Fascinating Facts About your Favourite Beverage

Arguably, one of the most popular beverages in the world, tea has a rich and varied history across the globe. It started out as a medicinal drink in most countries, but slowly gained popularity as a leisure drink. While the transition from medicine to beverage was made smoothly in some countries, the ride was bumpy in a few, with tea losing its popularity due to some sinister facts that emerged during different eras in different countries.

Some fascinating facts about tea are:

Around 165 million cups of tea are drunk each day, 95 per cent of which are from tea bags
Shen Nung, a toxicologist, discovered it by accident in central China around 2737 BC. Apart from thinking it a nice drink, he used tea as an antidote to 70 or so poisonous herbs. His stomach exploded after his final experiment because the tea obviously wasn't effective against that particular herb.
Catherine of Braganza, queen of Charles II, introduced it to England as part of her dowry; when she landed at Portsmouth in 1662 she asked for a calming cup of tea; none could be found so we gave her a flagon of beer instead.

In China they used monkeys to pluck loose leaf tea from the trees: annoy the monkeys up in the trees and they will angrily shake the branches bringing the tea floating down to you.
In the 17th century Dr Simon Paulli, a German, warned that tea-drinking ‘hastens death', particularly in the over-forties. His claim was, however, soon disregarded, much like his other studies.

Ireland has the highest per capita consumption of tea in the world: 75 per cent of the population are avid tea drinkers drinking on average six cups a day. In 1910 tea was considered to be a bigger public health problem than alcohol in Ireland. Russia ranks second in tea drinking – presumably to dilute the effects of vodka.

Britain became a nation of tea drinkers due to the monopoly held by the East India Company on China tea and our exclusion from the Mediterranean Sea and the coffee exporting countries bordering it during our wars with France and Spain.

High taxation meant that tea was often adulterated with brick dust and other toxic stuff (second hand tea) ; some tea contained no tea at all. For most of its history more tea has been smuggled than sold legitimately.
John Wesley, founder of Methodism and a tea-totaller, believed that tea brought us close to the ‘chambers of death' and should be avoided, even though he imbibed himself.

Tea was responsible for the rise of the women's suffragette movement; tea rooms such as ABC and Lyons gave them somewhere respectable to go un-chaperoned.

In 1914 the 320,000 men and 12,000 officers of the Army Service Corps were catering for 5 million British troops – their ration included 5/8 oz of tea. In 1940 Churchill said that ‘tea was more important than bullets'

Green Tea- Super Food or Just Another Fad?

Everyone has heard of green tea, whether or not they are a tea drinker. It is the latest addition to every health freak's diet. From weight loss to blood pressure control, this super food claims to do it all. But does it really help? Or is it just flavoured, mildly caffeinated hot water? One cannot trust everything that is found on the internet. So let me give you on a comprehensive guide to the truth about green tea- super food or fad.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the polyphenols in tea have been shown to decrease tumour growth in laboratory and animal studies and may protect against damage caused by ultraviolet UVB radiation.
In countries where green tea consumption is high, cancer rates tend to be lower, but to link that to green tea may be far-fetched since there are other lifestyle factors to consider. One large-scale clinical study compared green tea drinkers with non-drinkers and found that those who drank the most tea were less likely to develop pancreatic cancer, particularly women, who were 50% less likely to develop the disease. Many studies, on the other hand, have shown that there is no link between the green tea and cancer. In 2005, the FDA stated that "there is no credible evidence to support qualified health claims for green tea consumption and a reduced risk of gastric, lung, colon/rectal, oesophageal, pancreatic, ovarian, and combined cancers.

A 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that green tea consumption is associated with reduced mortality due to all causes, including cardiovascular disease. The study followed over 40,000 Japanese participants between the ages of 40 and 79 for 11 years, starting in 1994.The participants who drank at least 5 cups of green tea per day had a significantly lower risk of dying (especially from cardiovascular disease) than those who drank less than one cup of tea per day.

An analysis of published studies in 2011 found that consuming green tea, either as a beverage or in capsule form, was linked to significant but modest reductions in total and LDL or "bad" cholesterol. Another study found that consuming 10 cups of green tea per day can lower total cholesterol, however, consuming 4 cups or less had no effect on cholesterol levels.

Studies concerning the relationship between green tea and diabetes have been inconsistent. Some have shown a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes for green tea drinkers than for those who consumed no tea, while other studies have found no association between tea consumption and diabetes at all.
 
Green tea may promote a small, non-significant weight loss in overweight and obese adults; however, since the weight lost in the studies were so minimal, it is unlikely that green tea is clinically important for weight loss.
Research published in the journal Psychopharmacology in 2014 suggests that green tea can enhance our brain's cognitive functions, particularly the working memory. The research team said their findings suggest that green tea could be promising in the treatment of cognitive impairments associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as dementia.

In a study published in 2011, researchers tested the effect of a component of green tea, CAGTE, after it had been digested, to see how it affected a key protein in Alzheimer's disease. The study showed that at high concentrations, CAGTE protected the cells from the toxic effects of the protein amyloid-beta.

The Alzheimer's Society commented that, "this study adds to previous research that suggests green tea might help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. However, the researchers used a far higher dose of the active green tea chemical than would ever be found in the human body. More research is needed to see whether green tea is protective at a much lower dose, and to understand the mechanism involved.

Thus while green tea does help in treating many conditions, there is not enough evidence to support its claim for other diseases. It certainly is not a bad addition to your diet!

Prepare Hibiscus Tea at Home

Everyone has heard of Hibiscus Tea, whether or not they are a tea drinker. It is the latest addition to every health freak's diet. From weight loss to blood pressure control, this super food claims to do it all.
Made with the beautiful hibiscus flower petals, hibiscus tea is a herbal infusion, wonderful to drink during a hot summer afternoon. It can be prepared either hot or iced, a delightfully red colored drink to fulfill your soul.
It is quite a strong tea and not many leaves are required to prepare it. Only about 3-4 teaspoons of dry or 6-7 teaspoons of fresh hibiscus petals are needed to make a liter of tea.
To make the tea, boil around 200 ml of water and add half a teaspoon of dried petals or one teaspoon of fresh petals. Let the tea brew for around five minutes before serving. Add sugar or honey to your taste and enjoy immediately. If you want to drink an iced hibiscus tea, simply steep the tea with double the quantity of petals as when making hot tea. Add honey or sugar to the brew. Top a tall glass with ice and pour over the brew into the glass.
When preparing for a large group, steep the petals in a teapot. As it is herbal, you can just leave the leaves in the pot. It will not grow bitter, just slightly stronger in strength.
When you prepare hibiscus tea using the fresh petals of the hibiscus flower, be sure that the flowers are pesticide free and are also not sprayed with any sort of insecticide. It is best to use home grown flowers for such a brew, as you can be sure what has gone into its growing.
Hibiscus tea is made from less oxidized leaves and is one of the less processed types of tea and therefore contains one of the most antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols.
It's a very smooth tea that is more thirst-quenching than some other fruity teas. Some people say it is tart, like cranberry tea, but it has a softness about it that is more fruity than tart.
Hibiscus tea, like most tea, is good for you. It is said to be good to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and to strengthen the immune system.
The hibiscus plant is indigenous to North America and grows almost everywhere from Southern Canada right down to Mexico. The flowers are gorgeous, similar to mallow flowers. They can grow to be very big and beautiful.

Information About Tea Brewing

Many different factors affect their flavor including climatic changes, and even minor changes in its processing. Loose teas are far less processed than the tea in teabags and thus the even subtle changes in its flavor are pronounced. The gardens try to maintain a consistency as far as they can, but a lot depends on the brewing of the tea. Individual tastes account mainly for how a tea is brewed but a comprehensive guide assures that the true flavor of the tea shines through.

Teapots are an important piece of equipment in tea-brewing. A good ceramic or glass pot works well, but metallic ones are usually avoided lest they give a metallic taint to the tea. Tea enthusiasts keep separate pots for different teas as ceramic pots absorb the flavor of the tea. The fine black teas of Darjeeling deserve a teapot set aside just for them and never used for herbal infusions, for perfumed teas such as Earl Grey, or for other teas of pronounced flavour such as Lapsang Souchong.

