Yes, that perfect cup of tea is truly steeped in history and tradition. The Emperor of China was the first to enjoy the beverage created by steeping leaves from the herb Camelia Simensis plant nearly 5,000 years ago. In colonial days, tea leaves were boiled at length to create a very bitter brew. This concoction of leaves that had been severely overcooked was then salted, buttered, and eaten.

Today tea is the world’s second most popular beverage consumed, second only to water. It’s easy to make, affordable, and offers variety in its flavors and aroma. Americans drink
50 billion cups of tea each year, 40 billion of which are served as iced tea.

• The first tea bags were created by Thomas Sullivan in 1904, and made of silk.
• The difference between Black, Green, and Oolong tea is a result of the changes that occur during processing of the tea leaves. They are all made from the same type of tea leaves.
  • Black teas are fermented, left in a cool, dark, and damp place for a time, and then heated to stop the fermentation process.
  • Oolong teas are semi-fermented
  • Green teas are heated after picking…so there is no fermenting process.
  • Herbal teas are not actually teas, but are concoctions of peels, flower leaves, herbs, and spices, and are caffeine free.
  • The caffeine content of tea is 40 mg in one cup of tea as compared to 99 mg of caffeine in a cup of coffee.
  • Black and Green teas contain a certain type of antioxidant called flavenoids.
  • To be labeled “decaffeinated,” the caffeine content per cup of tea must be approximately 5 mg.