The World of Tea

Every day I wake up and have a cup of tea. I like all types of tea (white, green, oolong, black, chai, pu-erh)as long as it is loose leaf tea and favorable.

Tea gives me a boost and it makes me feel good with an optimistic outlook. I am ready to face whatever the day may bring me.

I continue to drink tea during the day, changing the type of tea as my mood changes and I know that the healthy ingredients in tea will add to my healthy life style.

At the end of the day, I like to finish with a steaming mug of my favorite specialty tea like Moroccan Mint or White Licorice and relax before bedtime.

Although all tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, the difference between the various teas is a process called oxidation. Tea is processed by breaking down the cell walls of the individual tea leaves through a process called withering and then exposing the tea to air that directly interacts with enzymes in the tea leaf.

Much like a banana that turns brown when exposed to air for a period of time, tea leaves go from their natural state to various stages of oxidation and during the process, change color and develop the unique flavors associated with the individual types of tea.

What are the Steps in Processing Tea?

Classifications of Tea

The first step in understanding tea processing is the understanding of the major classifications of tea. There are a number of classification schemes but the one that provides the greatest understanding at this time classifies tea, based upon the level of oxidation, as follows:

* Green - No Oxidation (0%)
* Yellow - No Oxidation (0%)
* White - Very Slight Oxidation (<8%)
* Oolong - Partial Oxidation (1-99%)
* Black - Complete Oxidation (100%)
* Pu-erh - Always Fermented/Not Always Oxidized (Note: Pu-erh always undergoes a fermentation process during a lenghty storage process in caves)

Since all classification schemes are somewhat arbitrary, the key to understanding is the fact that tea changes according to the level of oxidation.

Elements of Production
Production of the various categories of tea has developed over the many years that tea has been consumed and can be clearly identified. Basically, there are eight steps of production:

* Plucking
* Sorting
* Cleaning
* Primary Drying/Withering
* Manufacturing - (This is the Oxidation Step that results in the different Types of Tea)
* Final Firing/Drying
* Sorting
* Packing

Although these steps are very well defined in the world of tea, the manufacturing step is more art than science as small changes in the process often produces very different results. The garden, where the production process is performed, generally keep the details of the production process a closely held secret.

Oprah swears by it. So does Rachel Ray. But what is the truth behind this mysterious Wu Long Tea?

Wu Long tea (also referred to as Oolong tea by many tea drinkers) is partially oxidized tea made from the Camellia sinensis plant that is the basis of all teas.

Wu Long tea is different from other teas like white tea (no processing), green tea (no oxidation) and black tea (100% oxidation) because it is "partially oxidized" (1-99%) and thus offers a broad range of flavorful tea drinks.

* Numerous studies have show that Wu Long tea will help melt away those extra pounds. Wu Long tea does this by raising your metabolism by 10%, raising your body's fat fighting enzymes and keeping your insulin levels low.
* Wu Long Tea has low levels of caffeine. At 30mg per serving, Wu Long Tea has less than 1/5 the caffeine levels of coffee.
* Wu Long tea can also be called Oolong tea. Do not worry about the different spellings; it is exactly the same tea. Wu Long Tea is Oolong Tea and Oolong Tea is Wu Long Tea.
* Wu Long tea tastes good and many suppliers offer different blends and flavors based upon Wu Long tea. This means that with Wu Long tea you are not "dieting" per se but merely enjoying a beverage that tastes good, gives you a feeling of serenity and well being and reduces you weight at the same time.