Teas are, however, the main focus for a good cup.  As they easily absorb moisture, smells, and tastes, tea should be kept separate from spices, perfumes, and even other strong-smelling teas. Some Japanese teas are stored in fridge or freezer but for most teas this is unnecessary and may cause damaging condensation to form inside the tea container. A good tea retains excellent flavor for about a year, just long enough to keep us going until the arrival of the next year’s crop. The springtime thrill of drinking First Flush Darjeeling tea as soon as they come from the factories of the tea gardens has an extra novelty, as the flavors have not completely stabilized. In the factories, an oxidation, called “fermentation” in the trade, takes place, creating much of the tea’s character. It is then dried to about 3 percent moisture, enough to preserve it, but sufficient to allow a very slight continued oxidation, known as “mellowing,” which can last up to three months. During this period, when the tannins continue to darken and form the body of the liquor, and before the oxidation has achieved its full taste, the fresh “green” perfumes are at their strongest.
Roughly around a heaping teaspoon or 3 grams of tea is used for each cup. Loose leaf teas vary greatly in size and weight, so a teaspoon measure may not always give a correct estimate. With experience, a tea drinker is easily able to determine how much tea is to be used. White teas, for example, are bigger in size and lighter in weight than Darjeeling teas as they are less processed. In the end, it is a personal preference. The ideal brewing water is probably pure mountain spring water. Short of that, plain tap water is fine.  But in some municipalities, bottled spring water is preferable; different bottled waters will give different results and a certain amount of mineral content is essential to release the flavors.
At somewhere between three and five minutes of infusion, the flavor peaks and the tea is ready to serve. A few light teas might even take up to seven minutes to fully develop their flavor. At this point milk, sugar, or lemon might be added but a pure liquor is best to understand the flavor. The subtleties of delicate, whole-leaf Darjeeling are best considered without the distraction of milk, sugar, or lemon.

Processing of Darjeeling Tea – Art in Making

Instead it follows a delicate and intricate procedure which produces one of the best tea in the world. Darjeeling Black Tea goes through all the stages discussed below. If a green tea or white tea is being produced, all the steps may not be followed.

Plucking tea leaves from the gardens: For Darjeeling tea, there needs to be only selective plucking of two leaves and the bud that makes a shoot. To make a kilogram of tea about 22,000 shoots are required. On an average a plucker is given a target of 4 to 5kgs per day, and during the high plucking season the target increases and can get doubled. While tea plucking season is from March to November, bulk of the tea leaves are plucked during the monsoon time. Mostly the teas are plucked in the morning when the morning dews are still there on the tea leaves.
Withering: The next step is withering which is a way of drying the tea leaves in the factory. It is essentially removing the moisture content of the leaves. Initially the tea leaves have 70 – 80% moisture. The leaves are placed in a trough (long wooden box) and covered with a wire mesh. Strong air is blown through the boxes with the help of fans placed at one end. This helps drying the tea leaves uniformly.
Rolling: After withering is completed, the tea leaves are taken to the next stage of rolling. Here mechanical rollers twist and press the leaves. Usually the tea leaves are subjected to two rolling of 40 minutes each and the rolling pressure varies. In between the rolling, sifting takes place where the coarse leaves are separated from the finer leaves with the help of machines. The step is carefully monitored so that leaves do not break and overheating does not take place.
Fermentation: The third step is to ferment the leaves. In this stage, the leaves are kept on thin and clean trays in a cool and humid environment. Through bio-chemical process the fermentation takes place. Usually the process lasts between 2-4 hours depending on the quality of tea being produced. It is at this stage when the tea leaves actually start developing their natural aroma and flavor.
Drying: After fermentation, the tea leaves are once again dried in large mechanical dryers. They are fed in through conveyor belts from one end. The belts continuously vibrate and then take the tea through a temperature range of 115-120°C and bring out ready tea from the other end. The process lasts for about 20-30 minutes. At the end the tea is almost completely moisture free.
Sorting and Packing: The final stage is to sort or separate the different grades of tea leaves based on their size and then pack them. There are automatic sorting machines that sort the tea leaves based on their sizes (full leaves, broken, fanning and dust).
Processing of Black, Green and White Darjeeling Tea: Note that all types of tea do not go through the same processing steps. In fact depending on the flavour and quality of tea, within each step delicate variations are made. The Black Darjeeling Tea usually goes through all the steps mentioned above. In case of Darjeeling Green tea, the leaves are first withered. The withering takes place between 8 to 24 hours to remove the moisture. After that they are steamed, as a result the oxidation is prevented to take place and the enzymes are neutralized. Then the leaves are rolled to different degrees and again dried.  Processing of White tea is somewhat similar to that of green tea. White tea is only steamed and then dried. There is no withering, rolling or oxidation done keeping all the natural ingredients and the chemicals almost intact.

The Tea Growing Regions of India

India is one of the largest tea growing nations in the world. Producing nearly 30 percent of the global output, it is the second largest exporter of tea. The teas of Darjeeling and Assam top every list in the ‘best teas’ category. But there are many other tea growing regions in India besides Darjeeling and Assam. They are the following:

• Dooars and Terai: The first plantation in Terai was named Champta, and it was set up by James White in 1862. Subsequently, the Dooars region saw its first tea plantation in the form of Gazeldubi. In Dooars, the Assamese tea plant was found to be more suitable. Today, Dooars and Terai have a combined annual production of 226 million kg of tea, which accounts for around 25 per cent of India’s total tea crop. Tea from Dooars is described as clear, black, and heavy. The first flush has a fresh virgin flavour, good brightness and fragrance while the second flush is more brisk. Terai tea on the other hand is known for its spicy and slightly sweet taste.

• Kangra: The Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh was deemed as a potential loose leaf tea growing region by Dr Jameson in 1829, following a feasibility survey. He brought in Chinese tea plants from Almora and Dehradun and had them planted at Kangra, Nagrota and Bhawarna. Tea is now cultivated across an area of 2,063 hectares in Kangra and Mandi districts. Due to the favourable natural climate that’s free of pests and insects, tea is grown organically in the Kangra valley. The Kangra region is famous for its range of green (Hyson, Young Hyson and coarse grades) and black teas (Pekoe, Pekoe Suchong, Coarse teas and Fannings) with their exquisite flavours.

• Nilgiri: In 1823, John Sullivan, who was then the British Collector of Coimbatore, built his stone house in Ootacamund. Initial experiments for tea cultivation commenced in the Ketti Valley in 1853, and commercial production was first undertaken in the Thiashola and Dunsandle Estates in 1859. Nilgiri tea is named after the Nilgiris, or Blue Mountains. The weather conditions provide Nilgiri teas with a characteristic briskness, exceptional fragrance and exquisite flavour. The liquor is golden yellow in colour, provides a creamy taste in the mouth and has notes of dusk flowers. Nilgiri tea has also been registered as a GI in India, and around 92 million kg of this tea are produced every year – around 10 per cent of India’s total tea production.

• Annamalais: Today, the Annamalais, a range of hills with altitudes from 900 to 1,600 metres between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, have around 12,000 hectares under tea cultivation. The tea from Annamallais generates a brisk and bright golden saffron liquor in the cup. It has a strong flavour and a medium to high tone fragrance with biscuit to floral notes.

• Wayanaad: The first tea plantation was set up over a few acres at the New Hope estate in Ouchterlony Valley in 1874. Tea from Wayanad is medium toned with a clean fragrance and produces an earthy reddish, full bodied liquor in the cup. The liquor is light on briskness and mild and mellow with biscuit notes.

• Karnataka: The state is the coffee hub of India, but also produces around 5 million kg of tea every year. Teas from Karnataka produce a golden ochre liquor with a fair amount of briskness and body. They have a simple, balanced character and are medium toned.

• Munnar:  Tea was first grown in Munnar by A H Sharp in the 1970s. Tea from Munnar produces a golden yellow liquor with strong body, refreshing briskness and a hint of fruit. It has a clean, medium toned fragrance.

•  Travancore: Coffee production was started by J D Monro in 1862, and tea production started two years later. After the dreaded leaf disease began to hit coffee plants in 1875, the focus shifted rapidly towards tea cultivation. This tea has medium fragrance with reddish liquor and yellow tinge.

The Art of Blending Tea

Over the years, many new and different varieties of the world’s most popular beverage have been cultivated and processed. Beginning with simply green teas, tea makers have now slowly graduated on to many different varieties. Even a simple black tea comes with multiple options for picky tea drinkers everywhere. But even with so many tea options, we cannot stop craving for more! We still look for new ways to have a new tea drinking experience better and more enjoyable from the last.  

 We are all aware of the many health benefits that tea has to offer. Even black tea (which has the highest caffeine content of all teas) has lower caffeine content than coffee, making it a healthy choice for anyone wanting a kick of caffeine early in the morning. However, not many like the taste of tea, or enjoy tea far more with added flavours.  

There is quite a spread available if one chooses to blend tea with flavours. Some teas like English breakfast tea, Moroccan Mint Tea, Russian Caravan, Earl Grey, and so on are popular blends that have been enjoyed for years. However, if you do not like these flavours, you can simply create a blended tea of your own by picking flavours you like and adding them to your cup of tea. Or you can even a herbal blend which does not contain any tea leaves if you are looking for something caffeine free.

