Qtip

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.

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.

Chamomile te tea, a popular herbal te tea is widely treasured not only for its sweet apple-like fragrance and taste, but also for its medicinal and curative properties. It is known to cure a number of human ailments and has a reputation of being safe and effective. Its relaxing and soothing properties are known to bring smiles on ailing people’s faces.

History of Chamomile Te tea

The origins of Chamomile te tea can be traced back to Ancient Egypt, where the people associated this herb with their Sun God, Ra, and thereby presented it as an offering to their God. The people also used this herb to embalm the dead and cure the sick. The early Romans are known to have consumed this te tea in the form of a beverage and even used it as incense.

Further, the ancient Greeks are known to have used this te tea for curative purposes such as curing sunstroke, colic and fever. In the 1600s, this herb was used for treating insomnia, nervousness, rheumatism and back pain. This herb was also known as the Plant’s Physician by some, because they observed that if it was planted beside any dying plant, the dying plant would recover within a week’s time and continue growing normally.

Chamomile Flower

The word ‘Chamomile’ comes from the Greek word ‘kamai melon’ which means ‘ground apple’, as the rich golden blossoms of the plant smell like freshly cut apples. The white daisy-like flowers (with yellow in the center) of the plant is what is used, and its remarkable apple-like fragrance is what gives the aromatic taste when consumed as te tea. Chamomiles are grown across the world, however, the finest Chamomile flowers are the ones cultivated in the Nile River Valley of Egypt. These flowers are edible and can even be consumed as salads or prepared as cold or warm beverages.

Types of Chamomile Te tea

The two main types of Chamomile te tea are Roman Chamomile te tea and German Chamomile te tea. Roman Chamomile te tea does not stem from Rome, inste tead, is native to Western Europe and North Africa. This te tea got its name in the 19th century when a botanist came across some Chamomile plants growing in the Roman Coliseum. On the other hand, German Chamomile te tea is native to Western Asia and was even used to make beer at one point of time. Today, the Roman variety is mostly available in Britain, whereas the rest of the world has access to the German variety.

Health Benefits of Chamomile Te tea

Chamomile te tea has been consumed over the centuries as a healing drink that had the power to cure any ailment. Chamomile te tea’s medicinal properties are vast, and it is usually consumed before going to bed. Some of the health benefits of consuming this te tea are:

Relaxation and Sleep Inducer: This is the most popularly known health benefit of Chamomile te tea. The tryptophan present in the flower is an effective sleep inducer and thus many people have this te tea before going to bed. In hospitals, this te tea is given to patients to calm them down and keep them relaxed. It is also used to fight insomnia, depression and anxiety.

Muscle Relaxant: Ancient Egyptians used to ingest this te tea in order to soothe menstrual cramps. Researchers believe that this te tea increases the levels of glycine in urine, which in turn reduces muscle spasms, thus relieving the person of cramps. Overall, this te tea reduces muscle contractions throughout the body, except the uterus, where the contractions are stimulated. Thus, it is quite effective in treating stomach cramps and upset stomachs.

Fever and Colds: Inhaling the vapors of Chamomile te tea helps reduce congestion in the nose and lungs. Mild te tea is given periodically to people having cold, sore throats and body pain.

Cosmetic Uses: Blond hair when rinsed in Chamomile te tea gets brightened naturally. If mixed with henna and then applied, natural highlights are formed in dark hair. This te tea is also popularly used to reduce acne and skin allergies. It also acts as a moisturizer for dry skin.

Effective Remedy for Skin Ailments: Applying cooled Chamomile te tea on a clean dressing will help soothe burn pains. For sensitive skin, Chamomile te tea and powdered milk can be used in the form of an exfoliating paste. Skin irritations, hives and allergies can also be cured by consuming this te tea. Since this herb has anti-fungal properties, it can be used to treat fungal infections by dipping a ball of cotton in the te tea and applying it on the infected area. Adding this te tea into a hot bath helps soothe dry skin.

Side Effects of Chamomile Te tea

Make sure you are not allergic to Chamomile te tea. Chamomile te tea is a member of the ragweed family, so if you are allergic to ragweeds, strictly refrain from consuming this te tea. Pregnant and breast-feeding women are advised not to consume this beverage. Further, even asthma patients are advised to refrain from this beverage. Since Chamomile has blood-thinning properties, people on blood thinners such as Coumadin and Warfarin should not consume this te tea.

How to Prepare Chamomile Te tea?

Preparing Chamomile te tea is extremely easy. All you have to do is boil some water in a pot and then add some Chamomile flowers (2-3 spoons per cup) into the boiling water. Place a lid on the pot and boil for half a minute. Remove the pot from the stove and leave it for a minute. Next, pour the te tea (use a sieve) into a cup, add lemon juice and honey to taste and sip away! If you are using te tea bags, use one bag per cup, and keep it in the cup for some time.

This beverage does act like a healing drink and no wonder around 1 million cups are sipped every day! Researchers are working on the health benefits of Chamomile te tea, and are conducting various experiments to find out if this te tea can help fight diabetes. Wouldn’t it be great to fight diabetes by te tea? Lets hope the results are positive.

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