30 Amazing and Interesting Facts about Tea | Amazing Facts 4U
- There is an estimated 1,500 different types of tea. China is the world’s largest producer of tea. India is second.
- According to legend, tea was discovered in 2737 B.C. by Chinese Emperor Shen-Ning. He discovered the beverage when tea leaves accidentally blew into his pot of boiling water.
- All tea is made from the leaf of the plant Camellia sinensis. The specific types of tea are made by processing the tea leaves differently.
- Though the Eastern world has been using tea for more than 4,500 years , tea was introduced to the West only 400 years ago.
- Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, after water.
- Tea was a major factor in establishing connections between the East and West. It was also a catalyst for developing new technology, such as faster transport ships.
- It takes around four to 12 years for a tea plant to produce seed. It takes about three years before a new plant is ready to harvest. Tea plants need at least 50 inches of rain a year. Tea plants thrive in hot, humid climates with high rainfall.
- Most of the world’s tea is grown in mountain areas 3,000-7,000 feet above sea level and between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Tea-producing countries include Argentina, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya Malawi, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania.
- Just the top 1 to 2 inches of a mature plant, or the flushes of the plant, are picked to make tea. A new flush grows within 7 to 15 days during growing season.
- A tea plant can grow into a tree that is as tall as 52 feet if its leaves are not harvested. Cultivated plants are usually pruned to waist height.
- More than 200 cups of tea can be brewed from one pound of loose tea leaves.
- A cup of brewed tea usually has less than half the caffeine of a cup of coffee. You can decaffeinate loose tea by “rinsing” tea leaves i.e. begin brewing tea as usual and then remove the leaves after 20 seconds. Discard the brew and start again with fresh boiling water. The tea leaves are now decaffeinated.
- Lipton is the world’s best selling tea brand.The Lipton Tea Factory in Jebel Ali, Dubai, produces 5 billion tea bags a year.
- Black tea undergoes the longest process of oxidation. White tea undergoes the shortest.
- Black tea production involves withering, rolling, fermenting and then firing the leaves which helps to preserve the tea for long periods of time. This process was originally used to prevent tea from rotting in containers when sent from China to the rest of the world.
- Black tea is called “red tea” in China. When tea is being poured in China, traditionally guests tap two or three fingers on the table three times to show gratitude to the server.
- Black tea constitutes around 75% of the world’s tea consumption. It is the most common tea beverage in the United States, the U.K., and Europe. Green tea is popular in Japan and China.
- While 1,120 liters of water go into producing a single liter of coffee, only 120 liters go into making the same amount of tea. In fact, to produce one liter of tea takes less water than producing wine, apple juice, orange juice, or beer.
- The total value of the worldwide tea market was over $20 billion. Over 3 million tons of tea is produced every year worldwide.
- Russians started drinking tea in the 17th century, but because of its high price, it did not become widely popular until the beginning of the 19th century.
- Solid blocks of tea were used as money in Siberia until the 19th century.
- Ireland is the largest nation of tea drinkers per capita. 75 per cent of the population are avid tea drinkers drinking on average six cups a day. Britain is second in rank.
- Tea is the national drink in Iran and Afghanistan. Green tea is consumed as a thirst quencher, and black tea as a warming beverage.
- It is widely believed that iced tea was invented in 1904 at the St. Louis World Fair by Richard Blechynden, a British tea merchant. An estimated 85% of tea that is consumed in the United States is iced tea.
- The Ritz Carlton of Hong Kong has the world’s most expensive High Tea meal, at a price of $8,888 per couple.
- The most expensive teapot in the world is a rare pair of “melon” teapots from 18th century China. They sold for $2.18 million.
- As per research green tea, helps reduce some forms of cancer, helps bad breath, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, reduces blood pressure, helps with weight control, kills bacteria and virus, acts as an anti-inflammatory, and has neuroprotective power.
- The catechins in green tea help decrease body weight as well as maintaining body weight after weight loss.The tannins found in green tea have been found to help stop bleeding by coagulating the blood.
- Green tea is also full of antioxidants which, when added to water, can help boost the health of plants
- Tea tasting is no easy job you have to have a keen eye for tea leaves, a sharp taste for brewed teas and a keen smell to determine whether the aroma of brewed tea is good or not.
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