine and caffeine are the same molecule. But they do not interact in the same way with our body. Because in the tea, theine is associated with tannins, which delays its assimilation time by the body. With the tea, so you do not get the boost effect of coffee. The excitement caused by theine is “diluted” during the three to six hours of assimilation.
What is the most expensive tea in the world?
The Da Hong Pao (Big Red Dress) is a prestigious tea oolong from the Wuyi Mountains. The older the tea plant, the higher the price of the harvest. It could reach $1,250,000/kg! Of course, this price corresponds to the rarest Da Hong Pao and you can find them for much less. Obviously, as you might expect, the Da Hong Pao tea trees are placed under constant close surveillance.
Tea, at the origin of the American War of Independence?
After the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts of 1767, the tea became a heavily overtaxed product between the British Kingdom and its colonies. At the same time, the English East India Company was accumulating large debts. It was difficult for him to sell his stocks, because of the contraband which evaded taxes. In 1773, the British government voted Tea Act, a law which authorized the Company to sell the tea to the colonies without paying taxes. This decision was the cause of the ruin of independent merchants and the anger of the English colonists in America. The latter boycotted the tea and on December 16, around sixty Bostonians threw more than 300 boxes of tea. This event, named Boston Tea Party, heralded the coming American War of Independence.
You have other questions about tea? Or information, historical anecdotes to share? So, don’t hesitate to let us know on Twitter (@KusmiTea), we will be happy to write another article to answer you.