Tea Can Reduce Risk Of Liver Disease

Tea Can Reduce The Risk Of Chronic Liver Disease

A study published today in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Gastroenterology found that people at high risk for liver injury may be able to reduce their risk for developing chronic liver disease significantly by drinking more than two cups of coffee or tea daily. This preventative effect was only seen in people at higher risk for liver disease due to heavy alcohol intake, being overweight or having diabetes or iron overload. This is the first study to take a prospective look at the relationship between coffee and tea consumption and chronic liver disease in the general U.S. population.

"While it is too soon to encourage patients to increase their coffee and tea intake, the findings of our study potentially offer people at high-risk for developing chronic liver disease a practical way to decrease that risk," said Constance E. Ruhl, MD, PhD, who conducted the study with colleague, James E. Everhart, MD, MPH. "In addition, we hope the findings will offer guidance to researchers who are studying liver disease progression."

Chronic liver disease is an ongoing injury to the cells of the liver, resulting in inflammation that lasts longer than six months. Its causes are numerous, including viruses, obesity, alcohol, metabolic or immunologic abnormalities, and side effects from various medications. Chronic liver diseases include cirrhosis, fibrosis and hepatitis. According to the most recent estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 28,000 people die of chronic liver disease each year and there are more than 5 million prevalent cases of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis in the United States.

Researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and Social & Scientific Systems, Inc. conducted an analysis of patients using the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) and the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-Up Study. The study population included 9,849 participants whose coffee and tea intake was evaluated and who were followed for a median of 19 years. In this analysis, coffee and tea intake was measured in cups, ranging from 0 to 16 cups per day with a median of two cups per day. Findings showed that those who consumed more than two cups of coffee or tea per day developed chronic liver disease at half the rate of those who drank less than one cup each day.

Over the last few years, there has been a growing body of evidence that coffee decreases the risk of elevated liver enzymes, cirrhosis and liver cancer. This study provides support for a protective effect of coffee on chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, and extends these findings to the general U.S. population. However, the study does not provide evidence that coffee and tea protect against chronic liver disease from individual causes, such as fatty liver disease or viral hepatitis.

"In the analysis, we determined that caffeine was partly responsible for the protective effect found. We believe that investigations into the mechanism of action of caffeine for protecting the liver and its clinical application are needed," said Dr. Ruhl.

Source

Tea Recipes #3

These recipes, and much more, are found in the fabulous book Eat Tea by Joanna Pruess.

GREEN FRUITS IN JASMINE TEA SYRUP

• 2 t. jasmine tea leaves
• 1/2 c. sugar
• grated zest of 1 lime
• juice of 1 lime
• 3 kiwi, peeled and sliced
• 1 ripe honeydew melon (approx. 5 lbs.) , scooped into balls or diced
• 8 oz. seedless green grapes, stemmed, washed, and halved
• sprigs of fresh mint for garnish

Bring 1/3 c. water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the jasmine tea, remove the pan from the heat, and infuse for 4-5 minutes. Strain into a clean pan, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible, and discard the tea leaves.

Add sugar and lime zest to the pan. Over medium heat, stir until sugar dissolves, then bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer syrup for 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in lime juice.

Place kiwi, melon, and grapes in serving bowl and pour on syrup. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 4-6 hours. Remove from refrigerator 20 minutes before serving, toss gently, garnish with mint.

COCONUT-SCENTED YAMS

• 4 medium yams
• 1 c. coconut milk
• 2 T. rose hips tea leaves
• salt
• toasted shredded coconut for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 F. Bake yams until tender. Meanwhile bring coconut milk to a simmer in saucepan. Stir in tea and infuse for 5 mintues. Strain, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Mash yams, stir in the tea-infused coconut milk, season to taste with salt. Garnish with coconut.

Tea on Horseback

Tea on Horseback

With five tons of Pu'er tea, a team of 120 horses and mules led by 43 stablemen from Southwest China's Yunnan Province arrived in Beijing after more than five months of travelling.

An auction of the tea will be held with proceeds going to the Project Hope.

The event, started on May 1st, is aimed to promote Pu'er tea culture by reviving the tradition when Pu'er tea was transported on horseback from Simao, hometown of Pu'er tea in Yunnan Province, to the royal court in Beijing.

