WHAT IS TEA

                 WHAT IS TEA 

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Tea is an aromatic beverage,prepared by pouring  hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of camellia sinensis,an evergreen  shrub native to East Asia .which is probably originated in the boarder land of south western China and north Myanmar.

Tea is also rarely made from the leaves of camilla taliensis.

After plain water tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world. 

There are many different types of tea,Some have cooling,slightly bitter,astringent flavor.while other have vastly different profiles .That include sweet,nutty ,florals or grassy notes. Tea has a stimulating effect in human primarily due to its caffeine content. 

      History of tea

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An early credible record of tea drinking dates to the third century AD.

In medical text written by Chinese physicians HUA TAO.

Tea was papulerised as a  recreational drink during the Chinese tang dynasty .

And tea drinking subsequently  spread to the East Asia countries. 

Portuguese priests and  merchants introduced it to Europe during the 16th century .

During the 17th century, drinking tea become fashionable among the English. Who started to plant tea on a large scale in British India. 

The term HERBLE TEA refer to drinks not made from camellia sinensis .

They are the  infusions of fruits, leaves ,or other plant parts such as steeps of rosehip  chamomile or rooiboss .

These may be called tisanes or hurble infusions to prevent the confusion with tea made from the tea plants.

     CHEMICAL COMPOSITION 

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Physically speaking tea has properties of both a solution and a suspension.It is a solution of all the water-soluble compounds. That have been extracted from the tea leaves .

Such as the polyphenols and amino acids. 

But is a suspension, when all of the insoluble components are considered .Such as the cellulose in the tea leaves .

Tea infusions are among most consumed beverages globally. 

Caffeine constitutes about 3% of  tea's dry weight translating to between 30 to 90 milligrams per 250 millilitres cup depending on the type,brand ,and brewing method .

A study found that the caffeine content of one gram black tea rang from 22 to 28 mg.

Coffeine content of one gram of  green tea ranged from 11mg to 20 mg. Reflecting a significant difference .

Tea also contains small amounts of Theobromine and theophylline .

Which are stimulants and xanthines, 

Similar to caffeine.

The astringency in tea can be attributed to the presence of polyphenols ,These are the most abundant compounds in tea leaves, 

Making up 30 to 40% of their compensation .

Polyphenols include flavonoids ,eppigallocatechin gallate.and other catechins .

INDIAN CULTURE OF TEA 

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Indian tea culture is very strong. The drink is the most popular hot beverage in the country. It is  consumed daily in almost all houses,offered  to guests ,consumed in high amount in domestic and official surroundings .

And is made with addition of milk with or without spices and usually sweetened.

It is sometimes served with biscuits to be dipped in the tea and eaten before consuming tea.

      

       WHY IT IS CALLED TEA

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When tea travelled to Europe 

It was mainly traded by Dutch Dutch through the port Amoy.

Where the Amoy word (TE) was pronounced as TAY.

The Dutch changed it to THEE.

Which become known as TEE Than slowly changed in TEA in english .

The word CHAI is the hindi word for tea.

Which is derived from the CHA the Chinese word for tea.

The term CHAI means a mix of spices steeped in to a tea like beverage. 

        TEA COUNTRY  INDIA 

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Now India has become famous for tea.

It has the world largest concentration of tea plantations in the world. 

A large number of tea gardeners are there in Assam and Darjeeling .

Most of the tea grown here and supplied  all over the world. 

Tea was advertised as being healthy and energizing . And wise alternative to  alcohol .

While tea consumption remained small compared to the Indian population as a whole. 

This marketing push  successfully introduced tea consumption to many people 

        TEA CONTAINS NICOTINE 

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Endogenous nicotine was confirmed to be present in tea plants (CAMELLIA SINENSIS )

By liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry of tea samples from tea producing regions in six Asian countries. 

All samples contained nicotine .

My blog Health and spirituality for human wellbeing. . 

Drink tea, definitely drink it, but there should not be tea first thing in the morning.

In recent times tea has become a symbol of love.

Don't give such first place in your life, give second place.

          Thanks to all 

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