To add flavour to your tea, simply pick a fruit, flower, herb, or spice of your choice and add it to your tea while brewing it. The flavours can be fresh, dehydrated, or freeze dried. Do steer clear of artificial flavourings as they do not give an authentic taste and do not add any value to the tea either. With pure flavours, the tea benefits from the additional health points that the flavours provide.

The first step in creating a blended tea is to pick the tea base. Choose black tea  if you are looking for a robust flavour of tea, green tea if you want an earthy, grassy feel, or white tea for something light on the actual tea flavour and can act as a medium for the flavour of the fruits, flowers, herbs, or spices.

Second, pick the flavours you like. Jasmine (most commonly used to flavour green teas), osmanthus, rose, chrysanthemum, lotus, mint, pandan, citrus peel,  spices such as ginger, cardamom, cinnamon,  cassia, black pepper, clove, anise, fennel, Indian bay leaf and sometimes vanilla, nutmeg and mace are popular choices for flavours. Some more unconventional choices are now also available at the markets. So pick the flavours you like best.

In the third step, you can determine how strong you want the flavour to be. You can blend tea leaves and flavours in equal quantities, or keep a ratio you find suitable to your taste. Remember, you may not like the first blend you create, so you need to keep experimenting till you find the best blend for you. So get blending!

Is Iced Tea Really Good for You?

On a hot day even the thought of drinking hot tea is enough to put one off. But for those who crave a caffeine kick or simply want something to cool down with, iced tea seems like the best option. The tall, cool glass is extremely appealing to beat the summer heat. Most of us do not think twice before preparing a glass and drinking it. The pre-mixed iced teas are readily available in the market and can be conveniently prepared by all. Just rip the packet open and mix it in cold water!

However, most of do not realise how harmful a glass of this iced tea can be. Most of the brands of iced tea contain at more than 250 calories per serving and up to 60 gms of sugar. Moreover, some of the brands do not even contain actual tea, simply tea extracts or artificial tea flavourings. The store bought iced teas, thus, does not contribute to health in any way. They are in fact full of sugar, calories, and artificial flavours and are extremely unhealthy.

This, however, does not mean that one cannot enjoy a glass of cool iced tea. If prepared with pure teas and natural ingredients, iced tea is beneficial to health. The lower caffeine content as compared to coffees, gives one the boost of caffeine without going overboard. There are also loads of free radicals in our body that can be removed with the help of tea. Free radicals can cause cancer and certain research has proven that tea can help prevent some cancers.

To enjoy a guilt-free glass of iced tea, select your choice of tea. For those concerned about high caffeine content, choose green tea or white tea over black tea. If you like a pure tea flavour, go ahead and prepare your tea with this tea. But if you do not like plain tea, or want to mask the flavour of tea, you can pick a few flavour options to add to your teas. Choose natural ingredients that are either fresh or freeze-dried and have a much better flavour profile than the artificial products. You can choose anything from fruits like peach, apples, and limes to herbs like peppermint, spearmint or even flowers like chamomile, lavender and rose.
After you have selected your ingredients boil 100 ml of water and add two teaspoons of tea in it. When the tea has been brewed to your choice, add a sweetener of your choice-either honey or unrefined sugar. Blend the hot liquor with a tall glass topped up with ice and enjoy your cold drink in the hot summer!

The History of Tea in Japan

Tea and Japan have a long association with each other. The earliest known reference of tea in Japan traces its roots back to a text written by a Buddhist monk in the 9th century. Tea was brought into Japan by the Japanese priests and envoys that were sent to China. The first known tea that was brought back to Japan was probably brick tea, the seeds of which were brought by a priest named Saicho in 805. Tea became a drink for primarily the royal classes, when the emperor encouraged the growth of the tea plants. Henceforth, seeds were imported from China to support the tea cultivation in Japan.

The oldest tea specialty book in Japan, Kissa Yojoki (How to Stay Healthy by Drinking Tea) was written by Eisai. It is a two volume book written in 1211 after Eisai’s second visit to China. The first sentence states, “Tea is the ultimate mental and medical remedy and has the ability to make one’s life more full and complete”. The book describes the medicinal qualities of tea (especially on the five vital organs)- easing the effects of alcohol, acting as a stimulant, curing blotchiness, quenching thirst, eliminating indigestion, curing beriberi disease, preventing fatigue, and improving urinary and brain function. Part One also explains the shapes of tea plants, tea flowers and tea leaves and how to grow tea plants and process tea leaves. Part Two discusses the specific dosage and method required for individual physical ailments.

The popularity of tea started increasing soon after this and green tea became a staple among the cultured people of Japan. The production of tea increased and tea became accessible easily, however still remaining a drink of the upper classes and the Buddhist priesthood.

In the 14th century Ming Dynasty, southern China and Japan enjoyed much cultural exchange. Significant merchandise was traded and the roasting method of processing tea became common in Kyushu, Japan. Since the steaming (9th century) and the roasting (13th century) methods were brought to Japan during two different periods, these teas are completely distinct from each other.

Sencha, an unfermented form of green tea, was developed in 1740 by Soen Nagatani, which has now become Japan’s most popular and widely consumed tea. To prepare sencha, tea leaves are first steam-pressed, then rolled and dried into a loose leaf tea. The dried leaves are brewed with hot water to yield the final drink.

At the end of the Meiji era (1868–1912), machine manufacturing of green tea was introduced and began replacing handmade tea. Machines took over the processes of primary drying, tea rolling, secondary drying, final rolling, and steaming.

Automation contributed to improved quality and reduced labour. Sensor and computer controls were introduced to machine automation so unskilled workers can produce superior tea without compromising quality. Certain regions in Japan are known for special types of green tea, as well as for teas of exceptional quality, making the leaves themselves a highly valued commodity. Uji is still famous for its tea. Today, roasted green tea is not as common in Japan and powdered tea is used in ceremonial fashion.

Get Better Sleep with these Teas

There are a large number of people that suffer from sleeping problems or insomnia. Difficulty in sleeping, waking up at irregular times through the night, and an uneven sleep cycle may all be as a result of stress, poor diet, or a symptom of an underlying disease. Whatever be the cause, sleeplessness is a worry one can do without. While treating the main cause of insomnia should be a priority, in the mean time one can try certain cures for the sleeplessness.


Some teas have relaxing properties that help calm the nerves, and get you a good night's rest. The past few years have brought into light the scientific research to back the effectiveness of drinking herbal tea for insomnia. Although the research is still not conclusive, a cup of tea before bedtime will do more good than harm!

In case you are unsure which teas to pick, here are the basic herbal teas that are known for their sleep-inducing qualities:

Chamomile: Chamomile tea is of course the superstar of night time teas. There's little evidence that it has any sedative effects, yet millions of people continue to drink it before going to bed. It has relaxing properties and a cup of chamomile tea can calm you down enough for a night's rest. You can easily make it yourself by drying out the flowers and brewing them. And it's also found in most brands of bedtime tea.

Valerian: Valerian is one of the few herbs which have actually been found by researchers to have sedative properties. It's been used for centuries to help with sleep and also anxiety. Made from the root of the flower, it may take a couple of weeks of regular drinking before taking effect.

Lavender: Whilst Chamomile and Valerian reign supreme in the bedtime tea category, they aren't alone. Another plant sometimes put into the mix is Lavender, which is thought to have relaxing and anti-stress properties.

Lemon balm: This lemony herb has long been used as a relaxant for many years. It is added to all teas that are sold in the market as a night time tea. Although not as popular as chamomile or lavender, lemon balm is as effective in inducing sleep.

St John's Wort: St John's Wort is most commonly used as a natural anti-depressant, but has also been found to help with anxiety. Since worry and stress are common reasons why people suffer from insomnia, it could be that it can help promote sleep by reducing the nightly worries. Some precautions need to be taken before this tea can be consumed as it is not suitable for everybody and consulting a physician would be best before investing in this tea.

Peppermint: More often used in teas that energizing or help with stomach problems, peppermint is lesser known for its calming properties. It's thought to help calm your internal systems, and with that your mind.

Kava Kava: A risky plant when it comes to consumption, kava kava can be dangerous for people who are allergic or suffer from other ailments. Consult your physician before consuming this tea.

8. Chinese herbs: Chinese medicine is a complex world. There are some herbs typically used to help promote sleep:

Sour Date Seed

Poria Paradicis

Arborvitae Seed

Schizandra Fruit

And there are some formulas created to reflect the kind of sleep problems you might have. They tend to be connected to a body part as well. For example, problems falling asleep may be connected to the heart and so Chinese medicine would look at ways to restore balance to that organ.

