Interesting Tea info !!

1.  All types of  tea (white, green, black, and oolong) comes from the same plant, the ‘Camellia Sinesis’ and It takes a  three to five years for a tea bush to grow and be ready for harvesting.

2.  Herbal tea is not really tea, but a tea-like drink made from flowers, fruits and herbs. Most herbal teas are distinguished by their ability to stimulate or relax the tea drinker.

3.  Research outcomes have shown that tea can provide over 15% of the minimum daily requirement of calcium, as much as 10% of folic acid, and 45% of manganese (promotes healthy bones).

4.  There is only one working tea plantation in the USA and it is located on Wadmalaw Island just outside Charleston, South Carolina. It also has a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

5.  If a lemon slice is kept at the bottom of a cup before pouring tea, it will help to keep any residue from tea leaves or minerals in water from forming on the top of the cup.

How to brew Green Tea

Brewing perfect cup of Green Tea is a tricky process. If not handled properly, those same 'polyphenols' that provide health benefits can ruin the flavor, making the tea taste "gassy." It's particularly important not to over brew. While it's best to follow the manufacturer's instructions for each variety of green tea, here are some general instructions:

• Use 2 - 4 grams of tea * , per cup.
• Fill a kettle with cold water and bring to a boil.
• After unplugging the kettle, allow it to stand for up to 3 minutes.
• Pour the heated water over the tea, and allow it to steep for up to 3 minutes.
• Allow the tea to cool for three more minutes.

*One to two teaspoons, depending on the variety of green tea you are brewing.

Although Green Tea is taken alone without any added flavorings , not everyone will appreciate drinking it in this manner. Infact some people would like to add a touch a sugar, or honey, ginger or even a slice of lemon to give that added taste.

Indian Tea Industry

The Indian tea industry is nearly 200 years old. Robert Bruce, a British national discovered tea plants growing in the upper Brahmaputra valley in Assam and adjoining areas. In 1838, Indian tea that was grown in Assam was sent to the UK for the first time, for public sale. Tea in India is grown primarily in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Apart from this, it is also grown in small quantities in Karnataka, HP, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Sikkim and Meghalaya. India has a dual tea base, unlike most other tea exporting countries. Both CTC and Orthodox tea is produced in India. The tea industry is agro‐based and labour intensive. It provides direct employment to over 1 million persons. Through its forward and backward linkages another 10 million persons derive their livelihood from tea. In Northeast India alone, the tea industry employs around 900,000 people on permanent rolls. It is one of the largest employers of women amongst organized industries in India. Women constitute nearly 51% of the total workforce. The tea estates in the North Eastern India are located in industrially backward areas. Tea being the only organised industry in the private sector in this region, people outside the tea estates has high expectations from the industry.