April 2006
People probably began drinking tea around 5,000 years ago in China. In one popular story, Shennong, the legendary Emperor of China was on a journey, and as smart travelers still do today, he boiled his water before drinking it. One day he noticed some leaves had fallen into his boiling water. Curious, he took a sip of the brew and was taken with its flavor and restorative properties.
Around the 11th century tea made its way to Japan, then later throughout the world. Tea was so prized by people everywhere, that it became a key player in world conflicts including Britain's “First Opium War” and the American Revolution. Prior to the Boston Tea Party, residents of the 13 colonies drank far more tea than coffee, while in Britain, coffee was more popular. After the famous tax protest, many Americans stopped drinking tea out of patriotism. Today tea is making a strong comeback in America.
Being Green
True teas all stem from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, and they become green, black, or other types of tea depending upon how they are cured and processed. (Herbal teas do not contain tea leaves and are rather, infusions). As soon as tea leaves are picked they begin to change as they oxidize, but with the Japanese green teas this process is halted right away with a rubbing process and then carefully controlled. Over the past decade green tea has been the focus of research that affirms its healthful properties: Antioxidants such as tannins, flavonoids, and epigallocatechins gallate (EGCG), collectively referred to as ‘catechins’. These compounds account for up to 40 percent of green tea's dry weight.
Reserve Your Tea Time
In this hurried and stressful world we need to reclaim time for quiet reflection and relaxation. What better way to do this than to make Tea Time a regular part of life with the finest quality, most satisfying tea that can be found? EDEN Organic Tea comes in 9 flavors, 16 bags per box. Their manilla fiber bags are oxygen washed, and they are crimp sealed with a 100 percent cotton string, no plastics or glues. Nurture yourself.
