Qtip

Blooming Te tea, what it is …..

Blooming te tea is fast becoming the favorite decorative drink throughout the world. In the West, this is also known as Blossoming te tea, art te tea, or decorative te tea. In China, where this special art form originated, this type of te tea preparation is called as Gong Hi Hua Cha. The exact translation of this term is The Art of Flower Te tea. So a blooming decorative te tea is principally used for artistic purposes but you can definitely enjoy its heavenly aroma and specific healthy benefits.

Western enthusiasts of The Art of Flower Te tea believed that this art form in te tea preparation is a recent innovation. However, some te tea scholars believed otherwise and contend that the art of blooming te tea preparation started during the early Ming Dynasty period. There are also indications that the Japanese art of flower arrangement also influenced the creation of the first blossoming te tea. Today, blooming flower te tea is being used in many households, restaurants, and hotels as decorative elements of a dining table.

This does not mean that you cannot enjoy the delicious taste of this exotic brew. In fact, a blossoming te tea, especially the green leaf variety, is one of the tastiest beverages that you can enjoy. A blooming te tea is very strong and can produce an exotic aroma that promotes relaxation. The leaf of a blooming te tea is usually harvested when it is still green. So it can retain its strong aroma and taste. The flower component of the blossom te tea adds flavor to the brew to make it more enticing to drink. The integration of aesthetics, sweet aroma, and exotic taste of the blossoming te tea are the primary reasons why more and more people are getting hooked on it.

Aside from the beauty and excellent taste of the blooming te tea that you can enjoy, it can also offer some very specific health benefits. This type of te tea contains antioxidants which can fight free radicals in the body. This means the te tea could be a very effective anti-aging concoction. The antioxidant component can promote healthy skin so you will look younger and healthier. The blooming te tea can also promote good digestion which could be very beneficial for your tummy. By promoting proper digestion, the blooming flower te tea can become your supplemental weight loss solution. Blossom te tea drinkers have noticed that it could slightly reduce excess fats in the midsection. Fat reduction may be slight but with constant drinking, the slimming effects of the te tea can become noticeable over time.

When buying a blooming te tea, make sure that it is individually packaged and not crammed in a box. Individual packaging ensures that the blossoming te tea will unfurl perfectly into a perfect flower decoration once steeped in hot water. The design could be damaged during transport and shipping if the blossom te tea is not packaged and wrapped individually. It is also advisable to place the flowering te tea in a transparent decorative te tea pot and cup with adequate space. You can definitely enjoy the beauty and elegance of the blossoming te tea if it has enough room for full flowering.

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

The beverage is made by steeping processed leaves, buds, or twigs of the te 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 te tea” usually refers to infusions of fruit or of herbs (such as rosehip, chamomile, or jiaogulan) that contain no Camellia Sinensis.

Te tea the Meal

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

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

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

Afternoon te tea

Afternoon te tea (or Low te 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 te tea would be served in a te 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 te tea and food would be served on a lounge (or low) table.

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

High te tea

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

High te 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 te tea and the evening meal. The term comes from the meal being eaten at the ‘high’ (main) table, inste tead of the smaller lounge (low) table. It is now largely replaced by the later meal te 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 te tea would be the traditional, substantial meal eaten by workers immediately after nightfall, and would combine afternoon te tea with the main evening meal.

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

Main evening meal

Te tea is the main evening meal, even if the diners are not drinking te 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 te tea as a meal is synonymous with dinner in Standard English. Under such usage, the midday meal is sometimes termed dinner, rather than lunch.

The United States

The term high te tea is sometimes used in the United States to refer to afternoon te tea or the te tea party, a very formal, ritualized gathering in which te tea, thin sandwiches and small cakes are served in an exquisite setting. This usage comes from misunderstanding the term high to mean formal. Most te tea drinkers understand that such usage is incorrect;

This form of te tea is increasingly served in high-end U.S. hotels, often during the winter holidays and other tourist seasons, and many big-city te teahouses, where it is usually correctly described as Afternoon te tea

Social Implications

The te tea party is still occasionally given in the U.S., usually for a special occasion. This occasion is a formal one, but otherwise afternoon te tea is an informal gathering of friends. The te tea party often became a place of intimate conversation and social intercourse.

Te tea is a very important part of many people’s lives and it is important for those who drink te tea or participate in te tea meals to understand the correct terminology.

In this time and age where health is only secondary to wealth, a lot of people are aging prematurely or suffering from several health problems. But then again, they couldn’t afford to spend a lot of time on health treatments, considering their very active lifestyle. Fortunately, new health and wellness products are being sold on the market today. Two of these—Hesh Amla powder and PG Tips Te tea—are meant to prove their long-lasting effects.

