The English drink it each and every afternoon. Psychics read its leaves.
Health food stores promote special blends that claim to enhance athletic
performance. Some people use it as a sleep aid. Why is tea so popular, and what
are the health benefits of each type?
History
Legend places tea’s roots in ancient China.
There, more than 5,000 years ago, Emperor Shen Nung declared that all water in
the kingdom must be boiled before consumption, in order to prevent disease.
While visiting a distant corner of his kingdom, the emperor requested a drink.
As the local servants left the water to boil, some leaves from a nearby bush
fell into the pot, turning the water brown. Instead of becoming angry, the
emperor took a scientific interest in the brown water. He drank some as an
experiment, and, as the legend goes, found it "refreshing."
News of this refreshing and sanitary beverage spread to neighboring
kingdoms, and Zen priests shared it with the Japanese, who invented the
Japanese Tea Ceremony. Europeans learned of tea in the mid-1500s, and it became
a staple of their diet by the mid-1600s.
Black Teas
Black tea is the beverage of Victorian tea services and the Boston Tea
Party. This full-bodied brew comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis
plant, which are dried and fermented. Some of the world’s best tea—and
tea-drinking traditions—are from India,
China, Japan,
Sri Lanka, and Kenya.
Plus, tea is one of the world’s healthiest foods. Both regular and
decaffeinated varieties of tea contain flavonoids, naturally occurring
chemicals that fight cancer and heart disease.
When making a six-cup pot of tea, steep two tea bags or a strainer filled
with 5 to 10 grams of loose tea in boiling water for four to five minutes.
Enjoy!
Try these varieties of black tea:
Assam
Darjeeling
Lapsang Souchong
Keemun
Green Teas
Though green tea comes from the same plant as black tea, it tastes
different. Specifically, it tastes "greener," as the name suggests.
Some green tea has hints of rice or honey, others are smokey. Green tea’s
robust, almost grassy flavor results from its processing method, which does not
include fermentation. It also contains less caffeine than its black
counterpart.
Packed with antioxidants such as flavonoids and polyphenols, all green teas
have health benefits. In fact, Asians have used this beverage as a health
remedy for more than 5,000 years. More recently, scientists have found a link
between tumor shrinkage and green tea consumption.
Green tea should steep in water that is 160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, for
two to five minutes.
A few green teas to try:
Gunpowder
Japanese Sencha
Macha
Dragonwell
White Tea
Primarily an export of China
and Japan,
white tea is a somewhat rare and expensive form of the Camelliasinensis
plant, picked while the delicate leaves are still closed. At this point in the
plant’s life cycle, the buds are covered with white, downy hair (hence the name
"white tea"). Unlike green tea, which boasts a pungent, earthy
flavor, white tea is delicate and sweet.
Though green tea is extremely healthy, white tea may be an even better
choice for the health conscious, as it has less caffeine and even more
polyphenols, a type of cancer-fighting antioxidant. It has also been shown to
fight tooth decay. To fully experience white tea’s flavor and health benefits,
it should be steeped at a temperature of 170 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, for
five to eight minutes.
A few white teas to try:
White peony
Silver needle
Jasmine silver needle
Red Tea
Red, or roobois, tea is a popular South African beverage. Strong and sweet,
it’s popular for its bright hue and lack of caffeine. It’s been known to ease
headaches, stomach cramps, and insomnia, as well as asthma and eczema symptoms.
Some people even use it to fight the signs of aging.
Herbal Tea
Herbal tea is made from dried leaves, stems, seeds, and buds of a variety of
herbs and aromatic plants. Many varieties of herbal tea are known for their
medicinal properties. For instance, chamomile tea is rumored to bring a restful
night’s sleep. Some health practitioners recommend raspberry tea for easing
menstrual cramps, while others say peppermint tea calms an upset stomach.
Try these herbal teas:
Yerba mate: promotes
alertness, helps control appetite
Yarrow: aids digestion and
alleviates hay fever symptoms
Kava kava: cleanses urinary
tract and eases insomnia
Fennel: relieves coughs, sore
throat, and stomach cramps