History of Tea
Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, besides water. It is generally consumed in the form of black, oolong or green tea which originates from Camellia sinensis grown mainly in China and Southeast Asia. Black tea is consumed mainly in Western and some Asian countries and green tea is consumed predominantly in China, Japan and India.
Tea was first used as a medicine in Southwest China 5000 years ago. Between 1100BC and 200BC, drinking tea was recommended to maintain health. By the Tang Dynasty (AD618-907), tea became an object of veneration and the tea trade inside China flourished. Since then, drinking tea has become an important part of Chinese culture and is still regarded as an important part of health maintenance. Green tea is produced in most areas of China and is the most popular category of tea. Representative varieties include Dragon Well (Long Jing) and Biluochun from Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces respectively
Green tea is made from freshly picked tea leaves which go through heating and drying processes, but not fermentation like black tea varieties. This enables the leaves to keep their original green color and retain most of its natural substances like polyphenols and chlorophyll contained within the leaves.
Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, besides water. It is generally consumed in the form of black, oolong or green tea which originates from Camellia sinensis grown mainly in China and Southeast Asia. Black tea is consumed mainly in Western and some Asian countries and green tea is consumed predominantly in China, Japan and India.
Tea was first used as a medicine in Southwest China 5000 years ago. Between 1100BC and 200BC, drinking tea was recommended to maintain health. By the Tang Dynasty (AD618-907), tea became an object of veneration and the tea trade inside China flourished. Since then, drinking tea has become an important part of Chinese culture and is still regarded as an important part of health maintenance. Green tea is produced in most areas of China and is the most popular category of tea. Representative varieties include Dragon Well (Long Jing) and Biluochun from Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces respectively
Green tea is made from freshly picked tea leaves which go through heating and drying processes, but not fermentation like black tea varieties. This enables the leaves to keep their original green color and retain most of its natural substances like polyphenols and chlorophyll contained within the leaves.
Health Benefits of Tea
According to Traditional Herbal Medicine understanding, tea has both sweet and bitter flavors and possesses cooling properties. It helps to refresh the mind, enhance alertness and boost concentration. Tea can also promote body fluid production, quench the thirst, clear hert and phlegm and promote digestion and urination. Traditionally, it is used as:
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A beverage to relieve indigestion and smooth bowel movements. It can also be used to relieve headaches, dizziness, heat stroke and sleepiness.
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An antidote to clear toxic heat evils by promoting bowel movements and urination.
Many beneficial effects of tea have been attributed the strong antioxidative activities of its polyphenolic compounds. Modern studies have found that green tea contains a unique set of catechins, namely tea polyphenols, including (-)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG is considered the major component responsible for tea's antioxidant activity, anti-aging properties and cardiac health maintenance.