At that time, horses were one of the most convenient means to transport, the transportation itself was one of the processes in making the fine Pu'er tea. It is said the unique taste of Pu'er tea was developed during the month-long horseback transportation when the tea-leaves would begin to ferment in the humidity and release a strong, fragrant aroma.

This is the first horseback transportation of Pu'er tea along the same route from Simao to Beijing since the practice died out 166 years ago. There have been four tea auctions along the way in Kuming, Chengdu, Xi'an and Taiyuan. Beijing was the trip's final stop.

Source

Green Tea: Taking a Walk on the Wild Side

Yes, it has fabulous health benefits, and yes, it's a crisp, clean, delicate beverage, but who ever suspected that green tea had a wild side? Consider this: you are traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Tea-light Zone!

Jasmine Balls: A bundle of tea leaves are hand-tied together. The inner leaves are cut short and the outer leaves are left long. The leaves are rolled into a tight ball, and the ball is steamed and dried with jasmine. As the tea ball infuses in hot water, the leaves unfurl and the opened ball looks like a chrysanthemum. The chrysanthemum evokes tranquility and health.

Jasmine Golden Flower and Queen Victoria Flower: As with the Jasmine Balls, a small bundle of green tea leaves is hand-tied together. But rather than being rolled into a ball, the leaves are very carefully flattened into a wheel shape. The Jasmine Golden is steamed and dried with jasmine; the Queen Victoria is dried with chrysanthemum. The Queen Victoria is typically designed to produce a delightful triple flower during infusion.

Dragon Pearls: Somewhat like Jasmine Balls, a Dragon Pearl is made from the top two leaves and a bud at the tip of a new growth branch. The leaves and bud are then hand-rolled into small pearls which gently unfurl and reform their original state during infusion. The presentation is wonderfully evocative of a tea bush high in the mists of an estate.

Gunpowder: Gunpowder tea is another rolled green but generally uses a larger leaf. The tea gets its name from the resemblance of the tightly rolled leaves to the gunpowder used in British ships' cannons. The whole leaves unfurl as they steep.

Green Tea Brick: Green tea is compressed into flat shapes with designs imprinted on the surface. The drinker grates or cuts off as much tea as needed for the pot size. Because the tea is compressed, it retains its quality for several years if stored properly.

Green Tea Medallions: Similar to the tea brick, a medallion looks more like a checker. Various characters are pressed into either side of the medallion to signify long life, health, prosperity, and other positive traits. A medallion usually makes up to 18 cups of tea.

Kukicha: Not letting anything go to waste, kukicha is actually green tea stems and few, if any, leaves at all. Kukicha, a twig tea, has an fresh and vigorous green tea flavor.

Teapots: Japanese Tetsubin

The tetsubin cast-iron teapot began as a humble implement in Japanese kitchens. It was used to boil water over the hearth to provide both heat and humidity. It was also used to boil tea water because many tea drinkers favored the taste of water boiled in cast iron. Around the mid 1800’s, tetsubin pots became ornate status symbols and were integrated into the artful and elaborate Japanese tea ceremonies where they continue to play a small but important role.

Today, tetsubin teapots are still made of cast-iron, but most interiors are coated with an enamel glaze to prevent rusting. Tetsubin pots are typically small and hold only two cups of tea. It is interesting to note that the decoration on a tetsubin pot is generally placed so the spout points to the right when viewing the design.

Tetsubin teapots reflect a cultural and historic tradition in Japanese art where function meets design and both are thereby enhanced.

View the tetsubin collection of the California Academy of Sciences here .

Global tea imports rise spurred by US demand

Global tea imports rise 1.5% spurred by US demand

Global tea imports rose 1.5% in 2004, helped by rising US demand for the fragrant leaves, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization said. Global net tea imports reached 1.42 million metric tons in 2004, the Rome-based organization said. The US bought 99,000 tons, 5.3% more than in 2003. That’s more than double the growth in the European Union, where imports rose 2.4% to 215,000 tons.

