DISCOVER TEA

The Legends and History of Tea

According to Chinese mythology, in 2737 BC the Chinese Emperor, Shen Nung, scholar and herbalist, was sitting beneath a tree while his servant boiled drinking water. A leaf from the tree dropped into the water and Shen Nung decided to try the brew. The tree was a wild tea tree. Conversely the Indian and Japanese legends both attribute the discovery of tea to Bodhidharma the devout Buddhist priest who founded Zen Buddhism.

The Indian legend tells how in the fifth year of a seven year sleepless contemplation of Buddha he began to feel drowsy. He immediately plucked a few leaves from a nearby bush and chewed them which dispelled his tiredness. The bush was a wild tea tree.

Whether these ancient stories are true or myths, from the earliest times tea was renowned for its properties as a healthy, refreshing drink. By the third century, many stories were being told and some written about tea and the benefits of tea drinking, but it was not until the Tang Dynasty (618 AD - 906 AD) that tea became China's national drink and the word ch'a was used to describe tea.

Types of Tea

Black Tea's fully fermented leaves provide strong, dark tea liquor. Oolong Tea leaves are given a shorter time to oxidize or semi-ferment. Green Tea leaves are dried without oxidizing or fermenting. White Tea, the rarest type of tea, come from young tea leaves that are picked before the buds have fully opened. The tea features a delicate, soft taste and light coloration.

Tea can be broken or leaf. Broken grades are smaller or broken leaf particles. The smallest particles, called Dust, are typically used in tea bags. Liquor from the rarer Leaf Grade teas is smoother, lighter and milder than that of broken grades. Only 20% of tea is Leaf Grade, from the larger tea leaves. We specialize in the superior Leaf Grade tea.

Health Benefits of Tea: Is Tea Good For Me?

Not only is tea soothing and delicious, but it is healthy too. In fact, the American Health Foundation recommends we consume 5 - 6 cups daily because of these health benefits:
  • Tea contains 1/3 less caffeine than coffee or cola
  • Tea helps reduce fatigue
  • Tea maintains mental alertness
  • Tea stabilizes fluid levels
  • Tea is fat free and calorie free

The antioxidants in tea help prevent . . . cancers of the mouth, stomach, pancreas, lungs, esophagus, colon, breast and prostate. The antioxidants in a single cup of tea equal those in one serving of vegetables.

Tea's flavanoids help prevent heart disease by
  • reducing blood clotting
  • lowering blood pressure
  • lowering cholesterol

A study conducted by Harvard University researchers found that those who consumed one or more cups of black tea per day had more than a 40 percent lower risk of having a heart attack compared to non-tea drinkers.

Tea is a rare source of natural fluoride which inhibits growth of the oral bacteria and enzymes responsible for dental plaque.

Tea is also a rich source of manganese, necessary for healthy bones, and of potassium which regulates the heartbeat.

Other valuable vitamins and minerals found in tea include . . . vitamins B1, B2, B6, folic acid, and calcium.

Eating Well Magazine named tea "Beverage of the Year" for its health benefits and mass appeal to consumers searching for an alternative to soft drinks and coffee.

So is tea good for you? You bet it is! And tea is one of the least expensive beverages available today . . . costing just pennies per cup.