2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Tea is one of the most favorite and at the same time useful drinks. It ranks in the top 3 of the most consumed drinks, with water and coffee next to it. In essence, tea is a soft drink obtained after brewing or boiling processed and fermented leaves of the tea bush. The homeland of tea is China.
The tea plant / Camellia sinensise / is evergreen and bushy. It can reach a height of 10 meters, which is why it is often called a tea tree. However, industrial tea trees are maintained at a height of no more than 1.5 meters to facilitate the picking process, during which only the buds and leaves are taken from the top.
History of tea
The path of the aromatic drink is very long and dates back to antiquity. Wild tea is believed to have originated somewhere in the region between Tibet, northern India and western China. The tea drink was known 4500 years ago, when a local emperor was initiated into the secrets of its properties.
There is a legend about tea, which dates back to the creation of Chinese civilization itself. According to legend, the Chinese ruler Chen-Nung placed a vessel of water around a tea bush, after which the wind blew and several leaves fell into the water. When the emperor drank the water, he was captivated by its taste.
In China, the real boom in tea fields was observed in the 10th and 16th centuries, when trade in this product boomed significantly. Tea first arrived in Europe in the 17th century. It is not too late for tea to completely conquer England. In both England and the Netherlands, wealthy people put the drinking label on tea, thus helping to promote it. Thus, tea gradually goes a long way to conquering the hearts of people around the world.
Nowadays, it is estimated that about a billion and a half glasses are drunk every day tea - a fact that proves the established place of tea as one of the most popular drinks.
Composition of tea
Studies show that tea consists of 30 to 50% water-soluble ingredients. This means that its solubility is never complete. The younger and higher the quality of the tea leaves, the richer the tea is. Of the soluble substances, the most important are: essential oils, tannins, alkaloids, pigments, vitamins and amino acids.
The pectin substances in tea range between 2 and 3%. The enzymes in tea are over 10, but the main ones are 3 - catalase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase. Green teas are especially rich in protein. Tea is very rich in polyphenols (such as antioxidants), caffeine, tannins, taurine and theophylline.
100 g of dry extract of tea contains 5.3% water, 3.4 g of fiber, 1.79 kcal, 0.4 g of carbohydrates.
Types of tea
The most famous types of tea are 5 in number:
Green tea - is a product that is produced with a minimum of fermentation. It contains about ΒΌ of caffeine in a cup of coffee. It contains other similar caffeine-stimulating substances - theobromine and theophylline
Black tea - also called red tea. Due to its high oxidation, it contains higher amounts of caffeine than other types of tea. It has a strong and characteristic aroma.
White tea - the method of production predetermines lower levels of caffeine in this form tea.
Yellow tea - it dries longer, so it has a different taste than white and green tea. Many people define it as something similar to the two of them, and its taste is closest to that of black tea.
Oolong tea - the aroma and composition is defined as a combination of black and green tea.
Selection and storage of tea
Keep in mind that loose tea is the cheaper, and in some cases - a better option. Very often in tea bags, in addition to dried tea, they put sawdust or powder from tea twigs, which do not bring health benefits and worsen the quality of the drink.
It is necessary to store tea in a dry and dark place. Metal boxes are a very suitable option for this purpose. Properly stored tea can retain its qualities for up to a year and a half. If you want to enjoy its best taste, consume tea up to half a year after its production. Chinese tea products can be stored longer - up to three years.
Making tea
If the water with which they will prepare the tea is hard, you need to put a larger amount tea. In the most general case, one teaspoon is added to 200-250 g of water. After brewing the tea you have to wait a while. 4 minutes are enough for black tea; for green and light teas - about 3 minutes. Herbal and fruit teas require a longer brewing time - about 8 minutes.
Know that: The combination of tea with lemon gives an even more pleasant taste to the drink, and the vitamin value increases significantly. On the other hand, the tea-milk combination is very popular and popular, but experts say that milk kills most of the nutrients in tea.
Benefits of tea
In the first place, tea helps to urinate, alcohol intoxication and excretion of toxins from the body. It promotes the secretion of gastric juice, regulates fat metabolism and significantly improves digestion and appetite.
Due to the caffeine content in most varieties, tea is a great refreshing drink that eliminates drowsiness and fatigue. Tea is the best alternative to coffee.
Tea is believed to be an excellent tool for the prevention and even treatment of cardiovascular disease because it dilates blood vessels and improves breathing. It regulates muscle activity without accelerating it. Tea is a very strong disinfectant.
Restores the functions of the thyroid gland and helps the body to resist harmful radiation. Increases immunity and helps reduce excess weight because it contains substances that break down fat and help remove toxins. The green one tea contains trace elements that lower blood cholesterol.
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