The Seven Best Oolong Teas

Oolong teas are extremely popular teas in China and Taiwan, but have only recently hit the world markets. The ever-growing popularity of oolong can be owed to its fresh and crisp flavour, mellower than the harsh black tea but sharper than a green tea. The period of fermentation is what divides the different brews into their respective categories.


White teas aren't fermented at all, greens very minimally, and blacks are fermented the longest. Oolongs are fermented anywhere from 12-70%, placing them between a green and a black on that scale.

A Chinese type will probably be closer in taste to a green tea, whereas an example of this type from Taiwan will have more in common with a black tea. Chinese varieties are fermented for shorter periods and thus are lighter in colour and flavour than Taiwanese brews.

Some of the best oolong teas are as follows:-

Ti Kuan Yin/Iron Goddess of Mercy (Monkey-Picked): Primarily grown high in the mountains in the Fujian province of China, monks supposedly trained monkeys to climb into the hard to reach branches of cliffside plants. The extraction made from those leaves was reserved for serving solely in the Imperial court of the Chinese emperors. Leaves from the plants grown at high altitudes are of the highest grade, so "monkey-picked" is generally understood now to mean simply the highest grade available.

Dan Cong (Single Bush): From the Guangdong province of China, this variety is the tilapia of oolongs in that it takes on the flavour of whatever fruit or flower it is combined with. It is almost always mixed with at least one other component, the most common of which are orange blossom, orchid, grapefruit, almond, and ginger.

Da Hong Pao (Wuyi Ensemble): This variety comes from the Wuyi Mountains in the Fujian province of China. Another of the famous Chinese teas, the Wuyi Ensemble has a very unique smoky flavour that makes it instantly identifiable. The leaves are given a high-fire treatment via roasting, which gives the drink its subtle smokiness. Mildly fruity, this oolong will have a honey or floral taste with a hint of a caramel left behind that comes again from the roasting of the leaves.

Jin Xuan: Grown in the Fujian province of mainland China, this hand-processed variety is famous for its creaminess. The milky feel and smooth texture make Jin Xuan pretty special.

Formosa Bai Hao: This heavily oxidized and fermented example is probably the closest to what you would expect from a black variety. The longest fermented of the oolongs, this type will give you a rich, deep cup, and it's one of the most prized teas in the world.

Si Ji Chun: This delicious Taiwanese variety comes from the Nantou area of Taiwan. It is a high-grown type as it comes from a very mountainous region and, as is the case with all varieties, the high-grown oolongs are the most valued for their richer and more pleasant tastes. Si Ju Chun is hand-picked and hand-processed using traditional methods.

Ali Shan: This variety is named simply for its place of origin. Ali Shan is the most famous tea-growing region in Taiwan, and all the oolong from the area takes this title.

The World's Most Expensive Teas

Tea is the most popular beverage in the world, beating all sodas, alcohols, and coffee combined! Almost all countries in the world have a rich tea history dating back a thousand years or more. Most teas started out mostly as medicine prescribed by the ancient medicine men. However, lately, teas have become much more than just medicine with people shelling out thousands of dollars to procure rare teas. Most of these teas are handcrafted, making them extremely labor intensive and hence expensive, while other teas are just difficult to produce. While for the regular tea drinkers, even a good quality Darjeeling tea would be on the pricey side, tea connoisseurs pay big money for the best teas across the globe. Here are the five most expensive teas in the world:

Yellow Gold Tea Buds: At around $105.71 USD for 50 grams (around 25 cups), this tea is both as expensive as, and as pretty as a piece of jewellery. These loose leaf teas are painted with real 24 carats gold. These are not only non-toxic, but also pretty healthy to consume. This tea is, however, sold exclusively in Singapore. There is only one mountain in the world where the tea gets harvested, and - to make it even rarer - it's only harvested one day a year, and only with special golden scissors, and only from the top part of the tree.


Panda dung tea: Pandas only eat wild bamboo, and they only absorb around 30% of the nutrients in their food. That leaves 70% in their excrement, which gets into the tea. The dung is used to fertilise the tea. A Chinese entrepreneur decided to cultivate tea leaves in the mountains of Ya'an, Sichuan and fertilise the leaves with the Panda dung.


Da Hong Pao: This tea is legendary, in that it dates back as early as the 18th century (the Dao Guang Era), and is still being talked about to this day. There are many variations of this tea, but the premium one is part of the most expensive list. So the Chinese government sold this tea in 1998 in an auction to the highest bidder, and received $9,00,000 for it. That comes out to around $1,250,000 per kilogram. A few Chinese government officials describe the tea as having a rich floral taste that lingers in the mouth, even several minutes after drinking.


Gyokuro: This tea is known as Sencha, which is a Japanese green tea that's made without grinding the tea leaves. This tea sells for about $65 USD for 100grams. It's made in Japans Uji district.


Tieguanyin: The most expensive tea in the world, Tieguanyin comes from China and sells at $3000 per kg. It's named after a Buddhist deity called Guan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy). It's an oolong tea, meaning its oxidization is somewhere between that of black and green teas. Luckily for anyone who buys this expensive tea, a leaf can be brewed up to seven times before it loses its flavour.

Herbal Tea Remedy for Crohn's Teas

Crohn's disease has been often treated with medications that have some adverse effect on the human body. Owing to such side effects people suffering from this disease are looking for a better solution. One of these effective solutions includes herbal tea. Most people consume vitamin supplements and go through a proper diet for gastrointestinal symptoms, which is absolutely good but consuming herbal loose leaf tea can reap additional benefits without leading to any side effects. The organic solution of having tea, especially mint tea is an accurate cure and can help get relief from the symptoms of the disease.
According to some studies conducted by a group of researchers, warm liquid is easy for the body to digest and when useful herbs in the form of liquid comes in direct contact with the stomach walls and intestines, they create a soothing effect. Supplements in the form of medicine are difficult to digest on the contrary. Some of them might even contain alcohol which results in most of the herb getting absorbed in the mouth.
Peppermint tea is considered as one of the best remedies for this disease. It provides a natural and soothing treatment that helps the person suffering from it. Peppermint is made of essential oil known as menthol. When menthol is ingested, it creates a powerful antispasmodic effect that soothes the aching muscles of the digestive system. Furthermore peppermint tea has a calming aroma that relaxes the nerves and calms the nervous stomach. This beverage also alleviates the stomach cramps and the cramps suffered by the intestinal muscles.
Peppermint Tea is also known for removing and reducing the following symptoms of Crohn's disease:

Abdominal pain

Gas

Irregular bowel movements

Flatulence

Bloating

The best time to consume the mint tea would be after large meals and before going to bed.
Chamomile tea is another herbal beverage drink that has been used for ages in treating different ailments including common gastrointestinal issues. Chamomile is known for its mild sedative effects which have anti-inflammatory, carminative and anti-spasmodic properties. These properties help the loose leaf tea to aid on digestion, sooth the stomach muscles and heal the mucous membrane on the digestive tract. The tea has the necessary properties to reduce the following Crohn's symptoms:

Digestive discomfort

Gas

Flatulence

Stress

Chamomile tea is best consumed before bed. As it has sedative properties it helps the body to rest and sleep properly. Chamomile belongs to the daisy flower family. Any person suffering from allergies to daisies should avoid this tea.
Usually, fennel, ginger and lemon balm tea can also help in the reducing the effects of Crohn's disease. They have healing properties which reduces the burning sensation and other discomforting symptoms in the body. If peppermint or chamomile is not available in your area, any of these three teas can be consumed. There are several online stores that offer sale of these teas; Hannah's Kitchen is one of the reputable ones

The Moroccan Tea Drinking Culture

The culture of tea drinking varies from country to country, each of them unique and historical in their own respect. Most of these tea traditions mainly begin with the tea being first used as a medicinal beverage and then gradually being accepted as a social drink. In countries like China and Japan, green tea is holds prominence over all other, while in India, masala chai or spiced tea is the one that is generally served to guests.


In Morocco, brewing and drinking tea is a much-loved tradition that signifies hospitality and friendship, and is carried out with great care. Using green tea as a base, with mint leaves and sugar, Moroccan mint tea is served throughout the day and particularly at mealtimes. While food preparation is the domain of women, the tea is often prepared by the male head of the family and is considered to be an art passed down through generations.


