That cup of bliss

‘Tea is a ritual, an art that nourishes the soul.’

The aroma of tea! So alluring and fulfilling -it does nourish the soul.

What is ‘adda’ without that hot cup of tea with ‘jhal muri,’ ‘singara,’ ‘samosa’ or finely baked crispy biscuits?

Or

Waking up from bed and sipping a hot cup of tea enjoying the sunshine or snowy winter morning?

People love tea. Tea for most people is a must during breakfast or well ‘Par-Teas’ parties. This brew seems to connect us with friends, loved ones or even colleagues at work. Tea has become a culture or an experience in itself - a must in social gatherings.

‘Through tea, I cultivate a mindful connection with the world around me.’

Tea is one of the most ancient beverages and the most consumed beverage after water. It’s grown on every continent, except Antarctica.

In Britain alone, more than 60 billion cups of tea are consumed a year, that’s about 165 million cups a day! It’s so popular in Britain that British National Tea day has been celebrated in the United Kingdom every year on Apr 21 since 2016. The date was selected to celebrate the drinking of tea on a very special day - Queen Elizabeth’s birthday!

In the US, more than 159 million Americans drink tea every day.

These statistics are enough to show the popularity of this timeless beverage.

The demand for tea is so great that tea producers have been marketing different types of teas to keep it in demand and cater to the taste of millions of people.

With hundreds of varieties and methods of brewing this beverage, it can seem confusing and overwhelming. If you are a regular tea consumer, delve into interesting facts about your favourite beverage.

First of all, it’s important to know that the tea we see flooding the markets are not all true teas. Some are only flavoured teas.

The true “tea” comes from the same plant ‘Camellia sinensis.’ These teas have their unique colours, flavours and benefits due to their different harvesting and processing methods. These are classified into five main types:

• Black tea

• Green tea

• Oolong tea

• White tea and

• Pu-erh tea

Black Tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Black teas are relatively high in caffeine, with about half as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. They have a dark, coppery colour, and come with usually stronger flavour than other types of tea.

It’s mainly produced in China and India. The Indian regions of Assam and Darjeeling produce some of the world's most recognized black tea. Bangladesh exported a total of 1.04 million kgs of tea in 2023. Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, and Kenya also export black tea.

Indian black teas are normally stronger and are often taken with milk and sugar. Tetley and Lipton brands are quite famous.

In comparison Chinese black teas, known in China as red tea because of the red color of the liquor, are lighter and usually consumed without the addition of milk or sugar. You can try out Popular Chinese Keemun (tastes almost like wine) and Golden Yunnan black teas.

Black tea is processed using the basic five steps in processing (withering, rolling, oxidising-fully, drying and sorting).

Black teas have the strongest flavours and blend well with other ingredients to make popular bases for iced teas and flavoured teas.

Nowadays Masala Chai tea has become a favourite for many. It’s a combination of black tea typically blended with a variety of spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and various other herbs and spices added with sugar and milk. It’s normally strong and creamy. Traditional style chai tea is healthy. Beware- variations available in cafes prepared like desserts are harmful for health.

Though, black tea is the most favourite choice in the Western world, green tea rules the East, especially Japan.

Green tea is primarily produced in China and Japan. Japanese green teas are slightly savory and have a light emerald green colour. Popular Japanese green teas include Sencha and Gyokuro.

Chinese green teas are milder, and have a soft golden colour with a mellow flavour. Popular Chinese green teas include Dragon Well and Gunpowder.

Research is mixed and inconclusive, but black tea may have some beneficial impact on blood pressure, type 2 diabetes risk, and cholesterol profile.

Black tea and Green tea differ in their production and preparation process.

While black teas are fully oxidised, oxidation in green tea production is prevented. Usually the bud and the first two leaves are handpicked and quickly transferred to the processing area and allowed to wither a little. In case of Chinese green tea the leaves are pan-fried and steamed in case of Japanese green tea. Both methods apply the heat necessary to prevent oxidation and preserve the leaf's original flavour.