“Most of the growth in these markets is reportedly in response to promotional efforts on the health benefits of tea consumption,” the FAO said. “Available evidence from medical research suggests that moderate consumption of tea offers protection against heart and blood vessel disease, some cancers, and bacterial infections.”

Kenya and Sri Lanka are the world’s biggest tea suppliers. Unilever NV’s Lipton, Tata Tea Ltd, which owns the Tetley brand, and Associated British Foods Plc’s Twinings business are the world’s top suppliers of the beverage.

“In response to increased demand, global tea production rose 2% to an estimated 3.2 million tons,” it said. “The expansion in production was due mainly to the increases recorded in Turkey, China, Kenya, Malawi, Sri Lanka and Indonesia,” the organization said. “The growth in output from these countries more than offset declines in other major producing countries, including India and Bangladesh.”

Source

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r-r-r-Rooibos!

Rooibos, a caffeine-free tisane or herbal tea, is growing in popularity in the United States and around the world. The only source of the product is the rooibos plant which grows in a small area north of Capetown, South Africa. Large-scale agricultural production of rooibos began in the 1930s, but there are claims that the bushmen of the area have used it for centuries. Although the rooibos (pronounced "ROY-boss") plant, or "red bush", itself is green, its leaves turn red when fermented.

The health benefits of rooibos are legion. Both fermented (red) and unfermented (green) rooibos have a high antioxidant content which protects against the free radical damage associated with cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Rooibos is said to be helpful in treating insomnia, headaches, hay fever, asthma, and as a general immune system booster. It can also be used as a topical treatment for eczema, rashes, and other skin irritations. Because it does not contain caffeine and has low tannin levels, children can drink rooibos freely and benefit from the vitamins and minerals it contains. Many parents report an easing of colic and stomach cramping after giving their babies a rooibos infusion.

Red or green rooibos may either be unblended, blended with complimentary fruit flavors such as mango or pineapple, or flavored with vanilla or caramel, for example. Rooibos tea can be substituted for water in any recipe such as sweet breads and cakes, as a natural meat tenderizer, or as a soup base. Given its natural sweetness, rooibos tea can be enjoyed hot or cold (or even frozen as sugar-free popsicles!).

Tea Quotes #2

"If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you."
William Gladstone (1809-1898) British Prime Minister

"There is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) author, poet, and philosopher

"Make tea not war."
Monty Python

"I'm not interested in immortality but only in tea flavor."
Lu Tung (755-805) one of the Eight Immortals of Taoism

"If a man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty."
Japanese proverb

Tea Recipes #2

TEA-SMOKED CHICKEN

• 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 3- to 3 1/2-pound chicken
• 1/4 cup loose Lapsang souchong tea or tea removed from 11 tea bags
• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• Asian sesame oil for brushing chicken

In a dry, small, heavy skillet toast peppercorns over moderate heat, shaking skillet, 5 minutes. Cool peppercorns and with a mortar and pestle or in an electric coffee/spice grinder coarsely grind. In a small bowl stir together peppercorns and salt.
Pat chicken dry and rub inside and out with peppercorn mixture. Transfer chicken, breast side up, to a steamer and steam over boiling water, covered, 25 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through.
While chicken is steaming, line bottom and lid of a wok with heavy-duty foil. In wok stir together loose tea and brown sugar until combined well.
Arrange a metal rack about 2 inches above tea mixture and transfer chicken, breast side up, to rack in wok. Heat wok, covered, over moderately high heat until wisps of smoke begin to appear, 2 to 3 minutes, and smoke chicken, covered, 6 minutes. Turn chicken over and smoke, covered, 6 minutes more. Remove wok from heat and let chicken stand, covered, 15 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board and brush lightly with oil.

Source

RASPBERRY TEA GELEES WITH WATERMELON

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups water plus 1 cup ice water
• 4 raspberry tea bags
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juicea
• 2 1/4-pound piece watermelon, rind and seeds discarded, cut into 1/4-inch cubes and chilled (about 3 cups)
• 12 small fresh mint leaves

Bring sugar and 2 cups water to a boil over moderately high heat and boil, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add tea bags and remove pan from heat. Steep tea 5 minutes and remove tea bags, carefully squeezing any liquid in them into pan.
Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup ice water in a small bowl and let stand 1 minute to soften. Stir gelatin mixture into hot tea over low heat until gelatin is dissolved completely. Remove pan from heat and stir in remaining 3/4 cup ice water and lemon juice. Chill mixture 45 minutes or until thickened to the consistency of raw egg white, and stir in watermelon and mint leaves. Rinse six 1-cup molds in cold water, shaking out excess water (do not dry). Spoon mixture into molds and chill until set, about 2 hours.
Dip each mold into warm water to loosen and invert gelées onto dessert plate. Garnish gelées with mint sprigs.