The preparation of tea, a process referred to as atai, is part of the tradition and is often done in front of the guests. The ingredients may vary slightly in different regions, and as the seasons change, but the principle of warm hospitality remains unchanged. The tea is served in small glasses, and is only considered to be drinkable if it has foam on top. The pouring of the tea from a teapot with a long curved spout is done from a height of at least twelve inches, causing foam to form on the surface of the tea. If there is no foam, the tea is not ready to be served and needs to steep a bit longer, so the tea in the glass is poured back into the pot. In some areas, the method of pouring and returning the tea to the pot is used to mix the ingredients and is part of the ritual. Getting the tea into the glass from that height is a matter of practice and the sign of an experienced host or hostess.


The tea ingredients generally include Chinese green tea, typically a variety called "gunpowder tea" from the Zhejiang Province of China, mint leaves (that generally consist of a mix of peppermint and spearmint) and sugar. In some places pine nuts may be added to the mixture. In the winter months, mint may be substituted with bitter chiba (wormwood) leaves, or with louiza (lemon verbena) giving in a distinctive lemon flavour. Interestingly, Morocco is considered to be one of the largest importers of Chinese green tea in the world.

To brew a tea pot you would add two teaspoons of green tea to about a half litre of boiling water and allow it to steep for fifteen minutes or more. This mixture is then filtered into the teapot and sugar is added to taste, with the mint being added just before serving. Alternatively the host may put mint leaves into individual glasses and pour the tea over it, releasing the flavour and aroma that is distinctively Moroccan.

Loose Leaf Tea Leaves Grades

As we already know, tea is graded into various different categories depending on different criteria. According to its level of oxidation, there is green tea, black tea, white tea and oolong tea, while depending on region we have Darjeeling tea, Assam tea, Chinese teas, and so on. However, even within these categories, the leaves are further divided into several categories based on the quality and condition of the tea leaves. The highest grades are referred to as "orange pekoe", and the lowest as "fannings" or "dust". Thus even a high quality tea like a Darjeeling tea has fannings or dusts which are the remnants that are produced during the sorting and crushing process of the whole loose leaf tea.


Pekoe tea grades are classified into various qualities, each determined by how many of the adjacent young leaves (two, one, or none) were picked along with the leaf buds. Top-quality pekoe grades consist of only the leaf buds, which are picked using the balls of the fingertips. Fingernails and mechanical tools are not used to avoid bruising. When crushed to make bagged teas, the tea is referred to as "broken", as in "broken orange pekoe" (BOP). These lower grades include fanning s and dust.

There are several sub categories of grading even within the Orange Pekoe and Fannings grades.

Orange pekoe or OP is a term used in the Western tea trade to describe a particular genre of black teas (orange pekoe grading). Despite a purported Chinese origin, these grading terms are typically used for teas from Sri Lanka, India, and countries other than China; they are not generally known within Chinese-speaking countries. The grading system is based upon the size of processed and dried black loose leaf tea leaves.


The tea industry uses the term orange pekoe to describe a basic, medium-grade black tea consisting of many whole tea leaves of a specific size. Within this system, the teas that receive the highest grades are obtained from new flushes (pickings). This includes the terminal leaf bud along with a few of the youngest leaves. Grading is based on the 'size' of the individual leaves and flushes. This also determines the 'wholeness', or level of breakage, of each leaf, which is also part of the grading system. A few examples of OP:


OP1—slightly delicate, long, wiry leaf with the light liquor Flowery OP—high-quality tea with a long leaf and few tips, considered the second grade in Assam, Dooars, and Bangladesh teas, but the first grade in China Golden Flowery OP1—higher proportion of tip than FOP top grade in Milima and Marinyn regions, uncommon in Assam and Darjeeling


Tippy Golden F OP—the highest proportion of tip, main grade in Darjeeling and Assam Fannings are small pieces of tea that are left over after higher grades of teas are gathered to be sold. Traditionally these were treated as the rejects of the manufacturing process in making high-quality leaf tea like the orange pekoe. Fannings with extremely small particles are sometimes called dusts. Fannings and dusts are considered the lowest grades of tea, separated from broken-leaf teas which have larger pieces of the leaves. However, the fannings of expensive teas can still be more expensive and more flavourful than whole leaves of cheaper teas. A few examples of fannings:

PF—Pekoe Fannings

OF—Orange Fannings: From Northern India and some parts of Africa and South America.

FOF—Flowery Orange Fannings: Common in Assam, Dooars, and Bangladesh. Some leaf sizes come close to the smaller broken grades.

GFOF—Golden Flowery Orange Fannings: Finest grade in Darjeeling for tea bag production

The Moroccan Tea Drinking Culture

The culture of tea drinking varies from country to country, each of them unique and historical in their own respect. Most of these tea traditions mainly begin with the tea being first used as a medicinal beverage and then gradually being accepted as a social drink. In countries like China and Japan, green tea is holds prominence over all other, while in India, masala chai or spiced tea is the one that is generally served to guests.




In Morocco, brewing and drinking tea is a much-loved tradition that signifies hospitality and friendship, and is carried out with great care. Using green tea as a base, with mint leaves and sugar, Moroccan mint tea is served throughout the day and particularly at mealtimes. While food preparation is the domain of women, the tea is often prepared by the male head of the family and is considered to be an art passed down through generations.



The preparation of tea, a process referred to as atai, is part of the tradition and is often done in front of the guests. The ingredients may vary slightly in different regions, and as the seasons change, but the principle of warm hospitality remains unchanged. The tea is served in small glasses, and is only considered to be drinkable if it has foam on top. The pouring of the tea from a teapot with a long curved spout is done from a height of at least twelve inches, causing foam to form on the surface of the tea. If there is no foam, the tea is not ready to be served and needs to steep a bit longer, so the tea in the glass is poured back into the pot. In some areas, the method of pouring and returning the tea to the pot is used to mix the ingredients and is part of the ritual. Getting the tea into the glass from that height is a matter of practice and the sign of an experienced host or hostess.


The tea ingredients generally include Chinese green tea, typically a variety called "gunpowder tea" from the Zhejiang Province of China, mint leaves (that generally consist of a mix of peppermint and spearmint) and sugar. In some places pine nuts may be added to the mixture. In the winter months, mint may be substituted with bitter chiba (wormwood) leaves, or with louiza (lemon verbena) giving in a distinctive lemon flavour. Interestingly, Morocco is considered to be one of the largest importers of Chinese green tea in the world.

To brew a tea pot you would add two teaspoons of green tea to about a half litre of boiling water and allow it to steep for fifteen minutes or more. This mixture is then filtered into the teapot and sugar is added to taste, with the mint being added just before serving. Alternatively the host may put mint leaves into individual glasses and pour the tea over it, releasing the flavour and aroma that is distinctively Moroccan.

Tea Leaf Grading

As we already know, tea is graded into various different categories depending on different criteria. According to its level of oxidation, there is green tea, black tea, white tea and oolong tea, while depending on region we have Darjeeling tea, Assam tea, Chinese teas, and so on. However, even within these categories, the leaves are further divided into several categories based on the quality and condition of the tea leaves. The highest grades are referred to as "orange pekoe", and the lowest as "fannings" or "dust". Thus even a high quality tea like a Darjeeling tea has fannings or dusts which are the remnants that are produced during the sorting and crushing process of the whole loose leaf tea.


Pekoe tea grades are classified into various qualities, each determined by how many of the adjacent young leaves (two, one, or none) were picked along with the leaf buds. Top-quality pekoe grades consist of only the leaf buds, which are picked using the balls of the fingertips. Fingernails and mechanical tools are not used to avoid bruising. When crushed to make bagged teas, the tea is referred to as "broken", as in "broken orange pekoe" (BOP). These lower grades include fanning s and dust.

There are several sub categories of grading even within the Orange Pekoe and Fannings grades.

Orange pekoe or OP is a term used in the Western tea trade to describe a particular genre of black teas (orange pekoe grading). Despite a purported Chinese origin, these grading terms are typically used for teas from Sri Lanka, India, and countries other than China; they are not generally known within Chinese-speaking countries. The grading system is based upon the size of processed and dried black loose leaf tea leaves.


The tea industry uses the term orange pekoe to describe a basic, medium-grade black tea consisting of many whole tea leaves of a specific size. Within this system, the teas that receive the highest grades are obtained from new flushes (pickings). This includes the terminal leaf bud along with a few of the youngest leaves. Grading is based on the 'size' of the individual leaves and flushes. This also determines the 'wholeness', or level of breakage, of each leaf, which is also part of the grading system. A few examples of OP:

OP1—slightly delicate, long, wiry leaf with the light liquor Flowery OP—high-quality tea with a long leaf and few tips, considered the second grade in Assam, Dooars, and Bangladesh teas, but the first grade in China Golden Flowery OP1—higher proportion of tip than FOP top grade in Milima and Marinyn regions, uncommon in Assam and Darjeeling


Tippy Golden F OP—the highest proportion of tip, main grade in Darjeeling and Assam Fannings are small pieces of tea that are left over after higher grades of teas are gathered to be sold. Traditionally these were treated as the rejects of the manufacturing process in making high-quality leaf tea like the orange pekoe. Fannings with extremely small particles are sometimes called dusts. Fannings and dusts are considered the lowest grades of tea, separated from broken-leaf teas which have larger pieces of the leaves. However, the fannings of expensive teas can still be more expensive and more flavourful than whole leaves of cheaper teas.
A few examples of fannings:

PF—Pekoe Fannings

OF—Orange Fannings: From Northern India and some parts of Africa and South America.

