Alex Ram

How Tea BeganFrom 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.What Really 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.Tea can be broken into 3 main groups: oolong, green tea, and black tea. These 3 main types of tea all come from the same plant (Camellia sinensis). What makes these types of tea different is how long they are oxidized in the processing phase. Oolong tea gets less oxidation than Black tea which is allowed to oxidize for a couple of hours. With green tea, the leaves are not oxidized at all.There are, of course, many different varieties within these three main categories.So What 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 with just means a herbal tea that is steeped in hot water.2. Tisane which is the French word for every type of herbal drink.Tisane usually has the following herbs: lemon verbena, peppermint, rose hips, and chamomile. Some companies specialize exclusively in herbal blends.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.Discover the best deals on your favorite type of tea like Bentley's Tea visit bentley's tea and for the lowest prices on thousands of teas visit buy tea online