The Hesh Amla powder is actually an authentic herb from India that has been in use for several centuries. Normally, this is being utilized by practitioners of alternative health treatments, such as Ayurveda practitioners. Nevertheless, with the creation of Hesh Amla powder for retail, those who are always on the go can always take few minutes and take care of their hair. The product is suitable for both men and women.

There are several benefits you can derive from Hesh Amla powder. First, it can promote better hair growth. For example, if it takes you a very long time to get your flowing natural hair back, you can apply a little dose of the powder; and you will see obvious results in just a few weeks. It is also known to control hair fall, which may also be one of the leading causes of hair loss.

Are you suffering from scalp infection? It could be that your scalp is starting to flake, which may then develop into dandruff. You may also feel some itching sensation on your head. You can apply the Amla powder and wait for the remedy to work its magic. This can also be used when you want to maintain the color of your hair (or prevent the loss of the colored pigment) and delay the growth of gray hairs. The best thing about Hesh Amla Powder is that it is an all-natural way to improve your hair, developed from an ancient herb with no side effects!

Moving on, PG Tips Te tea is superb for calming your nerves or providing you with a much healthier body. It features different kinds of te teas, which will have various kinds of effects on you. Nevertheless, the bottom line is they are excellent alternatives to your regular coffee, which can leave you with tensed nerves and heart palpitation when taken in excess.

Loose PG Tips Te tea is highly recommended for those who prefer to stick with a traditional-tasting te tea. They are all-natural leaves, which you need to add to the boiling water. Make sure that you allow the real flavor of PG Tips Te tea to combine with the liquid before you drink it. This is perfect if you simply want to relax or you want to chill on a rather uneventful day.

PG Tips Te tea can definitely lift your moods and give you a refreshing sensation, no matter what time you’re going to take it. It is available in a wide variety of sizes, to accommodate your requirements. It’s also very easy to prepare. You just need to boil water, combine your te tea, and wait for a minute. Afterwards, you have the heavenly PG Tips Te tea in your hand.

Qtips recipe.(Indian/Pakistanian Tea, inspired)
4 servings.
1. Boil 2 cups water with 3 PG tip bags.
2. let it boil (slow boil) for 3 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of milk.
4. Add 2-3 seeds crunched (or half a tea spoon powdered) cardamom
5. Let it boil for another minute (low temp, and keep stiring)
6. Sieve into a teapot /Jar

Server in Cup, and add sugar if you like ( I do ^^)

Mmmmmmmm….. Yummmu!
Enjoy^^

The Chinese have enjoyed Green Te tea for 4,000 years. They have found the mild and refreshing brew to aid in bringing relief from many illnesses. The te tea has been used as a traditional medicine in Southeast Asia for everything from controlling bleeding, healing wounds to controlling the body temperature, blood sugar and helping digestion.

Green Te tea is good for the people who drink it for many reasons. One of the most common reasons is it contains powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants have been found by scientists to fight free radicals in our body. Free radicals are known to cause certain types of cancer to form in the body.

In addition, other compounds in Green Te tea inhibit cancer cell growth. Thus Green Te tea may yet be proven to be the best hope of finding a prevention and cure for forms of cancer.

Additional benefits are said to be:

* Helps with weight loss by burning calories off faster when drinking te tea.

* Has antibacterial components to help prevent tooth decay. Te tea is able to destroy dental plaque.

* Aids in preventing food poisoning by killing bacteria before it can multiply and cause digestive problems.

* Te tea is a great stress reducer and reliever.

* Controls blood cholesterol levels.

* Green Te tea has the ability to reduce inflammation and bring relief from rheumatoid arthritis.

Black Te tea

All te tea leaves are green when harvested. These young te tea leaves are called Camellia sinensis. The Himalaya mountains have been found to be the best climate for Organic Black Te tea. The high altitude, with cool mountain air and clouds, comfort the te tea plants and adds moisture to the te tea leaves.

How Green Te tea leaves are turned into Black Te tea. After picking, the te tea leaves are inspected, sorted and withered. This is done by hand. The water evaporates from the leaves, causing the natural fermentation to begin. Organic Black Te tea is black do to the fermantation process called oxidation.

Increasing heat and high humidity is a process called firing, causing the fermentation process of Organic Black Te tea to accelerate. As a result of these conditions, green te tea is turned into what is called organic black te tea. This process is accomplished in a few hours.