Now that you have this basic knowledge of Wu Long Tea, Here is what makes a Wu Long Tea truly exceptional. This will be much simpler than you think:

* Drink what tastes best. If you are going to be drinking Wu Long Tea every day, make sure you like it
* Buy Wu Long Tea from someone that will give you an unconditional guarantee. This way, if you don't like the way your Wu Long Tea tastes you can return it for free.
* Measure the cost of Wu Long Tea by its cost per cup. Many tea companies will try to trick you by selling a large box with a little bit of tea in it.
* Because the high quality leaves used in the teas of quality suppliers support multiple infusions, the cost per cup is low. For example, the cost per cup from a quality Wu Long supplier ranges from 29¢ to 84¢for the first cup but, if quality tea leaves are used that support multiple infusions the next infusions are free and the average cost per cup is reduced dramatically!
* Loose leaf tea's generally make the best tasting tea and tea blends. Although this rule is not set in stone (there are many tea bags that make a very good cup of tea) just remember, many teabags get their tea from the leftover tea "dust" that is on the floor after all the loose leaf tea has been processed.

As with all teas the best value is found with those suppliers who offer Wu Long tea based upon the highest quality tea leafs and flavoring agents (for blended tea) and be sure to analyze your purchase based upon the cost per cup of the tea.

Good packaging for tea products sold on the internet offer the buyer a better selection and ease of purchase.

Some tea suppliers offer sample packages at a very low price to encourage tea buyers to sample and try the entire tea line of the supplier.

And some suppliers offer the cost effectiveness of bulk teas in smaller qualntities in 1/2 pound bags.

What these packaging options encourage and promote is the entire line of teas in very cost effective packages.

For those tea drinkers who love tea, Golden Moon Tea's, best value Iced Tea Starter Kit

Each Set Includes

- A dishwasher safe 1.5 liter Bodum Iced Tea Pitcher. Each Pitcher has a large removable tea infuser
- A sample of Golden Moon Tea 1st place winning iced tea, Coconut Pouchong
- A sample of Golden Moon Tea best selling iced teas

* Coconut Pouchong Iced Tea
* Vanilla Mint Iced Tea
* Sinharaja Black Iced Tea
* Rose Iced Tea
* White Persian Melon Iced Tea
* Sugar Caramel Oolong Iced Tea

The promotion price is a great value at $19,95 and the benefit to the tea drinker is the ability to get started drinking iced tea while sampling those teas that are most popular.

I have just placed my order - you should try it!

One product that seems to have much promise in helping people to lose weight is green tea. In some studies, green tea has been shown to help regulate insulin and lower cholesterol and triglycerides.

In addition, it is believed that green tea speeds up the metabolism, so that we burn fat faster, and can even turn off the receptors that make us want to eat.

In addition, green tea, unlike many other weight loss aids is very healthy overall. Green tea is a potent source of anti-oxidants, which help us stay healthy and disease free by fighting free radicals.

Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that are a by-product of our digestive processes. Left unchecked, they damage our cells and DNA, eventually leading to disease.

However, green tea and other foods with anti-oxidants keep free radicals at bay, preventing aging and disease. For example, diets rich in green tea and other anti-oxidants have been linked to a reduction in the risk of heart disease and cancer.

So, green tea is a weight loss supplement that you can feel good about, because it can improve your overall health while it helps you shed the pounds.

Tea the Drink

There are two forms of tea that often cause confusion in the tea world: tea the drink and tea the meal. Tea the drink is made from the Camellia Sinensis plant and from the processing of the plant white, green, oolong, and black teas are produced.

The basic teas are also often blended with other plants like vanilla, mint and melon as well as flavors like Oil of Bergamot to make Earl Grey Tea.

The beverage is made by steeping processed leaves, buds, or twigs of the tea bush in hot water for a few minutes. The processing can include oxidation, heating, drying, and the addition of other herbs, flowers, spices, and fruits.

The term "herbal tea" usually refers to infusions of fruit or of herbs (such as rosehip, chamomile, or jiaogulan) that contain no Camellia Sinensis.

Tea the Meal

Tea the meal on the other hand involves tea the drink as an important part but really is directed toward social and family gatherings where tea and food are often consumed together.

Generally speaking , the tea meal became most popular and refined in England but spread to English speaking countries or former English colonies as well. Tea meals are also celebrated in other countries in differing forms.

