So now we know the origins of tea, lets turn our attention to what is tea.
The tea plant or by its actual name Camellia Sinensis is an evergreen tree of the Camellia genus- of the 200 or so species of Camellia only the Camellia Sinensis is used for tea production.
There are 3 main variants:
- Camellia Sinensis Var Sinensis– Sinensis translates as ‘From China’ and is the sturdiest of the variants- it has better resistance to drought and cold, than other varieties, so is often grown at high altitudes as well as areas with variable climates such as China, Japan and Turkey. It is identified by its small dark leaves that are light in body and full of flavour. Perfect for White, Green and Oolong Tea
- Camellia Sinensis Var. Assamica– Discovered in the Assam region of India. It is suited to tropical climates with abundance of rain such as India, Sri Lanka and Africa. It has very large, thick leaves. The larger leaves are more suited to more vigorous processing. Ideal for black and smoked teas.
Due to the range of locations where tea is grown the plant is very adaptable and can survive in many different soil types. The soil however must be acidic with a PH of between 4.5-5.5 and rich with minerals. For the roots to gain optimal depth, up to 6 feet, the soil needs to be loose (not clay or limestone). Mountainous conditions are often optimum.
For tea to thrive the climate needs to be tropical or sub-tropical and for optimum growing tea requires plenty of rain, with around 1,500mm per year with a maximum of 3 months dry period. The average temperature should be between 18-20oC and temperatures below -5oC can kill the plant. The ideal average daily sunlight of 5 hours per day.
Tea grown in locations close to the equator can have the leaves harvested all year round.
Whereas tea grown in locations that are 16 degrees above or below the equator, which encounter less than 12 hours of daily sunshine do not grow at the same speed as equator based teas and the growth of these trees and leaves is slowed and halted. Therefore, the harvest of these leaves is delayed until the following season, usually Spring- this first pluck in the Spring is often renowned as the most flavourful. This delaying of the harvest produces a good quality tea with aromatic flavours and thus creates differing notes to equator grown tea.
Why drink tea and the associated benefits tea
Firstly tea, in my humble opinion at least, is a delicious drink that is a joy to drink all year round- if the weather is cold and miserable there is nothing better than warming up with a lovely hot black tea , Earl Grey is my go to. On a warm summers day a delightful cup of a light, sweet White or Green tea is perfect, I tend to favour a Jasmine flavoured green. Upon waking early on a dark work/ school morning, nothing gets me up or going better than an English Breakfast blend or a single estate Assam or Darjeeling. I personally cannot think of an occasion where a cup of tea is not the go to drink.
But did you know that as well as being delicious there are also a number of health benefits for drinking tea. As the leaves contain the folowing:
Antioxidants: antioxidants are molecules that can help neutralize free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can harm your cells. Antioxidants can help lower the risk of diseases such as heart disease and cancer.
L-Theanine: trials have shown that this amino acid can have anti-anxiety properties, it can improve sleep, cognitive functions and relaxation. It is stated that the longer the leaves are steeped the higher levels are extracted- maximum levels can be extracted after 20 minutes. Tea can have between 5 to 36 milligrams (mg) of L-theanine per cup. White and Green tea have higher levels than oolong and black.
Phytochemicals: are chemicals derived from plants, fruits and some edible flowers. They have a beneficial effect on the body and may play a role in preventing and even treating disease. They may boost immune system, fight inflation whilst acting as antioxidants.
Flavonoids: Are a class of phytochemicals and again act as antioxidants.
In all tea contains more than 700 chemicals such as amino acids, vitamins (C, E, and K), flavonoids, caffeine, etc.
