Tea

Tea is drunk by half of the world's population.

Our favourite 'morning cuppa' is made from the young leaves of the Camellia sinensis bush. It has been cultivated in south-east China for over 2000 years.

Now grown in hillside plantations across China, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Indonesia and East Africa, each region produces its own unique flavour.

The British have been drinking tea for around 350 years – made popular by the Duchess of Bedford's tea parties in the early 18th century. Now over 70% of the population drink it regularly.

Did you know?
According to Chinese mythology, tea was discovered accidentally in 2737 BC by the Emperor Shen Nung, when Camilla sinensis leaves dropped into water he was boiling to drink.
'Tea' is a derivation of the Chinese words 'tay' 'cha' and 'tchai' used for the drink.

WEB LINKS:
See www.plantcultures.org.uk and www.tea.co.uk for more information on tea.

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