A cup of tea
Tea or Chai as it is known in India is one of the most common beverages known to us. It was valued at 52 billion USD in 2018 and estimated to reach over 80 billion by 2026. So, what is this beloved drink which motivates so many people around the world to wake up in the morning.
As a plant:
-Leaves come from a plant named Camellia sinensis.
-This is from an evergreen shrub grown largely in China. India, Sri Lanka and Japan.
-When various processes are used, leaves of this plant can be of white, black, green, yellow, colors.
-The plant needs a lot of water to grow, hence the plantations are usually found in regions with high rainfall.
-A tea plant can provide leaves for making tea anywhere from 50-70 years.
– Tea plants can live from 100-200 years.
-There is a tradition of eating both leaves and small brown fruits of the tea plant.
-The oil extracted from the seeds of the tea plant is used in soaps and cosmetics.
-Small tea leaves are more valuable than the big ones.
-Indigenous tribes of southwest China chewed on tea leaves for medicinal purposes.
Tea plant
As a beverage:
-Tea was discovered around 28BC in China.
-This is the second most consumed drink after water globally.
– Chai is an Hindi word for tea
-The taste and color of the tea is dependent on the color of the leaves used.
-Green tea is a known source of Vitamin K, hence there is anecdotal evidence of it reducing the effects of warfarin ( a medication used to treat blood clots).
-Antibacterial properties of tea help to prevent dental cavities and bad breath.
-Even though it is common practice not to add milk to green tea, however milk can be added and the jury is still out on its effects.
-Apart from having tea as a drink, its leaves are routinely used as compost, as an exfoliant, as deodorizer in fridges.
-Tea is also used for dyeing fabrics.
Health benefits or not, I personally enjoy having a cup of tea any time of the day, it’s my warm, cozy place to be at when things get really rough!
Royalty free images were used for this article.
