| Tea is drunk in more countries than any other | | | | broken leaves are used in tea bags. Each tea |
| beverage. It is one of the most popular drinks | | | | company has tea tasters who select only specific |
| today. Little wonder it is known as "the cup that | | | | teas.Tea has a colorful history. It was supposed |
| cheers."The yearly worldwide production of dried | | | | to have been discovered by Emperor Shennong |
| tea leaves is over 2.6 billion kilograms. India is one | | | | of China in about 2737 B.C. It finds its mention in |
| of the leading tea producers offering 720 million | | | | Chinese around 350 A.D. In Japan, tea drinking |
| kilograms each year. Other countries that produce | | | | was elevated to a full-fledged ceremony by 600 |
| tea are Kenya, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. China is a | | | | A.D. In the 1600s, it was imported into Europe |
| major producer of green tea. The main types of | | | | from China by the Dutch. By 1657, it was being |
| tea available today are black, white, green, and | | | | sold in English coffee houses. 1773 was the year |
| oolong. The only difference between them is the | | | | of the famous Boston Tea Party.Today tea is a |
| way they are made.The tea tree is an evergreen | | | | popular beverage all over the world. The country |
| plant with small, white, sweet-smelling flowers. | | | | importing the most tea is the UK, importing a |
| Grown on hill slopes on tea estates, its botanical | | | | total of about 180 million kilograms per year. It |
| name is "Camellia sinensis." In about four to five | | | | has been calculated that the British drink 3.2 |
| years the tea tree produces a ?flush? or a | | | | kilograms of tea per person every year. |
| growth of new shoots with many leaves and a | | | | Australians and New Zealanders are also great tea |
| bud, which are picked by hand. Approximately 18 | | | | drinkers and each person would, on an average, |
| kilograms of tea leaves can be harvested a day | | | | be drinking about 1.4 kilograms of tea annually. |
| to produce about 4.5 kilograms of manufactured | | | | Special varieties of tea are also gaining ground; |
| tea. Though mechanical pluckers are sometimes | | | | the market is expanding and offering a greater |
| used, hand plucking is said to be a better | | | | choice to the consumer. It really is the cup that |
| option.Tea is graded according to the size of the | | | | warms a lot of hearts all over the globe!Tea |
| leaves, which has nothing to do with the quality of | | | | provides detailed information on Tea, Green Tea, |
| the tea. In order of size, they are orange pekoe, | | | | Herbal Tea, White Tea and more. Tea is affiliated |
| pekoe, and pekoe souchong. The smaller or | | | | with Benefits of Green Tea. |