FOF—Flowery Orange Fannings: Common in Assam, Dooars, and Bangladesh. Some leaf sizes come close to the smaller broken grades.

GFOF—Golden Flowery Orange Fannings: Finest grade in Darjeeling for tea bag production

Green Tea- A Hype or a Super Food?

Green tea has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat everything from headaches to depression. The leaves are supposedly richer in antioxidants than other types of tea because of the way they are processed. Green tea contains B vitamins, folate (naturally occurring folic acid), manganese, potassium, magnesium, caffeine and other antioxidants, notably catechins.

Green tea frequently makes the cancer-preventing super foods lists due to the anti-cancer effects of green tea and green tea extracts found in laboratory research.

It contains antioxidants called catechins that may slow down the growth of cancer cells. In laboratory studies, catechins stop free radical damage to cells and reduce the number and sizes of tumours. The most commonly studied catechins, called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), may cause cancer cells to die, rather than grow and spread.

But it's important to go beyond petri dishes, test tubes, and lab animals - to really be a superfood, some human research is necessary. Two large human studies found that people who drank more tea were also at a lower risk of developing certain cancers. But another study showed no correlation between green tea consumption and the incidence of cancer.

Whether green tea prevents cancer or not, it still may be good for you. The antioxidants may help to protect your cells from free radical damage, and some studies indicate green tea may boost weight loss - at least a little bit.

Green tea and black tea both come from the same plant called Camellia sinensis. Black tea is made when the leaves are allowed to ferment. Green tea leaves are steamed or heated immediately after picking to prevent fermentation. Since they're harvested and processed more quickly, they contain more of the polyphenols than black tea leaves.

There are many brands of Green tea available in grocery stores, coffee shops, and specialty stores. Some brands are sold in individual tea bags, which makes them easy to prepare. Just place a teabag in a cup, add hot (not boiling) water, steep for two minutes or so, and then remove the bag. There's very little mess and no waste because you brew each cup individually.

Tea bags are convenient, but the quality differs from brand to brand. You can buy loose leaf green teas for an unbeatable flavour. It's not difficult to prepare loose leaf tea at home as long as you have the right equipment.

You can buy a variety of green teas at our website The Tea Trove and enjoy your super food- rather super drink!

The Ten Famous Chinese Teas

There are hundreds of varieties of tea that are produced in China every year and enjoyed by people all over the world. Some of the most expensive green teas and yellow teas come from China, and are acquired by tea connoisseurs are high prices.


There are several opinions as to which the best teas from China are, but a list of The Ten Great Chinese Teas gives us an understanding of which teas to pick:

Longjing tea or Dragon Well tea, is a variety of pan-roasted green tea from the area of Longjing Village near Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, China. It is produced mostly by hand and renowned for its high quality, earning it the China Famous Tea title. Like most other Chinese green tea, Longjing tea leaves are roasted early in processing (after picking) to stop the natural oxidation process, which is a part of creating black and oolong teas.

Biluochun is a famous green tea originally grown in the Dongting mountain region near Lake Tai, Jiangsu, China. Also known as Pi Lo Chun, it is renowned for its delicate appearance, fruity taste, floral aroma, showy white hairs and early cropping. The name Biluochun literally means "Green Snail Spring". It is called so because it is a green tea that is rolled into a tight spiral, resembling snail meat, and is cropped early spring.

Huangshan Maofeng tea is a green tea produced in south eastern interior Anhui province of China. The tea is one of the most famous teas in China and can almost always be found on the China Famous Tea list. The tea is grown near huangshan (Yellow Mountain), which is home to many famous varieties of Green Tea.

Junshan Yinzhen is a Yellow tea from Junshan Island of the Hunan Province in China.

Keemun is a famous Chinese black tea. First produced in late 19th century, it quickly became popular in the West and is still used for a number of classic blends. It is a light tea with characteristic stone fruit and slightly smoky notes in the aroma and a gentle, malty, non-astringent taste reminiscent of unsweetened cocoa.

Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe) is a Wuyi rock tea grown in the Wuyi Mountains. It is a heavily oxidized, dark oolong tea. Da Hong Pao can sell for up to US$1,025,000 per kilogram or US $35,436 per ounce. In recent years, a number of companies have invested in preserving the interest in this tea and other so-called "artisan" teas, which typically are of very high quality and have rich histories as is true with Da Hong Pao.

Lu'an Melon Seed, also known as Lu'an Leaf, is a green tea from Lu'an City, Anhui Province, China. Lu'an Melon Seed Tea's name is derived from the shape of the processed tea leaves, which are flat and oval and resemble a melon seed. Unlike most green teas which use the new buds in making tea, Lu'an Melon Sea Tea uses the second leaf on the branch.

Tieguanyin is a premium variety of Chinese oolong tea originated in the 19th century in Anxi in Fujian province.

Taiping houkui tea is grown at the foot of Huangshan in Taiping County, Anhui. The tea has been produced since the beginning of the 20th century and is produced around the small village of Hou Keng. It's renowned for its "two knives and one pole": two straight leaves clasping the enormous bud with white hairs.

Xinyang Maojian tea is a green tea produced in Xinyang, Henan. Xinyang Maojian is one type of green tea that originally was produced in mid China.

The Conditions for Tea Cultivation

Loose leaf tea is one of the most popular beverages in all of India. It was introduced by the British to Darjeeling and Assam and soon began to be cultivated all over India. loose leaf tea cultivation requires certain conditions that are not easy to achieve. Most tea gardens are located in hilly areas as more often than not, these are the areas that are found most suitable for tea cultivation. 

Tea requires a moderately hot and humid climate. Climate influences yield, crop distribution and quality. Therefore, before cultivating tea in a new area, the suitability of the climate is the first point to be considered.

Rainfall is a huge contributing factor to the quality of the loose leaf tea crop. The amount of rainfall a place receives is not as important as its even distribution. The average annual rainfall in North East India ranges from 2000-4000 mm. In the North East India, the rainfall distribution is not even. The excess rainfall in the monsoon months of June-September causes drainage problems. The average monthly rainfall during November to March is less than the loss due to evaporation and the resulting soil moisture deficit affects tea bushes. If this dry spell persists for a longer period, tea plants suffer heavily and crop goes down in spite of having sufficient rainfall in the monsoons. Thus, adequate rainfall during winter and early spring is crucial for high yield.

Temperature affects tea yield by influencing rate of photosynthesis and controlling growth and dormancy. In general, the temperature range within 13°C and 28-32°C is perfect for growth of tea. Maximum ambient temperature above 32°C is unfavourable for optimum photosynthesis more so if it is accompanied by low humidity. In the tea belts of this region, the average winter minimum temperature (Dec-Feb) remains below 12°C and there is hardly any growth during this period. Flushing commences from March with the rise in temperature. Winter dormancy however is the result of interaction of short day length and low temperature. Low temperature causes slower growth and low yield in the hill district of Darjeeling in comparison to the plains of Dooars and Assam.

Day length influences growth and dormancy in tea bushes. When days of less than 11hours and 15 minutes duration last for at least six weeks tea bushes become dormant. Hence the length of growing season decreases with increasing distance from the equator. Seasonal dormancy appears from around 18° North and South latitudes. In the Northeast India (25°-27°N latitude), the tea bushes remain dormant during the winter season for about 3 months on account of the combined effects of short days and low temperature.
Tea grows well on high land well drained soils having a good depth, acidic pH in the range 4.5 to 5.5 and more than 2% organic matter. Shallow and compacted sub-soils limit root growth. Tea plants growing on such soils are liable to suffer from draught during dry period and water logging during the rainy months. There should not be any hard pan or concretions in the subsoil within 2m depths. The depth of ground water table should not be less than 90 cm for good growth of tea. Catchment planning is required for improved soil and water management practices in a tea estate for which land survey designed to identify all major and minor topographical features needs to be carried out.

