Tea (beverage)
Tea is a popular beverage created by infusing water with various plant materials, including leaves, nuts, flowers, and fruits. It is appreciated not only for its flavor but also for its cultural significance and potential health benefits. The most commonly consumed teas—black and green—are derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, with distinct varieties grown in regions like China and India. Historical trade routes, such as the Silk Road, facilitated the spread of tea across continents, leading to the establishment of colonial plantations and a robust global market.
Different cultures have developed unique traditions surrounding tea consumption. In the UK, tea times often include snacks or meals, while Japan has a ceremonial approach to tea preparation and serving. North African cultures typically serve green tea to guests as a symbol of hospitality. Herbal teas, made from various plant materials, are also widely consumed for their flavors and health benefits, with varieties like chamomile and rooibos being popular in different regions.
Today, tea is available in both traditional and mass-market forms, often packaged in convenient tea bags. Despite its widespread appeal, the health benefits attributed to tea are still being explored, with regulatory bodies urging consumers to approach health claims with caution.
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Tea (beverage)
Tea is a beverage made by infusing water with plant matter, such as leaves, nuts, berries, barks, flowers, or fruits. Some teas are consumed for their flavor, while others are used for ritual purposes or as medicines. Intricate trade routes and taxes have been used throughout history to secure access to tea. Large plantations have been established to grow preferred tea leaves, and many cultures have traditions of producing intricate teakettles, cups, and other tea drinking devices.
Brief History
Ingredients for making teas can be found in almost any part of the world; however, some of the world’s most desirable types of tea originate from regions with specific histories and agricultural traditions. For instance, tea-making in China dates back to at least 2000 BCE. The Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze plant is a type of small tree from which black and green teas are produced. There are two varieties: the sinensis,which grows in China and is used to produce teas like oolong and yunnan, and the assamica, which grows in India and is used to produce assam tea. Darjeeling, a famous Indian tea, is produced from the sinensis variety, however. Green and black teas are desired for their taste, caffeine, and health benefits derived from high levels of antioxidants.
Western desire for tea, as well as spices and rare materials, fueled the establishment of overland trade routes such as the Silk Road. Beginning in the seventeenth century, companies such as the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company were involved in the purchase and transportation of tea by sea between Asia and Europe. To further meet the demand for tea, Europeans established colonial tea plantations in East Africa, Asia, and South Carolina.
Green and black teas are not only consumed in and traded between Asia and Europe. Among North African and Middle Eastern communities, it is common to drink green tea prepared with mint and sugar. In Turkey, tea drinkers consume small glasses of concentrated black tea with only additional water or sugar to alter the taste.
Not all teas are stimulants. Noncaffeinated herbal teas are made from a combination of leaves, nuts, berries, barks, flowers, or fruits, and are consumed both for their taste and health benefits. For example, many cultures drink chamomile tea, made of dried chamomile flowers, for relaxation, as a sleep aid, to resolve digestive problems, and for relief from various inflammatory conditions. Barley tea, which is consumed by Korean, Chinese, and Japanese communities, is prepared by roasting barley and then simmering the grains in water. This tea contains antioxidants, improves circulation, and may assist with digestion. Rooibos, an herbal tea from South Africa sometimes called "red tea," has been used to soothe digestive ailments, eczema, and asthma.
Historically, tea was prized not only for its type, but also the region in which it was grown. Special characteristics were carefully cultivated along with specific ways to pick, prepare, and dry tea leaves. For example, Lapsang Souchong tea, from the Wuyi mountain range of China, is differentiated by its smoky flavor. To produce Lapsang Souchong, tea pickers must specifically choose certain leaves from the tea bush and then dry those leaves over a fire. This time-intensive process produces a distinctive flavor and commands a higher price.
Impact
Several different cultures have developed specific traditions or ceremonies around the consumption of tea. The British have several daily events that are labeled as "teas." These events do involve drinking tea, but also commonly involve sandwiches or cakes. Sometimes a "tea" can actually be a miniature meal. Some workers take a break at 11 a.m., which is commonly called "elevenses" and includes a pastry with tea. Afternoon teas are also common and feature small sandwiches, vegetables, or cakes along with tea.
The Japanese tea ceremony is called chanoyu or sadō. Each ceremony involves the preparation and serving of matcha, a Japanese green tea powder. While the tea is drunk at these ceremonies, the emphasis is on the rituals and customs that are observed in the preparation of the tea, the choice and layout of tea utensils, the passing of the tea from the host to guests, and the physical act of drinking.
In North African Maghreb communities, tea is commonly served to guests as a form of welcome and hospitality. This green tea is made by the male head of the family. A guest can expect to be served three cups of tea after which he or she leaves.
Globalization and modern transportation systems have made it easier for tea to be bought and sold around the world. Many tropical nations that were colonized by Europeans were required to establish or enhance their tea-growing operations. After they gained independence, some countries abandoned their tea plantations, while others continued to invest in tea production. Kenya, the world’s third largest tea producer as of 2013, has continued to invest in the tea plantations that were first established by British colonists in 1903. While some of this tea is consumed in Kenya, much of it is exported to Pakistan, Egypt, and the United Kingdom.
While regional teas are still available, many consumers prefer mass-market teas, because they deliver the same amount of caffeine and are economically priced. These teas are often sold in individual tea bags, making single servings of tea easy to prepare. Some tea bags contain a single type of tea, while others are sold as flavored blends. Blended teas may contain a wide variety of fruits, spices, and flavorings and may or may not contain caffeine.
A number of companies market tea as a health aid as well as a beverage. Highlighting the antioxidant properties of tea, these companies suggest that tea may prevent cancer, improve blood circulation, or stimulate weight loss. The US Food and Drug Administration cautions against some of these advertisements and stresses that teas are sold as beverages, not medicines. Meanwhile, scientists continue to research the health benefits of teas, either as a dietary supplement or as an ingredient for new drug therapies.
Bibliography
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Griffiths, John. Tea: A History of the Drink that Changed the World. London: Deutsch, 2011. Print.
Hoh, Erling, and Victor H. Mair. The True History of Tea. New York: Thames, 2009. Print.
Etsuko Kato, ed. The Tea Ceremony and Women’s Empowerment in Modern Japan: Bodies Re-Presenting the Past. London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2004. Print.
Pettigrew, Jane, and Bruce Richardson. A Social History of Tea. Expanded ed. New York: Benjamin, 2013. Print
Robins, Nick. The Corporation that Changed the World: How the East India Company Shaped the Modern Multinational. 2nd ed. New York: St. Martin’s, 2012. Print.
"Tea—A Brief History of the Nation’s Favourite Beverage." UK Tea & Infusions Association. UK Tea and Infusions Assn., 2016. Web. 8 Aug. 2016.
Willmann, Anna. "The Japanese Tea Ceremony." Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Apr. 2011. Web. 8 Aug. 2016.