Source

TEA-AND-LEMON GRAVY

• 8 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, halved
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• Neck, heart, and gizzard, reserved from 22-pound turkey
• 1 lemon
• 1 Earl Grey tea bag
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemon (yellow part only). Add peel to broth mixture. Bring mixture to boil; reduce heat and simmer until neck and gizzard are tender, about 45 minutes.
Remove neck, heart, and gizzard from broth; finely chop heart and gizzard. Pull meat from neck and chop. Strain broth. Return broth to pan; boil until reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; add tea bag. Cover; steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bag.
Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook until light brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Whisk in broth and cream. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened and smooth, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Stir in grated peel and neck, heart, and gizzard pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

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Black Tea: Making the Grade

Black teas, such as Assam, Ceylon, or Darjeeling, are graded according to the size and condition of the dried leaf. Unlike oolong teas which are graded according to the quality of the brewed tea, black tea grades do not strictly correlate to the desirability of the final product. Nonetheless, familiarity with black tea grades at least provides the drinker with an idea of a tea's characteristic flavor and optimum brewing time since whole leaf teas, for example, typically produce a smoother beverage and brew longer than their broken leaf counterparts.

Black tea grades begin with a division between whole leaf grades and broken leaf grades. Tea purchased in loose leaf form is usually whole leaf and is preferred by aficionados. The basic whole leaf grades are:

• Pekoe (pronounced "PECK-oh") refers to whole leaves of the same size; historically, the grade was limited to leaves from the branch tip, but the definition is broader now; "souchong" refers to large leaves from farther down the branch and therefore of lower quality
• OP (orange pekoe) refers to the largest leaf size and a higher quality leaf (younger, more tender, and closer to the bud) than pekoe; "orange" refers to a family of Dutch traders rather than the fruit flavor
• FOP (flowery orange pekoe) refers to the inclusion of the leaf bud in the tea; the highest grade of FOP is SFTGFOP (Special, Finest, Tippy Golden, Flowery Orange,Pekoe) which consists nearly entirely of tips; an estate (rather than blended) SFTGFOP Darjeeling second flush (second picking of the year) might easily cost $100-150 per pound

The basic broken leaf grades are:

• BOP (broken orange pekoe) black tea comprising broken segments of somewhat coarser leaves and no tips
• BOPF (fannings) small leaf particles of leaf sifted out of better grade teas; when brewed properly, fannings will make a tea often as good as a whole leaf grade
• Dust The smallest particle of leaf size which is normally used for tea bag tea; because the particles are small with so much exposed surface area, they infuse more quickly than whole leaf tea and they also go stale more quickly

Tea to be a 7-Eleven Staple

Tea Set to Become Convenience Store Staple, 7-Eleven Official Says

Tea is in a strong position to become a staple of most American convenience stores, a public relations officials at one of America's largest 7-Eleven franchises says. As more and more people turn to healthy alternatives to carbonated and sugar-filled beverages, the convenience store industry is already starting to stock up on tea drinks, and experts expect the trend to continue throughout the summer.

Source

Black Tea, Green Tea Good for Diabetes

Black and Green Tea Lower Blood Sugar

Both black tea and green tea are good for diabetes, a rat study shows. They also prevent diabetic animals from developing cataracts.

"Tea may be a simple, inexpensive means of preventing or retarding human diabetes and the ensuing complications, " the researchers write.

The researchers recommend that tea -- black and green -- should be studied for an antidiabetes effect in humans.

Read the entire WebMD story.

ch-ch-ch-Chai!

