19 Lessons On Tea: Become an Expert on Buying, Brewing, and Drinking the Best Tea by 27Press

Author:27Press [27Press]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: 27Press
Published: 2013-12-09T05:00:00+00:00

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Tea History: Chai tea has a long and storied history. It dates back at least 5,000 years and was invited by an herbalist commissioned by the King of India. The King wanted a beverage with the ability to heal a myriad of illnesses. As described above, the base of chai is black tea, which has antioxidants that can help to heal the body naturally.

Lesson 11

Herbal Tea

Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.

-Chaim Potok, American Author

As mentioned early in this book, tea (black tea, green tea, etc.) comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. However, there are many tea-like drinks that are brewed in a similar way to tea but are from the leaves and flowers of plants other than Camellia sinensis.

These drinks are often called herbal teas, or "tisanes" and many people enjoy them, some even preferring them to Camellia sinensis tea. Because herbal tea can come from many different plants, there are a large variety of qualities that these teas can assume. Some are naturally caffeine free and some have antioxidant or mineral profiles different from Camellia sinensis tea, to name a few of these qualities.

For the purposes of this book, we are covering everything that is not Camellia sinensis tea in this lesson, but keep in mind that some of these major varieties, such as Mate and Rooibos, are distinct and popular enough that they would normally be categorized separately from the below types of herbal tea. Also remember that sometimes herbal tea ingredients are mixed with conventional tea leaves to produce a tea that includes infusions of both types of plants.

Below are just a few different types; keep in mind there are literally thousands of combinations and variations available for purchase.

Typical Preparation

It varies widely depending on the type, but most are similar to Black Tea (relatively hot water and fine for adding milk, honey, etc). The package your herbal tea comes in should give clear instructions on this though.

Rooibos

Rooibos tea is named after the South African plant from which it is harvested. In Africa, people drink rooibos tea with milk and/or sugar. Rooibos tea contains more antioxidants than Camellia sinensis tea, and has no caffeine, making it a great option for those that want to enjoy the health benefits of tea while avoiding caffeine consumption. It's also thought to help with anxiety and allergies.

Dutch settlers in Africa began drinking rooibos, as black tea imported from Europe was expensive with unreliable shipping patterns. Focus was put on this plant at the turn of the 20th century by Benjamin Ginsberg, who experimented with different leaf and needle sizes to make the most superior blend. In the last decade, rooibos popularity has spread through Europe and the United States as a health beverage. Rooibos is often combined with other herbs, spices, and dried fruits.

Yerba Mate

Yerba Mate is an herbal tea that originates from a species of the holly bush that is native to South America. Though it's categorized as an herbal tea, the plant it comes from is actually considered a tree.

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