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