Chai, also known as masala chai, is India’s unofficial favorite beverage. At its most basic, chai is a spiced tea. But in reality, chai evokes the many exotic regions of India and the varying cultures and lifestyles of the Indian people. That super-creamy, overly sweetened, pumpkin-pie-spiced drink at your local coffee house can’t hold a candle to the delicately balanced, comfortingly aromatic chai made from ancient family and regional recipes.

Masala is a term from Indian cuisines meaning a mixture of spices. Although it varies among regions, the spices typically combined for use with chai are cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, pepper, and cloves. There are recipes that include nutmeg, anise, licorice, allspice, coriander, chocolate, vanilla and other locally preferred spices and flavorings.

The ingredient groups for a masala chai are the tea, milk, the spices, and a sweetener.

• Tea: generally a hearty black tea such as Assam or Keemun is used; chai is a heavily spiced drink and a lighter tea would quickly be overwhelmed
• Milk: use whole milk, half-and-half, or cream according to personal preference
• Spices: see recipe below, but experiment freely to create your own perfect masala
• Sweetener: white, brown, or raw sugar, honey, or other sweetener of choice

Here is a simple recipe for masala chai, but be forewarned. Once you taste it, you may never be able to go back to the syrupy commercial version.

Masala Chai for 2

1 c. water
1 c. milk
2 T. sugar
1 T. black tea leaves
Masala (recipe below)
Put water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the masala mixture. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Add the milk and sugar and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat. Add the tea leaves. Steep for 3 minutes. Strain the tea into pre-warmed teacups and serve immediately.

Masala

1 inch fresh ginger, sliced thin
slightly crushed or cracked:

• 1 inch stick of cinnamon
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 peppercorns

Tea Quotes #1

"When one has tea and wine one will have many friends."
Chinese proverb

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

"The best quality tea must have creases like the leathern boot of Tartar horsemen, curl like the dewlap of a mighty bullock, unfold like a mist rising out of a ravine, gleam like a lake touched by a zephyr, and be wet and soft like a fine earth newly swept by rain."
Lu Yu (d. 804), Chinese sage

"Tea, though ridiculed by those who are naturally coarse in their nervous sensibilities ... will always be the favourite beverage of the intellectual."
Thomas De Quincey (1785–1859), British author

"Tea to the English is really a picnic indoors."
Alice Walker, from The Color Purple

"Tea! Thou soft, thou sober, sage, and venerable liquid, thou innocent pretence for bringing the wicked of both sexes together in a morning; thou female tongue-running, smile-smoothing, heart- opening, wink-tipping cordial, to whose glorious insipidity I owe the happiest moment of my life, let me fall prostrate thus, and ... adore thee."
Colley Cibber (1671–1757), British actor & playwright

Tea Ingredient Fights Leukemia

Lab Study: Green, Black, and Oolong Tea Boosts Immune Responses

Tea extracts shut down leukemia cells but help normal cells fight cancer and infection, a lab study shows.

The findings may help explain the many health effects reported by tea drinkers -- including tea's reputed anticancer effect.

Read the entire WebMD story.

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Tea Recipes #1

JASMINE TEA GANACHE

• 10 oz. heavy cream
• 1 oz. light corn syrup
• 1 1/4 oz. jasmine tea
• 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 1/2 oz. milk chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 oz. rum

Chop the chocolate into small pieces approximately 3/8-inch. Boil together the cream and light corn syrup. Add the jasmine tea and simmer for 1 minute. Strain the tea and pour over the bittersweet chocolate and milk chocolate. Mix the ingredients only enough to incorporate. Allow to cool to 90 degrees and stir in the rum. Pour into a shallow dish that has been lined with waxed or parchment paper. The filling should be 5/8 inches thick. Allow to cool overnight or until firm, covered in refrigerator. Cut into squares.
Source

TEA LIQUEUR

• 2 tsps. black tea leaves (or choose a flavored black tea)
• 1 1/2 c. vodka
• 1/2 c. sugar syrup (dissolve 1 part sugar to 1 part water over heat; adjust for desired sweetness; cool before using)

Steep the tea leaves in vodka for up to 24 hours. Strain and add sugar syrup. Age for 2 weeks. Store in a capped bottle in the refrigerator. Yield: 1 pint