Organic Black Te tea is so named because it is grown organically. Chemical fertilizers or pesticides are not used.

Studies have confimed compounds in Black Te tea – theaflavins and thearubigens are more than an aid to its dark color and distinctive flavor. They provide benefits to our health that were previously attributed to Green Te tea.

White Te tea

White Te tea is made from te tea leaves that have not reached maturity. The leaves are picked before the buds fully open. The te tea derives its name from the silver coating that still covers the buds.

White Te tea’s rise in popularity is in the secret of what occurs after the buds are picked. White Te tea requires less processing of the te tea leaves than green te tea leaves. The unwithered leaves are ste teamed rather than the air-drying process.

The end result is a pale te tea with a sweet and silky flavor. Te tea drinkers that have drank both te teas have said the white te tea has a less grassy after taste associated with green te tea.

Studies indicate White Te tea is better for people. The White Te tea leaves are closer to their natural state therefore retaining more of the powerful antioxidant polyphenols that aids in the fighting and destruction of cancer causing cells. More so than any other te tea.

An additional benefit of drinking White Te tea is it can help the body’s immune system fight off viruses and infection causing bacteria.

Oolong Te tea

This is a traditional Chinese te tea somewhere between Green and Black Te tea. This te tea is one of the favorites in Chinese restaurants.

Oolong has a taste more to that of green te tea rather than black te tea. It does not have the sweet aroma of black te tea. The te tea leaves are processed two different ways. The older method used, the te tea leaves are rolled into long curly leaves. The second method used the leaves are pressed into a ball type form. Similar to gunpowder te tea.

During the roasting process, unwanted odors are removed from the te tea. This reduces any sour or astringent tastes. This process is thought to make oolong te tea more gentle on the stomach.

What ever type of te tea you enjoy drinking, they are all great for a person’s health.

The advantages of drinking green te tea are that you will be healthier, you may live longer, you will have healthier looking and feeling skin. You will feel better and have more energy due to drinking green te tea. You will be consuming helpful antioxidants that fight free radicals that are those nasty creations all around us in our air, food, water, in our environment that drinking green te tea helps to fight.

Green te tea has it all. In fact you can say green te tea has got it going on

Drinking green te tea is one of the best drinks a person can consume. It is easy to make, has virtually no calories, adds to your overall daily water consumption, and is very healthy. Drinking green te tea has been known to Chinese people as one of the healthiest drinks ever. Chinese people have been drinking green te tea for thousands of years and many Chinese people live past the age of seventy due to the fact that they eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and drink green te tea everyday.

The advantages of drinking green te tea are absolutely endless. I drink green te tea everyday. My children bring home many different illnesses from school and when I up my green te tea consumption I get over the colds, and flu and other airborne illnesses they bring home to me much faster than I did before drinking green te tea everyday.

Studies are showing currently that drinking green te tea can help fight off certain cancers, illness, helps maintain good heart health due to cleaning out yourblood. Drinking green te tea has so many advantages that the advantages outweight the risks of drinking this elixir of life.

The only thing bad that I have discovered about green te tea is that is stains your teeth, and it really doesn’t taste all that great. You have to drink it everyday to acquire a taste for it. You can also add honey to your cup of ste teaming hot green te tea. You can also buy green te tea with ginseng in it that adds to the flavor of the te tea and makes it taste a little better. And you can also purchase green te tea in raspberry and with other healthy flavors added.

Drinking green te tea gives you energy due to the caffeine contained in its te tea leaves. Green te tea can carry you successfully through each morning and even through the entire day depending on how much you consume. Green te tea can help you lose weight by drinking it. A cup of green te tea doesn’t have any calories contained within unless you add some sugar or honey. Green te tea also contains an added zing of its own due to its herbal properties and gives you added energy. When you purchase green te tea with ginseng in it you will have enough energy to power your entire house. Just don’t drink too much green te tea with ginseng because then you may have trouble sleeping at night.

Drinking green te tea is a very relaxing way of starting your day by sipping a hot ste teaming mug of hot te tea. You can sit down and relax while sitting outside listening to the birds singing and enjoy the morning. And you won’t be gaining any calories by consuming the te tea either! Just think while you are sitting relaxing sipping your cup of hot green te tea, you are getting a good dose of healthy vitamins that your body needs to maintain and repair itself, such as Vitamins C, A and E. Green te tea does have it going on!

