'Tea'totaller

Enjoying a cup of tea with an old friend and talking about old times is something that everybody loves to do and is my idea of a perfect afternoon. As I was sipping the tea I wondered how many people really enjoy their beverage in a befitting manner. The gourmet in me permits me to enjoy any beverage I consume, alcoholic or non-alcoholic. While I wouldn’t want to delve into my “connoisseural” capabilities, I thought I would share some vital info about tea.

Tea is harvested after each flush - the sprouting of the top two leaves and bud. The top two leaves and bud are hand plucked and then processed into any of the four types of tea, which are Black, Green, Oolong, and White.

Black tea is withered, fully oxidized and dried. Black tea yields a hearty, amber-colored brew. Some of the popular black teas include English Breakfast, and Darjeeling.

Green tea skips the oxidizing step. It is simply withered and then dried. It has a more delicate taste and is pale green / golden in color

Oolong tea, popular in China, is withered, partially oxidized, and dried. Oolong is a cross between black and green tea in color and taste.

White tea is the least processed. A very rare tea from China, White tea is not oxidized or rolled, but simply withered and dried by steaming.

Lapsang Suchong is tea roasted with pine needles and has a smoky flavour. Its taste is likened to that of an old boot.

Green tea has a high content of vitamins and minerals. It contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in amounts comparable to a lemon. Green tea also contains several B vitamins which are water soluble and quickly released into a cup of tea. Five cups of green tea a day will provide 5-10% of the daily requirement of riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, and pantothenic acid. The same five cups of green tea also provide approximately 5% of the daily requirement of magnesium, 25% of potassium, and 45% of the requirement for manganese. Green tea is also high in fluoride. A cup of green tea provides approximately 0.1 mg of fluoride, which is higher than in fluorinated water.

Scientific studies have shown very strong evidence that green tea may help lower blood pressure and therefore reduce the risk of strokes and heart disease. Further, green tea consumption is also linked with the prevention of many types of organ cancer including: lung, colon, esophagus, mouth, stomach, small intestine, kidney, pancreas, and mammary glands. Green tea may also prevent skin cancer, when used both topically and orally. It has also been linked with helping the liver to rid the body of toxins.

Is anyone reaching for a cup of tea? Lapsang Suchong smells like an old boot they say, anyone's tried?