EARL GREY SHORTBREAD

• 1/2 c. butter, room temperature
• 1/4 c. confectioners’ sugar
• 3/4 c. flour, sifted
• 1/4 c. cornstarch
• 1 Tblspn. Earl Grey tea, finely ground

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light. Fold in flour, cornstarch and tea and mix until dough begins to hold its shape (do not overwork dough). Pat dough into 8"x 8" pan and bake 55 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting in 2" squares. Yield: 16 squares. Source

Teapots: Yixing Clay

The vision of a tea drinker with an Yixing clay teapot brings to mind Miguel de Cervantes' (author of "Don Quixote") quote about friendship: "Tell me what company thou keepst, and I'll tell thee what thou art."

An Yixing (pronounced ee-shing) clay teapot is a tea drinking joy like no other. It is made of a red, purple, or buff clay found only in China's Jiangsu province northwest of Shanghai. The clay is especially porous, and neither the inside nor the outside of the teapots is glazed to allow the tea's flavor and oils to permeate the pot's walls. For this reason, Yixing devotees usually designate a pot for a specific type of tea to avoid contamination from cross-brewing.

Westerners are often surprised at the small 1-2 cup size of the typical Yixing teapot. Unlike communal 6-8 cup or larger teapots, the Yixing teapot is a personal and intimate treasure much like a favorite pair of slippers.

Tea preparation begins with the seasoning of the new pot. First, rinse the pot with water to remove any loose materials. Then, allow an infusion of the type of tea to which the pot will be dedicated to steep in the pot for up to 30 minutes. Discard the tea and rinse the pot with clear water. The seasoning process is only done once before a pot's first use.

To prepare the tea:

• fill the teapot with boiling water, put its lid on, and pour hot water over the pot
• discard the water once the pot is warmed
• add loose leaf tea to the pot; the amount depends on personal preference, but 2 tablespoons in a 2-cup pot is a safe starting point
• fill the teapot with hot water
• allow the tea to steep; again, the time depends on personal preference, but up to 2 minutes for the first steeping is typical

Pour the tea into your favorite pre-warmed cup, relax, and submerge your senses in the combined ancient elements of clay, water, and tea. High grade tea leaves support 4-6 steepings.

Caring for a Yixing teapot could not be easier. Use clear water to flush the leaves out of the pot, and turn the pot upside down to dry. Soap or detergents should never be used on either the outside or the inside of a Yixing teapot.

Click Yixing teapots if you would like to begin shopping for your own Yixing pot. Enjoy!

Devoted to Darjeeling

Darjeeling tea is often referred to as the “champagne of teas." And just as with fine wines, a skilled tea taster can identify the leaves’ garden of origin and can describe the weather conditions on the day the leaves were picked. Darjeeling's flavor depends on the season when the harvest occurs. For example, a Spring flush picking in May and June yields a leaf with the favored Muscatel-like taste and an amber colored liquor.

Darjeeling tea was first cultivated in the Darjeeling region of India in the mid-1800’s from Chinese tea seeds. The Darjeeling region in the northeastern Indian state of West Bengal is currently home to 86 Darjeeling tea estates. Authentic Darjeeling tea cannot be produced anywhere else in the world although nearly 75% of the tea sold as Darjeeling is fraudulently labeled.

Modern-day tea harvesting is still done by hand and to exacting standards. For example, a “fine plucking” Darjeeling harvester will only pick the bud and 2 leaves from the end of a branch. It takes 22,000 of these shoots make a little over two pounds of tea. A tea bush may be cultivated for 10 years before it is harvested.

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Tea Tip #1

Tea Tip #1
A cooled tea bag works well as a compress on swollen, puffy eyes. A newly blackened eye also benefits from a tea bag compress.
Source

Cancer hope for green tea extract

A chemical extracted from green tea could help scientists to develop new drugs to fight cancer.

Tests by UK and Spanish researchers showed polyphenol EGCG taken from green tea leaves inhibits cancer cell growth.

The effect was seen even at low concentrations, equivalent to drinking two or three cups of green tea a day.

Read the entire BBC story.

Welcome, tea lovers!

Tea lovers of the world ... welcome to Tea Glorious Tea!

Relax with your favorite cuppa and enjoy this wondrous journey.