Black Tea: Strong Tea With a Robust Flavor

Researchers now believe black tea provides many of the same health benefits as green tea

Are you an avid tea drinker? Do you have a preference for the kind of tea, you drink? Herbal teas are popular but, have you considered black tea? This type of tea has a very strong flavor and more caffeine. Black tea, better known as Camellia Sinensis which is actually an evergreen shrub is grown in China tends to be sweet or spicy, and sometimes, there may be a hint of chocolate or other floral additives. The origins of Black tea date back over 4,000 years ago in China.

The legendary Boston Harbor Tea party brought notoriety to Black tea in 1773. Colonists threw tea into the harbor as a gesture of independence. Bu the eighteenth century, tea was common in England where the infamous tea and crumpets were served daily in the afternoon.

To grow tea successfully, a tropical climate is needed, and preferably a rain forest. Typically, tea is grown in South America or in Asian countries. A high altitude is needed to grow tea. Over 80% percent of all tea sold, black tea remains the most popular. Black tea keeps its flavor for years. The tea plant can grow over 40 feet but is most generally pruned back to three to four feet.

The first tea buds, or first flush are considered to be the best leaves of top quality. Once this is picked another grows, and this cycle continues until Autumn. The older leaves further down the stem are of a poor quality and are generally discarded.

Some people prefer to drink their tea straight with nothing else. While others prefer to add milk or lemon, and sugar or you can add cloves and cinnamon. Some people prefer to drink it hot, while others prefer ice tea on a hot afternoon.

Black tea is processed by withering the leaves. Then the tea is processed by crushing, tearing and rolling. These tea leaves are processed manually or with a machine. Then the leaves are fermented and then dried. Then the leaves are sorted by their size. The leaves can be whole, broken, or broken down into dust. Then the tea is packaged.

Most generally, tea is prepared with boiling water and then steeped for approximately 4 minutes. Some people like to add spices to it such as cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg. Another popular additive is honey which can be used instead of sugar.

It's important to remember that tea research is still in the early stages. Jane Higden, a research associate with the Linus Pauling Institute, states in a recent article: "although numerous observational studies have examined the relationships between tea consumption and the risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer, there is no conclusive evidence that high intakes of tea are protective in humans." Still, it looks like there is no need to worry about depriving yourself of possible health benefits if black tea is your beverage of choice.

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