The key distinction between differing tea meals is the time of day, type of food served and the location of serving.

Afternoon tea

Afternoon tea (or Low tea) is a light meal typically eaten at 4:00 pm. It originated in Britain, though various places in the former British Empire also have such a meal. However, most Britons no longer eat such a meal.

Traditionally, loose tea would be served in a teapot with milk and sugar. This would be accompanied by various sandwiches (customarily cucumber, egg and cress, tuna, ham, and smoked salmon), scones (with butter, clotted cream and jam) and usually cakes and pastries. Traditionally the tea and food would be served on a lounge (or low) table.

While afternoon tea used to be an everyday event, nowadays it is more likely to be a treat in a hotel, café, or tea shop, although many Britons still have a cup of tea and slice of cake or chocolate at teatime. Accordingly, many hotels now market and promote afternoon teas.

High tea

To the uninitiated, High tea may be a confusing term.

High tea is an early evening meal, typically eaten between 5:00 and 6:00 pm. It would be eaten as a substitute for both afternoon tea and the evening meal. The term comes from the meal being eaten at the "high" (main) table, instead of the smaller lounge (low) table. It is now largely replaced by the later meal tea.

It would usually consist of cold meats, eggs and/or fish, cakes and sandwiches. In a family, it tended to be less formal and is an informal snack (featuring sandwiches, cookies, pastry, fruit and the like) or else it is the main evening meal.

On farms, rural areas or other working class environments, high tea would be the traditional, substantial meal eaten by workers immediately after nightfall, and would combine afternoon tea with the main evening meal.

In recent years, High tea somehow became a word for exquisite afternoon tea. Such usage is incorrect. High Tea is not, in traditional terms, afternoon tea.

Main evening meal

Tea is the main evening meal, even if the diners are not drinking tea. It is traditionally eaten at 5 o'clock in the evening, though often it is later, as late as 9pm.

In many rural parts of the United Kingdom tea as a meal is synonymous with dinner in Standard English. Under such usage, the midday meal is sometimes termed dinner, rather than lunch.

Although tea drinking originated in China, consumption of tea based on good taste, health benefits and the sense of well being one achieved by tea drinking spread to the western world. The American colonies embraced the habit of tea drinking after tea was introduced by Dutch traders in the 17th and 18th centuries and became one of the largest tea drinking regions in the world on a per capita basis. Colony consumption of tea dwarfed that of the parent country England.

The French and Indian War, or Seven Years War, after which the British ruled supreme in most of North America, represented the decisive turning point in British-colonial relations however. The Treaty of Paris in 1763 ratified Britain's undisputed control of the seas and shipping trade, as well as its sovereignty over much of the North American continent east of the Mississippi River (including French Canada).

But the British expected the Colonies to pay for the war (the British borrowed heavily from European Bankers to finance the war) and this fact planted the seeds of rebellion.

During the years leading up to the American Revolution, Britain, through a policy of salutary neglect, had allowed the colonies by default the right to manage their own affairs. The subsequent efforts on the part of royal officials to rectify this deficiency and collect unprecedented amounts of revenue violated what many American colonists understood as the clear precedent of more than a century of colonial-imperial relations.

New world institutions of self-government and trade, having matured in an age of salutary neglect, would resist and ultimately rebel against perceived British encroachment. Taxation policy became a central point of contention, because it tended to threaten both the prosperity and autonomy of colonial society.

Between the Seven Years War and the Revolution the British enacted a series of heavy handed taxation and other policies that attempted to raise revenue and regain control over the wayward colonies. Many of the acts focused on tea and the result was revolution.

On the night of December 16, 1773 Massachusetts Patriots disguised as Indians illegally boarded the Dartmouth, a cargo ship bearing 342 chests of East India Tea valued at about £10,000. In defiance of Governor Thomas Hutchinson and British tax authority in general, the intruders dumped the entire shipment into Boston Harbor, precipitating a crisis that would lead to revolution.