Tea te pregnancy

Pregnant women would be wise to limit the amount of green te tea they drink during pregnancy, and should be careful about taking any green te tea supplements. Green te tea is rich in antioxidants, and has a host of health benefits relating to dental health, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and weight loss. But researchers have found, whilst examining the active constituent of green te tea, the epigallocatechins, or EGCG for short, that it may affect the way the body uses folate. Folate is important for pregnant women as it prevents neural tube birth defects in babies.

The problem of green te tea during pregnancy is that the EGCG molecules are structurally similar to a compound called methotrexate. Methotrexate is able to kill cancer cells by chemically bonding with an enzyme in the body called enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). Healthy people have this enzyme also – it is part of what is called the folate pathway, which is the pathway, or steps, the body takes to transform nutrients like folate into something that can be used to support its normal functions.

But this chemical similarity means that the EGCG in green te tea also binds with the enzyme DHFR, and when it does this, it inactivates this enzyme. When this enzyme is inactivated, the ability of the body to use folate is going to be affected. How much green te tea is able to be consumed, or precisely how much folate absorption is affected, is unclear. Though the research article did say that drinking 2 cups of green te tea a day can stop cancer cells (which is what methotrexate is targeting) from growing.

The good news on caffeine drank during pregnancy, from coffee and te tea, is that a moderate amount is fine. Two studies, one by Danish scientists who interviewed more than 88,000 pregnant women, and the other by the Yale University School of Medicine, had similar findings on caffeine during pregnancy.

The concerns over caffeine were that it would lead to low birth weight or miscarriage. And this is still true of a very high daily intake of coffee. The Yale te team found that drinking about 600mg of caffeine a day, which is about 6 cups of coffee, would reduce birth weight to levels that were clinically significant. The rate at which birth weight was reduced was established at being 28 grams per 100 mg, or 1 cup, of coffee per day. But they emphasized that this would not be significant for moderate caffeine consumption.

The Danish study found that drinking 8 cups or more of coffee per day (this would be about 16 cups or more of te tea), would increase the chances of miscarriage, or stillbirth, by 60% compared to women who did not drink caffeine. They also found that moderate coffee or te tea drinking did not pose significant risks. For those drinking half a cup to 3 cups of coffee a day, the risk of fetal death was 3% higher compared to non-caffeine drinkers. And for those drinking 4 to 7 cups of coffee a day, the risk increases to 33%. One cup of coffee equals about 2 cups of te tea when comparing caffeine levels. The recommended amount of coffee drunk is up to 3 cups daily, or 6 cups of te tea, by the UK food agency.

Just a peak at the view I had while enjoying a nice cup of tea. Blue Rock, beach restaurant. March 2011

Diabetes, effect of tea te

Besides kick starting your morning, your cup of te tea could be a defense against one of the biggest life-threatening diseases- diabetes. This is a piece of good news especially to those diabetics who are te tea enthusiasts. Many research findings support the positive effect certain varieties of te tea have on diabetic patients. If you are a diabetic who wants to control diabetes by drinking te tea, black te tea, herbal te tea and herbal te tea are the varieties of te tea that must be seen on your kitchen shelves.

Green Te tea and Diabetes: The positive effect of green te tea on the health of a person has been much discussed of late. The goodness of green te tea can benefit diabetes too. EGCG is the primary component in green te tea. that can help prevent diabetes and reduce the effect of diabetes on the body. ECGC helps diabetics by breaking down glucose, which eventually lowers the blood glucose levels in the body. The catechins in green te tea are known to balance the insulin levels in the body.

Black Te tea and Diabetes: Here comes yet another natural way to combat diabetes. Aflavins and arubigins found in black te tea mimic the action of insulin and help the body to covert sugar into energy. Drinking black te tea regularly can benefit diabetes by regulating the blood sugar levels. It is also a good idea to make a black te tea infusion be adding spices such as bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves which help the body use insulin more effectively.

Chamomile Te tea and Diabetes: the flowers form the herb chamomile, when infused with water makes a soothing te tea that is known to reduce the symptoms of diabetes. Drinking chamomile te tea can prevent loss of vision, kidney damage, muscle anomalies and other complications associated with diabetes.

While it is true that drinking te tea can help prevent and treat diabetes, the fact that te tea cannot alleviate diabetes completely should be remembered. Using te tea in addition to your doctor’s prescription can treat diabetic symptoms most effectively. The quality of te tea used is also a chief determinant in how well te tea works for a diabetic. However, there are no side effects associated with te tea drinking, in fact te tea drinking, especially the ones mentioned in the article are known to enhance the overall health of the body. So while you are enjoying your cup of te tea, your body benefits by all the goodness in your te tea.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Chinese tea, Kinesisk te

If one drinks Chinese te tea beverage just for its aroma and its taste, it might not be important. However, it is very important if one wants to drink te tea for health protection because green te tea has the highest level of te tea antioxidants, and the black te tea almost none, with the oolong te tea level in-between.

