Tea has been around since 2737 BC refreshing, inspiring and intriguing men, monarchs and scientists alike.
The legend has it that The Shennong, emperor of China who invented agriculture and Chinese medicine discovered the amazing restorative properties of tea accidentally while drinking boiling water from a bowl.
From ancient times, tea has played a major role in the culture of the world as a whole and Asia in particular.
It is seen as a staple beverage and a curative drink with restorative and medical properties.
Tea has always had been associated with intellectuals and rebellious thought.
Right from the communist thinkers who evolved their philosophy over endless cups of tea to the Boston tea party when a few men forcefully boarded the East India Companies ships and threw cargo loads of tea into the ocean in a daring act of defiance.
The restorative properties of tea are not misplaced at all.
Tea contains antioxidants in the form of catechins.
A dry tea leaf can contain up to one third its weight of catechins.
It is found in higher concentration in white and green teas.
The very popular black tea has a significantly lesser amount of antioxidants because of the oxidative processing it undergoes.
Caffeine and Thiamine are also contained in tea; both stimulants that help refresh the drinker.
The medical properties of tea are undisputed and obvious.
Green tea is known to protect against an array of diseases including cancer.
It has been shown to protect drinkers from lung, breast and prostate cancer due to the presence of EGCG, an antioxidant.
The presence of catechins has shown to protect cells from oxidation damage.
White tea is found to be a better antioxidant based on hands on research.
It is also known that tea increases rate of metabolism thus increasing the rate of fat consumption.
This finding brings in an ancient weapon like tea into a very contemporary fight against obesity.
The medical properties apart, the flavor and taste of tea makes it a versatile drink that is consumed in a variety of forms.
The most popular form of tea is of course black tea which is more oxidized than any other variety.
Black tea is usually the stronger flavored variety and has higher caffeine levels than other teas.
Black tea also retains its flavor more than the other teas, typically for a few years.
Black tea is so popular that it amounts to over 90% of all tea sales in the west.
The Oolong tea is another variety that is midway between the black and the green.
It is prepared by oxidizing the tea leaf to about 70% of the oxidization done to make black tea.
The word Oolong stands for "Black Dragon" in Chinese.
Premium tea brews like Grey and Seddon tea, sometimes referred to as delicate tea, are prepared by steeping for a relatively short time duration.
The altitude and season of harvesting also alters the taste profile of the tea.
Pure teas are infused in boiling water and then steeped for anywhere between a minute to five.
Tea has always had been associated with intellectuals and rebellious thought.
Right from the communist thinkers who evolved their philosophy over endless cups of tea to the Boston tea party when a few men forcefully boarded the East India Companies ships and threw cargo loads of tea into the ocean in a daring act of defiance.
In the days of Imperial China, tea was far more than just a beverage.
It was a sign of status, an excuse to sit down together and spark off a discussion or a debate, even a popular cloth dye.
Today, tea is more popular then ever before being consumed so much the world over that only water tops it.
The popularity shows absolutely no sign of slowing down.