Green teas tend to have a milder but refreshing taste. Quality green teas are strongly aromatic and sweet. They contain about half as much caffeine as black tea.

There are many different varieties of green tea too; the more popular kinds include sencha, genmaicha, and matcha.

Matcha tea is a type of powdered green tea popular in Japan. Powdered green tea was first produced in China during the Tang Dynasty. Nowadays matcha is primarily associated with Japan.

The green tea benefits are thought to be tremendous. Because of the high concentration of antioxidants in green tea, it has cancer fighting properties and also believed to improve cardiovascular health, lower LDL cholesterol levels, and to be effective for weight loss and stress. It’s also believed to minimise the risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Oolong tea also uses all five basic steps to produce but level of oxidisation is kept between green and black tea. It has a smooth, soft bitter taste with rich floral or fruity flavour.

A small study found that oolong tea might be effective to control glucose levels in blood and may slow down chances of developing cancers. It’s anti-inflammatory and may help with allergies, type 2 diabetes and eczema. It also slows down the development of cavities by killing bacteria in the mouth.

White tea is basically unprocessed tea. Silver needle is made exclusively from unopened buds and is the most delicate of all. In White Peony leaves are picked after the buds unfurl and grow and have floral flavour. In both cases, minimal natural oxidation is done. It has a rich, creamy body with very low caffeine.

When brewed, white teas form a pale green or yellow colour and have the most delicate fragrance.

White tea is mainly produced in China, particularly in the Fujian province. These are also produced in Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh also produces white tea.

It’s gaining popularity but its production quantity is low and pretty expensive.

White tea contains many of the same healthy antioxidants as green tea. Studies show that it can fight cancer causing cells and help maintain a healthy immune system.

Pu-erh tea is a Chinese drink and its local name is ‘heicha’. It tastes more bitter than the typical tea. It’s a fermented drink, and tastes similar to red wine. Due to the production process it contains lots of live bacteria. As a result, the tea continues to age and change even after drying the leaves.

Considered a black tea, one animal study showed that animals given pu-erh had less weight gain and reduced LDL cholesterol.

Flavoured Tea

Any of the types of tea listed above can be flavoured with an additional combination of varieties of ingredients of spices, herbs, fruits, and flowers to create floral to sweet and spicy unique flavoured teas.

Herbal Tea

Although we call herbal teas ‘tea’, they’re not actually true teas made from the camellia sinensis plant. Instead, herbal teas are composed of a blend of different leaves, flowers, roots, bark, seeds, berries, stems of herbs and spices which contain nutrients and minerals beneficial for health.

Herbal teas were originally made for medicinal purposes. Depending on the combination of herbs, these teas help with insomnia, improve weakening eyesight and even aid in weight loss.

The common types are chamomile, mint, hibiscus, ginger, lavender, chrysanthemum, rose, dandelion, brown rice and chaga mushroom tea.

There are also a number of teas made from roasted grains, especially popular in Korea and Japan. These teas are immensely refreshing during summer.

You can make your own herbal tea from leaves or flowers. Boil a cup of water in a teapot and mix 2 tablespoons of dried herbs or a handful of fresh leaves. Cover and steep for 10 to 20 minutes.

When using hard herb parts, like bark, roots or seeds, you have to crush or chop them first.

If possible, use high quality loose tea. Maintain the proper brewing time and temperature for the type of tea you’re making. Preparing black tea will take longer and higher water temperature than green tea or the delicate white tea.

Whether you're a lover of strong black tea or prefer the delicate white tea, it’s a delightful adventure in the preparation for savouring a perfect cup of tea.

Enjoy the luxury of sipping on the rich creamy brew of black tea or the light golden green tea and relax.

‘In the embrace of tea, I find respite from the chaos of life.’

What are you waiting for? Put the kettle on!

[Tasneem Hossain is a multilingual poet, columnist, op-ed and fiction writer, translator, educator and training consultant. She is the Director of Continuing Education Centre, Bangladesh.]