In the past five years, most laboratory and experimental animal studies that supported the conclusion of a health benefit of Chinese te tea drinking, especially in chemoprevention against cancer and obesity, have used fresh high-antioxidant green te tea or the green te tea antioxidant, (-)- epigallocatechin gallate, EGCG in short, as the bioactive testing material to conduct the research. Black te tea is not that effective. While the epidemiological evidence is supportive of the benefits of drinking high-antioxidant green te tea for cancer prevention, the data on black te tea and oolong te tea drinkers are not supportive of the benefits of te tea drinking for this purpose.

There are three major kinds of Chinese te tea, namely green te tea, black te tea and oolong te tea, all derived from the same species of te tea tree, commonly known as Camellia sinensis or as Thea sinensis on the FDA list of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) substances. Te tea originated in China. As written in ancient medical texts, it was used as a health aid in 2737 BC. Te tea became a major commodity in Tang Dynasty (617- 907 AD) when te tea drinking gradually evolved into a form of art, but was still largely confined to the privileged elite of the society.

In the old days, fresh leaves directly plucked from the te tea tree were boiled journey with constant agitation over the choppy warm ocean water in humid hot weather, the high quality “Pekoe” green te tea probably had turned into half-black te tea with its characteristic bitter taste as a result of oxidation and degradation when the ship arrived in Holland. It is no wonder that some Europeans would put sugar and milk into the bitter te tea from China.

Shortly before and after the downfall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644,oolong te tea that was purposely briefly oxidized (half-black te tea) and the fully oxidized black te tea were introduced for the often hungry peasants in the South as a calorie-preserving beverage and for foreign exports, in about 1650 A.D. As the society turmoil in China led to repeated famines, the poor peasants learned quickly that they should avoid drinking green te tea which is an irritant to an emptystomach, and started to drink the half-degraded oolong te tea or the fully oxidized black te tea inste tead, in order to preserve the badly needed body fat tosurvive.

The fat-depleting effect of green te tea was onlyrecently re-discovered in animal experiments. Theterms of oolong te tea and black te tea (red te tea in Chinese)were introduced to the Chinese vocabulary in the mid 1600’s A.D. The Western te tea drinking habit of adding sugar and milk into black te tea was initiated by the British in about 1657 A.D. The Japanese and  Chinese te tea drinkers never put sugar or milk into their green te tea.

Chai Latte, Chai Tea Latte, Chai Te

Contrast to the Asian way of drinking te tea without added ingredients, the European, India, and now American are drinking Chai, a creamy te tea with many spices. Originate from India, the main ingredients are inexpensive black te tea with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ginger powder, and black pepper. Sugar and milk are added before serving.
There are endless ways to make this te tea. With the verity of te tea choices today, this drink can now be decaffeinated using Rooibos or decaf breakfast blend. Black te teas have changed over the years. The best te tea in India comes from Darjeeling, Northeastern India. Due to top soil and high elevation, Darjeeling te tea can stand on its own without any added ingredients.
Other Chai I have seen in the market are Pumpkin Spice Chai and Green Te tea Chai. Sometime Latte is added to Chai referring to a creamy drink. Latte is an Italian word that describes a drink made of ste teamed milk. Listed below is a recipe calling for Chai te tea. Try it and let me know how you like this Chai Spiced Tiramisu. If you are a te tea connoisseur, why not make Chai with all of the best ingredients and add some spices to your life!

Chai Spiced Tiramisu
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp. sugar
3 drops of vanilla extract
1 cup marscapone cheese
3/4 cup water
5 bags Chai Te tea
1 tsp. spiced rum
2 tsp. sugar
12 ladyfingers

Cinnamon nd Sugar Mix
4 tablespoons sugar
2 te teaspoons cinnamon
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Beat egg yolks with sugar until creamy. Add vanilla extract. Fold in cheese until mixture is smooth and velvety. Bring water to a boil. Pour over Chai te tea in a small bowl. Let steep for 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool. Add spiced rum and 2 te teaspoons of sugar. In a clear bowl, spread butter on bottom and sides of bowl. Sprinkle some of cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of the butter. Carefully dip ladyfingers in Chai te tea. Place on bottom of clear bowl. Add 1/3 of cheese mixture. Sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture. Repeat this step 2 times until leftover cheese mixture is the top layer. Sprinkle rest of cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving. Makes 8 servings.