The Popular Tea Growing Regions of India

Tea as a beverage is extremely popular all across India. When the British brought tea to India, they did so with the intention of demolishing the Chinese monopoly over tea production. However, the beverage gained popularity and very soon it became a household drink. The first teas were planted and cultivated in Darjeeling and Assam, and after their success, the tea industry grew and teas began to be cultivated all over north-east India and southern India. Today ten distinct tea producing regions can be identified in India.


Darjeeling: Darjeeling has been growing the Chinese variety of the tea plant since 1841. But unlike other regions that grow this variety, the environment of Darjeeling has a unique and magical effect on the tea bush. Tea from Darjeeling is sold at very high premiums in the international market because of its Muscatel flavour. This flavour cannot be replicated in tea across any other market and this is why Darjeeling tea has a geographical indication (GI) status that is protected across the world. Plantations in Darjeeling are situated at altitudes between 600 metres and 2,000 metres above sea level. The region gets adequate rainfall and the location of the plantations at these altitudes across steep slopes ensures excellent drainage. The soil, the intermittent clouds hovering above the mountains and the bright sunshine – all contribute to the exclusive Darjeeling flavour.


Assam: The state of Assam is home to the single largest contiguous tea growing region in the world. The region goes through extremely humid summers and heavy rainfall from March to September. Tea plantations in Assam grow the Camelia Sinensis var Assamica variety of the tea plant. Assam is the only region globally where tea is grown in plains, and also the only other region apart from Southern China, which grows its own native tea plant. Tea from Assam has a rich, full bodied, deep-amber liquor with a brisk, strong and malty taste, making it ideal for the early morning cup. Second flush orthodox Assam teas are extremely popular for their distinctive taste and bright liquor. Orthodox Assam teas have been registered as a geographical indication (GI) in India.


Dooars and Terai: The first plantation in Terai was named Champta, and it was set up by James White in 1862. Subsequently, the Dooars region saw its first tea plantation in the form of Gazeldubi. In Dooars, the Assamese tea plant was found to be more suitable. Today, Dooars and Terai have a combined annual production of 226 million kg of tea, which accounts for around 25 per cent of India's total tea crop. Tea from Dooars is described as clear, black, and heavy. The first flush has a fresh virgin flavour, good brightness and fragrance while the second flush is more brisk. Terai tea on the other hand is known for its spicy and slightly sweet taste.


Kangra: The Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh was deemed as a potential tea growing region by Dr Jameson in 1829, following a feasibility survey. He brought in Chinese tea plants from Almora and Dehradun and had them planted at Kangra, Nagrota and Bhawarna. Tea is now cultivated across an area of 2,063 hectares in Kangra and Mandi districts. Due to the favourable natural climate that's free of pests and insects, tea is grown organically in the Kangra valley. The Kangra region is famous for its range of green (Hyson, Young Hyson and coarse grades) and black teas (Pekoe, Pekoe Suchong, Coarse teas and Fannings) with their exquisite flavours.


Nilgiri: In 1823, John Sullivan, who was then the British Collector of Coimbatore, built his stone house in Ootacamund. Initial experiments for tea cultivation commenced in the Ketti Valley in 1853, and commercial production was first undertaken in the Thiashola and Dunsandle Estates in 1859. Nilgiri tea is named after the Nilgiris, or Blue Mountains. The weather conditions provide Nilgiri teas with a characteristic briskness, exceptional fragrance and exquisite flavour. The liquor is golden yellow in colour, provides a creamy taste in the mouth and has notes of dusk flowers. Nilgiri tea has also been registered as a GI in India, and around 92 million kg of this tea are produced every year – around 10 per cent of India's total tea production.


Annamalais: Today, the Annamalais, a range of hills with altitudes from 900 to 1,600 metres between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, have around 12,000 hectares under tea cultivation. The tea from Annamallais generates a brisk and bright golden saffron liquor in the cup. It has a strong flavour and a medium to high tone fragrance with biscuit to floral notes.


Wayanaad: The first tea plantation was set up over a few acres at the New Hope estate in Ouchterlony Valley in 1874. Tea from Wayanad is medium toned with a clean fragrance and produces an earthy reddish, full bodied liquor in the cup. The liquor is light on briskness and mild and mellow with biscuit notes.


Karnataka: The state is the coffee hub of India, but also produces around 5 million kg of tea every year. Teas from Karnataka produce a golden ochre liquor with a fair amount of briskness and body. They have a simple, balanced character and are medium toned.


Munnar: Tea was first grown in Munnar by A H Sharp in the 1970s. Tea from Munnar produces a golden yellow liquor with strong body, refreshing briskness and a hint of fruit. It has a clean, medium toned fragrance.


Travancore: Coffee production was started by J D Monro in 1862, and tea production started two years later. After the dreaded leaf disease began to hit coffee plants in 1875, the focus shifted rapidly towards tea cultivation. This tea has medium fragrance with reddish liquor and yellow tinge.

Check Out The Different Benefits of Consuming Green Tea Every Day

People, over the period of time, have come to know about numerous benefits that tea has. Having different types of teas during the period of a day actually helps human health a lot in different possible ways. If you have access to green tea, it is good to have it at least 4 to 5 times a day. Only then, the benefits of this particular magic potion can be felt and understood. It is around 4000 years back when the Chinese monarchy first felt the beneficial effect of green tea in human body and the emperor there during the time called Shennong used to have this particular variety of tea every day.

Though this particular variant of tea was first used in China for consumption, later on, people in many other Asian nations started associating themselves with this particular variant. Many researchers, who have been working on the benefits of this tea, agree on the fact that this particular beverage is undoubtedly the healthiest drink available on earth. According to some nutritionists, Catechins is the element that makes green tea so special among tea connoisseur people who are health conscious too. The green tea leaves require very little amount of processing which retains that particular element in them.

Catechins are quite effective antioxidants, used for preventing cell damage and premature aging caused by that. This is found to be only one of the many benefits offered by this tea. Consuming green tea every day lowers down the cholesterol level and also improves blood flow inside the arteries. As a result, high blood pressure and congestive heart failure can be prevented effectively. Researchers have also shown great result of its consumption that has reflected from its effect on brain. A survey has proved that people consuming this particular tea has offered several benefits to the working process of human brain. Increased efficiency of the working memory of people drinking green tea says it out loud. With the growing problem of Alzheimer's in America and all around the world, the necessity of the ability of this particular tea has become quite important. It is believed that drinking green tea checks the production of certain specific kinds of plaques that are often instrumental in causing Alzheimer's.

As diabetes is among the fastest growing health problems on earth, researches are on to find out the elements that can fight diabetes effectively. Catechins present in this tea play a very important role in lowering down blood pressure and cholesterol. It protects a diabetes patient from the damages caused by consuming food that contain high level of fat. This way, even his blood sugar level remains under control.

The industry responsible for helping people in shedding the extra kilos that offer no benefit to their health but making their entire existence quite a burden to themselves resort to this particular healthy element at large. In fact, replacing a cola with a cup of green tea can help a person staying away from at least 50,000 calories over the year.

Tea vs Coffee: The Health Debate

Most start their day with a hearty cup of coffee while some cannot do without their cup of tea. Coffee to most is like a drug that jolts them out if their sleep, drives away fatigue, and gives an energy boost. Coffee can cause a person to be addicted due to its high caffeine content, while tea can provide the needful caffeine fix without the jitters.


Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. It even tops beer in terms of popularity. Coffee too is hugely popular. Both drinks, however, have been around for a long time. Tea was discovered by the Emperor of China in 2737 BC. According to legend, the emperor was drinking a cup of boiling water when leaves from a nearby plant flew into the cup releasing a beautiful colour and aroma. Intrigued, the emperor took a sip and was pleasantly surprised by its flavour. Tea then became popular among scholars and priests in China and Japan, who drank tea to stay awake, study, and meditate. This is perhaps why the hot drink has always been associated with mindfulness, calm, spirituality, and solid health.


Coffee, however, did not appear until much later. It is generally believed to have been discovered by a goatherd Kaldi in the Ethiopian highlands. Kaldi noticed that his goats became hyperactive after eating berries from a certain tree. This was the coffee plant. Coffee then spread to monks at monasteries, where they drank the beverage to keep them alert while praying. From there, it began making its way across the Arabian Peninsula. Both coffee and tea remained Eastern beverages for a long time; coffee didn't even arrive in Europe until the 17th century.



A lot of research has been conducted on the benefits of both tea and coffee. Researchers have focused on specific potential benefits of coffee, with some studies finding that coffee might have the ability to reduce the incidence of dementia or Alzheimer's or even Type Two diabetes. Coffee has higher caffeine content than tea, meaning its levels of the stimulant might help people with asthma by relaxing the lung's airways. Caffeine also helps in constricting blood vessels in the brain and reducing migraines. A Harvard School of Public Health research suggested that while coffee does not harm the body in any way, it did not provide any long term health benefits either.



