Today, tea is an extremely popular drink throughout the world, though its origins date as far back as the 10th century BC in ancient China and Tibet. Although many people have historically associated tea with Great Britain and British colonization, England was actually one of the last countries to be introduced to tea.
Western popularization of tea began in the 17th century, when King Charles II married a Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza. Catherine brought tea with her to England because it was a very popular drink in the Portuguese royal court. Tea was first sold in England through coffee houses and in the 1800s the custom of high tea, or afternoon tea, began as a way to bridge the gap between lunch and a fashionably late dinner.
Other surprising facts about tea include:
- Tea is made from the Camellia Sinensis plant species. White, green, black, yellow, and oolong tea are all produced from this plant, but with slightly different oxidation processes.
- Since herbal teas like mint, chamomile, and ginseng are not produced from the Camellia Sinensis, they are not technically considered to be tea.
- Tea has been shown to have a variety of health benefits, from helping to prevent certain illnesses and reducing cholesterol levels to reinforcing the body’s immune system and battling bacteria.
- Tea bags weren’t created until tea was introduced to America. A New Yorker named Thomas Sullivan used tea bags to send samples of tea to various clients.
So the next time you and a friend are sitting back in your Lady Lake apartment drinking a delicious cup of hot tea, you can discuss this beverage’s fascinating history. There are also a variety of other ways to relax at The Quarters, like using our community pool, fitness center, or surround-sound theater.
