Food of the Month: Tea

Posted on 08/30/2022 by FTB

This month's food of the month is not "food" but a beverage that we all love and that many of our Food Trucks sell: tea. Tea is one of the most popular drinks right now and is consumed all over the world. People drink tea for so many reasons. Whether they want to start their morning with a sweet and hot tea or enjoy a warm afternoon by drinking iced tea with friends, tea is there to bring its unique flavor and enticing aroma to make our lives more colorful. Today we will discuss the long and interesting history of tea and review some facts and myths.

HISTORY OF TEA

Chinese mythology holds that the discovery of tea by the capable ruler and scientist Emperor Shen Nong in 2737 BC marked the beginning of tea history. A leaf from a drooping wild tea tree floated into his pot of boiling water in his garden. The emperor was so taken with the clean water that he was driven to learn more about the plant. The emperor supposedly made the discovery of tea's therapeutic powers while conducting his investigation. Whatever the story, it seems to be challenging to pinpoint the origin of tea. It is thought that the tea plant originated in regions around southwest China, Tibet, and northern India. It's possible that Chinese traders passed through these areas often and saw locals eating tea leaves for therapeutic purposes.
It was not until the Tang Dynasty (618-907), typically called the classic tea epoch, that tea was widely drunk. The government enacted a tea tax as evidence of the drink's rising popularity. Tea was acknowledged as China's national beverage at this time. Japanese Buddhist professors who traveled to China during the Tang Dynasty also carried tea seeds back to Japan. The beverage soon sparked a love affair with the Japanese people, who embraced it and eventually developed the now-famous Japanese tea rituals.

After missionaries and traders who had lived in Asia brought tea home as a gift, it was the Portuguese who were the first in Europe to discover the pleasures of tea. The Dutch, however, were the ones who first recognized this amazing leaf's commercial potential. Tea was still quite expensive, and for many years, only the wealthiest people could afford such a treat.
TEA LOVERS: TEA IN ENGLAND

Strangely, the British, who are known for drinking a lot of tea, did not start drinking tea right away. Tastes didn't shift until Charles II wed Catherine of Braganza, a princess of Portugal famed for her love of tea. She brought the custom of drinking tea to the English royal court, and the aristocracy soon adopted it. Thomas Twining established the first tea shop specifically for women in 1717. Around time, tea shops sprang up all over England, allowing anyone to enjoy a cup. Throughout the years of the British Empire in India, the British continued to grow more and more fond of tea.

In England today, more than 165 million cups of tea are eaten daily. This works out to roughly 900 cups (1.93 kg) of tea per person per year. The majority of Britons (84%) who drink tea daily also add milk and use tea bags.
SPILLING THE TEA

With the long history of tea and the popularity of the beverage, it is not surprising that many stories and fables have been created about tea. As people become more aware of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, you hear many health claims about drinking tea. Are they real or a myth?
- Tea doesn't contain any caffeine. All forms of tea include caffeine since it is a naturally occurring chemical in the tea tree. The amount of caffeine released into the tea can vary depending on the type of tea being consumed and the brewing technique. More caffeine is released into the tea with hotter water and a longer brewing period.
- You can maintain or reduce weight with the use of green tea. You can drink any kind of tea, but the key is to pair it with a healthy lifestyle that includes frequent exercise and a balanced diet.
- Tea dehydrates you. In contrast, tea helps you stay hydrated. Tea has a hydrating effect even though it is a diuretic and contains a big amount of water.
- When you have a cold, drink tea. A warm cup of any type of tea would probably assist to instantly soothing a sore throat when you have a cold. Black, green, and oolong teas, which are all derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, offer anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics that can assist with symptoms.
- The health advantages of tea can be offset by milk. This is a widespread misconception that is entirely false. While adding milk to tea won't take away from its health benefits, some people may find that it enhances the flavor. According to research, whether or not milk is added, the amount of absorbed catechins from tea stays constant.