A BRIEF HISTORY OF TEA

The practice of tea drinking began in China almost 5000 years ago although its consumption was more for religious and health reasons than as a social drink.  Buddhist monks derived great benefits from tea, particularly increased mental alertness and serenity during meditation.  The first definitive book on tea, the Ch’a Ching, was written in 800 AD by a Chinese orphan named Lu Yu.  This book was based on Lu Yu’s observations over many years and laid the foundation of the tea culture which exists to this day.

In the ninth century the Buddhist monks brought tea from China to Japan, where it soon became the most important social drink among the aristocracy and the royal court.  The monks took tea wherever they travelled, which is why it has such a strong association with Zen Buddhism.  Today, in Japan, tea is regarded as an art form, celebrated by the ritual Tea Ceremony, first performed by Zen Buddhists in the 15th Century. 

Although tea had been consumed in the Orient for centuries, it was completely unknown in Europe until the mid 16th Century and was not widely available until a century later.  Although the British are often referred to as ‘a nation of tea drinkers’, we were one of the last European countries to discover it.  The first samples of tea arrived on these shores between 1652 and 1654 and it soon supplanted ale as the national drink.

TEA AND HEALTH

Most of the research into the health benefits of tea has been conducted in China and Japan, so is based mainly on green tea.  There can be little doubt, however, that black tea also has many of these benefits. 

By far the most important research is in the field of cancer.  In Japan, and subsequently by the FDA in America, it was found that green tea contains an antioxidant known as ECGC which was shown to inhibit the enzyme responsible of the formation of cancerous tumours.  Tests on black tea revealed that ECGC was not present.  It is believed, therefore, that the oxidation process destroys this valuable constituent.  It can now be seen that it is no coincidence that incidences of certain cancers are so much lower in green tea drinking areas. 

Other antioxidants are present in green tea thought to counteract cancer spreading free radicals in the body, lower cholesterol levels, regulate blood pressure, help prevent blood clotting and provide a natural antibiotic function. Caffeine, although harmful in large doses, is a natural stimulant, which excites the central nervous system, strengthens the heart, eases asthma and improves the metabolism.  Vitamin C is available in large quantities in green tea.  It is a powerful antioxidant and helps prevent heart disease as well as some cancers.  Also worthy of note is the presence of flavenoids which help prevent heart disease and lower bodily aromas, particularly bad breath.  There are many other minor constituents of green tea that also contribute benefits e.g. carotene, fluoride, zinc, selenium, manganese, potassium, niacin and folic acid.

It is believed that by drinking up to five cups of green tea per day, people will be providing their bodies with some pretty powerful ammunition to fight the organisms that bring disease.  It is, of course, imperative that the tea is fresh and of the best possible quality.  At Aurora we sell only the very best quality teas with full flavour and maximum health benefits.  The difference is in the cup.

WARNING:  DRINKING TEA CAN SERIOUSLY IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH