Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How popular is tea drinking?
A: Tea drinking is a pastime that is identified closely with the English. According to national statistics, every man, woman and child in Great Britain consumes at least four cups a day, and there is almost no occasion where a nice cup of tea is not appropriate.  Worldwide, tea consumption is the second most popular beverage.  Only water is number one.

Q: Who is the largest producer of tea in the world?
A: In 2004 China (835,000 tons) overtook India (820.000 tons). Because of the popularity of tea, world production is at a all time high.

Q: Why is tea praised for its health benefits?
A: Tea contains antioxidants known as polyphenols, flavonoids, fluoride, no cholesterol, no fat, no sugar, natural vitamins and mineral. Tea contains ECGC.  In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

Q: Does the addition of milk reduce the antioxidant value?
A: The addition of milk does not appear to affect the bioavailability of the tea flavonoids, but does increase calcium intake

Q: Do green and black teas come from different plants?
A: No, they both come from the same plant known by its botanical name Camellia sinensis.

Q: Does tea contain the same level of caffeine as coffee?
A: No, at least half the level of coffee.

Q: How is decaffeinated tea produced?
A: Simply by “washing” the tea leaves towards the end of the production process in an organic solvent. The method is strictly governed by legal limits. A newer healthy method of decaffeinating tea uses a CO2 process.

Q: How many varieties of tea are there?
A: Tea Council estimates about 1,500 varieties of Camellia sinensis.

Q: Is green tea better for you than black tea?
A: Both varieties come from the plant Camellia sinensis and both have similar amounts of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.  The only difference is that black tea leaves are fermented (oxidized) and green is steamed. 

Q: What is Oolong tea?
A: Oolong tea is semi fermented.  Therefore, it produces a tea which is not quite black or green.  It is somewhere in between the two and quite tasty.

Q: What is herbal tea?
A: Herbal teas are not really tea.  They are properly know as tisanes derived from the Greek, via the Latin "ptisana".Tisanes are made from pieces of dried fruit, flowers and berries. They naturally have no caffeine content.

Q. What is Rooibos Tea?
A. Rooibos (meaning red bush is African) is a natural herb containing no caffeine and extremely healthy.  It contains more antioxidants than tea and has anti aging properties.  It is also a very relaxing and flavorful beverage.

Q: How long can a safely store tea?
A: Black tea may be stored up to one year and green two.  This is only true if the tea is stored in a cool dry place in a sealed container.

Q: Why does tea refresh you in hot weather?
A: It simply raises the body temperature momentarily, you perspire and the perspiration on your skin creates a cooling effect.

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