You make it. You drink it. Sometimes you even eat it. But do you know the basics about it? Fine Dining Lovers wrote an article “Tea Facts from A to Z” back in 2013 with a few interesting tea facts. Here are some of my favourites from it that I consider to be basics. Let’s see how many of these fun facts you knew about…
- There are many different kinds of tea, but they are all derived from just one plant: Camellia sinensis. The color and variety of the tea (green, black, white, oolong) depends, however, on the way the leaves are treated.
- Loose tea is, for connoisseurs, the best way to taste tea: the quality
of the tea leaves, which are often whole, and not broken up as in tea
bags, is often higher, and retains more of their original flavor. - Oolong tea, a Chinese and Taiwanese tea with a fruity aroma, is also often called Dragon’s Tea: these tea leaves, when put in teapot, often start to look like a dragon. The world’s most expensive tea is an oolong tea: it’s called Tieguanyin, and its leaves cost up to $3,000 per kilo.
- The stimulant found in tea leaves is theanine, an antioxidant whose
equivalent in coffee is caffeine. Tea, however, contains less caffeine
than coffee: around half the amount. - Tea is a natural antioxidant, and rich in vitamins: it contains vitamins
B2, B1 and B6. Tea, however, is also rich in potassium, manganese,
folic acid and calcium. - Experts have always advised on the best kind of water for making tea. In
early Chinese texts we can find suggestions that the best water should
be taken from rivers and lakes. - Yin Zhen or Silver Needle is the most highly prized of white teas. It comes from China, and takes
its name from the leaves used to make it, which are harvested when
they’re young and still unfurled, and look like needles.
How many did you already know about? Let me know in the comments below!