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Keep
reading for some Tea for Thought . . .
5000
years ago, Emperor Shen Non was boiling his drinking water. Dried
leaves from a nearby bush fell into the water, and tea was
discovered. Native to China, Camellia Sinensis, the tea plant, is
now cultivated worldwide. Although tea is produced in more than 25
countries, plantations in India, Japan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Africa,
and Indonesia produce most of the world's tea. All real teas are
derived from the Camellia Sinensis tea plant, a caffeine-producing
bush. On average, a cup of tea has 40-50 mg of caffeine. There are
over 2000 varieties of tea. The 3 main categories of tea are
black, green and oolong. Within each of these categories there are
many varieties. Black and green teas come from the same tea plant
species, the difference being the processing procedure that each
leaf undergoes, as well as the time of harvest. Black teas undergo
several hours of oxidation before drying and roasting. Green tea
is steamed immediately after picking to stop oxidation. Oolong
(green/black) tea is partially fermented to preserve some of green
tea's delicate flavor and add the richer flavor of black tea. Tea
is the national drink of many Asian countries. Tea drinking has
become on of life's most treasured enjoyments, and is regarded as
a form of ceremonial art in many Asian cultures. Tea blends
naturally and harmoniously with the everyday lives of many people.
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