How Do You Drink Tea?
Tea, it's the second most consumed beverage in the world, beaten only by water. It has a place in almost every culture on earth, and has been drunk for what historical documents suggest to be over 5,000 years.
There are four main types of this beverage which are white tea, green tea, oolong tea (wu long tea or brown tea), and black tea. However, each type of tea comes from the same species of plant called Camellia sinensis, and it is the processing that the tea leaves go through which determine what type they will ultimately become.
Many studies show that there are a number of health benefits that can be obtained by drinking tea. This beverage has many goodies floating around it like antioxidants, catechins, and polyphenols which can shield our immune system, prevent certain tumor growth, and aid in a healthier heart. One study out of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggests that drinking green tea can help abate esophageal cancer, while another from Pace University reveal that drinking black tea can help destroy oral virus such as herpes, as well as prevent diarrhea, pneumonia, cystitis, and skin infections.
Having mentioned all that, the way we drink tea can strongly influence not only the health benefit aspects, but also another that goes unnoticed...the flavor benefits. Many folks drink tea simply because it taste great, and not just for benefits. I happen to be one of them!
There are two main methods of brewing tea, loose leaf style, and by tea bag. But only one method will give you ultimate tea flavor and benefits!
In America, just about 90 percent of folks brew their tea by tea bag and remain unaware of the true way tea is meant to be enjoyed. Even drinking white and green teas that are in iced tea form in bottles sold in stores does not provide the same taste and benefits. The reason is because tea bags consist of fannings (or tea dust) which happens to be the lowest grading of tea. All the natural oils and nutrients that give us that great flavor and health benefits are in little abundance in these dried up tea particles. And as for the chilled teas in bottles, well, they are loaded with sugar so noticing the subtle taste in the mix is hard.
Steeping tea using whole loose leaves brings out a whole new beverage loaded with more healthy benefits and much more flavor since these leaves still have most of their oils. I'll never forget my first cup of loose leaf, and till this day I have enjoyed over 100 varieties, with hundreds more to explore. Trust me, loose leaf tea is the way to go, it offers more varieties and drinking pleasure over any tea bag!
Now that we've discovered loose leaf brewing, there are a couple of other factors on taste. First, make sure that your tea is young, that is, loose teas are best enjoyed within the first six months of the flush. Second is about what kind of water you will be using to brew it. Good water makes great tea, so avoid plain tap water since the impurities will influence the taste and instead use either natural spring water (not distilled), or well filtered water.
Pay attention to the steeping time that came with your loose leaf tea since over steeping can lead to a bitter cup due to the excess release of tannins. Water temperature is also important! White and green teas are delicate, so be sure to let the boiling water cool down for around 30 seconds before pouring. For brewing oolongs and black teas adding boiling water is fine since the leaves are more oxidized and "tougher".
So if you're a tea bag dunker, I hope this article introduced you to something new, and the next time you hear that whistle from the kettle you ditched that tea bag! If so, years of loose leaf drinking enjoyment await you, along with a healthier lifestyle!
Learn More Interesting Facts About Tea.
Comments (3) 11.07.2007
US Directory of Coffee Shops
I just found this great website that claims to be a directory of coffee shops. Now I am not sure that it has all the coffee shops there are in the United States; but it's still an interesting find. It's pretty straight forward and simple enough to use.Give it a go!
http://www.coffeeshopsdirectory.com/
Comments (0) 10.23.2007
Over 700 Coffee and Tea Articles Added!!
Yes! You read correctly! I know we haven't been we've been out of the loop in terms of content but we think we've more than made up for it with over 700 articles on coffee and tea!So go ahead and take a look around. Enjoy!!
500 Coffee Articles
268 Tea Articles
If you like them, be sure to Digg them!
Digg the Tea Articles
Digg the Coffee Articles
Comments (0) 10.09.2007
Fusion Announces Internet Cafe Solution
Fusion Telecommunications International, Inc. , a global communications service provider, today announced the launch of its comprehensive business solution for Internet cafe owners. This new product targets a growing segment of the international calling marketplace, expanding Fusion's current reach into corporate, consumer and carrier markets worldwide. Fusion reports that it has received a number of orders in several international markets, with many of them already placed into service.Internet cafes deliver an important communications service to locals and travelers requiring Internet access, often offering additional service options to enhance their customers' experience. Fusion's full, turn-key solution gives Internet cafe owners the ability to provide VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services, delivering international calling capability to those cafes not yet offering it, and delivering a more cost-efficient, feature-rich management solution to those that do.
Fusion's Internet Cafe Solution provides strategic management tools that allow Internet cafe owners to set and manage rates and calling plans, establish and recharge client accounts, check live CDR and manage account activity, control more than 24 booths in one screen, and create client invoices. The solution increases management's control over typically complex business issues, including currency exchange rates and taxes, and gives cafe owners the ability to generate real-time profit and revenue reports for greater control of the overall security of their business operations and records. Delivered over Fusion's state-of-the-art, global VoIP network, and providing the ability for clients to place calls using Fusion's proprietary computer-based softphone, VoIP phones, or traditional telephones coupled with an Analog Terminal Adaptor (ATA), Fusion's solution offers business owners both exceptional global calling capabilities and comprehensive management tools.
"Fusion is pleased to announce this solution for Internet Cafe owners throughout the world," said Matthew Rosen, President and CEO of Fusion. "We believe our Internet Cafe Solution provides business owners with the outstanding quality of the Fusion VoIP network and the best possible suite of business management tools," he continued. "In short, we believe it's everything a business owner needs to sell and manage a VoIP offering for a more successful and profitable Internet Cafe."
About Fusion:
Fusion delivers a full range of advanced IP-based services to corporations, consumers and carriers worldwide. Fusion's Efonica-branded VoIP products and services, which focus primarily on Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, have over one million subscribers from more than 100 countries. For additional information please go to http://www.fusiontel.com or http://www.efonica.com.
Comments (0) 08.15.2007