Tea, on the other hand, is filled with antioxidants and potential cancer-fighting properties. According to the National Cancer Institute at the NIH, tea contains polyphenol compounds, which are antioxidants that might aid in cancer prevention. Some studies, however, suggest otherwise. Hence, while concluding evidence is not present in this matter, tea is still considered to be a medicinal beverage with therapeutic properties. All types of tea are made from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis, which wilt and oxidize after harvesting; oxidation results in the breaking down of chemicals. The amount of oxidation that occurs in the leaves is what defines different types of teas, from black tea to white tea, and of course green tea. Polyphenols in particular are a group of plant chemicals that are believed to be involved in health benefits — especially in green tea. Teas with the highest levels of polyphenols are usually brewed hot teas rather than cold (and sugary) bottled teas. Polyphenols in green tea, and theaflavins and thearubigins in black tea, contain free radicals that might protect cells from DNA damage.

Tea vs Coffee: The Health Debate

Most start their day with a hearty cup of coffee while some cannot do without their cup of tea. Coffee to most is like a drug that jolts them out if their sleep, drives away fatigue, and gives an energy boost. Coffee can cause a person to be addicted due to its high caffeine content, while tea can provide the needful caffeine fix without the jitters.

Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. It even tops beer in terms of popularity. Coffee too is hugely popular. Both drinks, however, have been around for a long time. Tea was discovered by the Emperor of China in 2737 BC. According to legend, the emperor was drinking a cup of boiling water when leaves from a nearby plant flew into the cup releasing a beautiful colour and aroma. Intrigued, the emperor took a sip and was pleasantly surprised by its flavour. Tea then became popular among scholars and priests in China and Japan, who drank tea to stay awake, study, and meditate. This is perhaps why the hot drink has always been associated with mindfulness, calm, spirituality, and solid health.
Coffee, however, did not appear until much later. It is generally believed to have been discovered by a goatherd Kaldi in the Ethiopian highlands. Kaldi noticed that his goats became hyperactive after eating berries from a certain tree. This was the coffee plant. Coffee then spread to monks at monasteries, where they drank the beverage to keep them alert while praying. From there, it began making its way across the Arabian Peninsula. Both coffee and tea remained Eastern beverages for a long time; coffee didn't even arrive in Europe until the 17th century.


A lot of research has been conducted on the benefits of both tea and coffee. Researchers have focused on specific potential benefits of coffee, with some studies finding that coffee might have the ability to reduce the incidence of dementia or Alzheimer's or even Type Two diabetes. Coffee has higher caffeine content than tea, meaning its levels of the stimulant might help people with asthma by relaxing the lung's airways. Caffeine also helps in constricting blood vessels in the brain and reducing migraines. A Harvard School of Public Health research suggested that while coffee does not harm the body in any way, it did not provide any long term health benefits either.


Tea, on the other hand, is filled with antioxidants and potential cancer-fighting properties. According to the National Cancer Institute at the NIH, tea contains polyphenol compounds, which are antioxidants that might aid in cancer prevention. Some studies, however, suggest otherwise. Hence, while concluding evidence is not present in this matter, tea is still considered to be a medicinal beverage with therapeutic properties. All types of tea are made from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis, which wilt and oxidize after harvesting; oxidation results in the breaking down of chemicals. The amount of oxidation that occurs in the leaves is what defines different types of teas, from black tea to white tea, and of course green tea. Polyphenols in particular are a group of plant chemicals that are believed to be involved in health benefits — especially in green tea. Teas with the highest levels of polyphenols are usually brewed hot teas rather than cold (and sugary) bottled teas. Polyphenols in green tea, and theaflavins and thearubigins in black tea, contain free radicals that might protect cells from DNA damage.

A Battle Between Loose leaf Tea and The Tea Bags

There is a whole lot of speculation these days as to why loose leaf teas are better than teabags. Most of us do not understand the difference between the two and hence cannot make an informed decision. Here we talk about why loose leaf tea has a superior quality as compared to teabags and how one can make the switch from teabags to loose leaf.

Loose leaf teas are made up primarily of whole unbroken leaves; the more the tea leaf retains its shape, the better it is considered. Teabags are usually made from the opposite – low quality tea such as dust and fanning. Dust and fanning are smaller pieces of tea, so they have a larger surface area than whole leaves. A larger surface area means more opportunities for the essential oils (what makes tea flavorful and aromatic) to evaporate, leaving the tea dull and stale. As a result of this teas in teabags usually lack freshness, especially if they are packed in paper boxes. Certain loose teas like steamed Japanese green tea are naturally broken during processing. Thus, while they are not technically whole leaf, they are of premium quality. These teas too face issues with freshness but not as much as in teabags.

When a tea is steeped, it requires room as they need to absorb water and expand as they infuse so that they can release their flavor to the fullest extent. This allows the water to flow through the leaves and extract a wide range of vitamins, minerals, flavors, and aromas from the leaves.

When you steep tea in a teabag, its infusion is limited by the size of the teabag. Packing full-leaf tea into a small teabag won't yield a very flavorful cup. For many years, the teabag industry adapted tea to the teabag.
By filling teabags with smaller particles of tea (rather than whole leaves), the surface area and infusion rate of the tea is increased. A more flavorful (though not particularly high quality) brew results. It is cheap and easy and thus caught on.

More recently, some tea merchants have decided to adapt the teabag to the tea. Instead of using flat-tasting grades of tea (tiny, broken leaves known as "dust" and "fanning"), they are opting for higher grades of tea with more sophisticated flavor profiles and aromas. They are getting better brews from these leaves than they would with traditional teabags by putting them into plus-size teabags, "tea pouches" and "tea socks," as well as "pyramid bags" (pyramid-shaped teabags). All of these teabag variations allow the leaves to expand more than traditional teabags, thus creating a better brew.

Switching from a tea bag to a loose tea might be overwhelming for some. To make the shift an easy one, we at The Tea Trove provide loose tea leaf filters with each box of tea. Be it a premium Darjeeling first flush, or herbal tea like chamomile, hibiscus, or spices, each tea can be filled into these tea filters and used just as conveniently as a teabag.

Health Benefits of Darjeeling Tea

All know the health benefits that are gained from drinking green tea. But one does not know that even black teas are beneficial to health. The UK Tea Council refers to Darjeeling as the "Champagne of Teas," in honour of its exquisite flavour as well as its multiple health benefits. Darjeeling tea is a black tea grown at the foot of the Himalayas, in the Darjeeling region of northern India.

Antioxidant Components: All types of tea contain antioxidants, and black teas that are allowed to ferment during processing, like Darjeeling, are especially rich in several of these components, including two large, complex compounds called theaflavins and thearubigins. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, unstable and potentially harmful chemicals that form during digestion or in your organs when you're exposed to toxic compounds. Over time, free radicals can damage cellular membranes and DNA, raising your risk of chronic illness. A review paper published in the June 2005 issue of "Preventive Medicine" described how black tea neutralizes free radicals, calling tea a convenient source of these beneficial compounds that can be consumed daily.

Cardiovascular Benefits: Regularly consuming black tea such as Darjeeling might have benefits for your cardiovascular health. A study proved that drinking five servings of black tea daily lowered blood cholesterol significantly in subjects consuming a moderately low-fat diet, compared to non-tea drinkers on the same diet. Black tea may also benefit your arteries, according to a study. The research involved subjects with coronary artery disease who drank either black tea or water daily for four weeks. The tea-drinking group experienced widening of arteries, compared to controls, potentially increasing blood flow to their organs. The positive effect of tea on arteries might also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease over time.
Benefits for Bones: Compounds in Darjeeling tea may also help increase the density of your bones. Several studies evaluated women who drink tea regularly and found they tend to have higher bone density, compared to non-tea drinkers. Research conducted found that consuming black tea is likely to strengthen bones, but larger clinical trials are still needed to confirm this.

Darjeeling tea is generally considered safe, but no minimum effective amount that benefits your health has been determined. The tea also contains caffeine, generally about one-half the amount in a cup of coffee, or 40 to 70 milligrams in a cup serving, depending on the strength of the tea. For some people, too much caffeine can make sleeping difficult, cause feelings of nervousness or increase heart rate. Limit your intake of caffeine if you're pregnant or breast-feeding, or opt for decaffeinated versions of Darjeeling tea. Adding milk to your tea might also reduce its effectiveness of its antioxidant compounds, according to current research. If you take prescription medications or have questions about the possible benefits of tea, talk to your doctor to determine if drinking Darjeeling tea might help you.