Tea Time

Comparing Cultures

As I previously stated, the tea originated in China and its influence spread to the rest of Asia and the UK to become the most popular beverage in the world other than water. In this post the culture of tea in China and Great Britain will be compared and contrasted.

We know now that Europeans love tea. When impersonating a British accent the first thing I will say is "can I get a cup of tea?". But the question is when did this begin? Tea spread to Great Britain in the mid 17th century, starting in the Netherlands through a travel literature called Voyages and Travels. It described tea as a pleasant hot beverage that contained properties that could be called medicinal. This reference to tea was not explored until two hundred years later when sailors returned with packets of tea which sparked the popularity that is seen today.

Tea was first advertised in Britain in a dry and liquid state and was claimed to prolong lifespan, cure illnesses and make the body more active. Soon after tea was being sold in over "500 coffee houses in London" and became the most popular beverage in Britain in the mid 18th century.

The most notorious British custom is "afternoon tea" which was developed in an era where only the wealthy could afford tea. The Duchess of Belford invented the custom by requesting a small meal of bread and tea in between her lunch and late dinner. Her habits caught on and soon this snack became dainty tea parties with fine China, and now is known as afternoon tea.

Traditionally, afternoon tea is served with delicate sandwiches, scones and pastries with tea leaves from India or Ceylon. These gatherings can last one to two hours. However British afternoon tea known today consists of a small biscuit or crumpet coupled with a mug of tea. They are casually held in a tea room or in the dining room at home with friends and family.

I often questioned if the stereotype of Europeans' love for tea was authentic, but now it seems very plausible, and dare I say appealing. A gathering of friends with sweets and tea? I would like of cup of tea as well!

In China, tea is deemed as a necessity and as the influence spread it became more than simply drinking, but developed into a refined culture. Teas influence in China rapidly developed through the Tang dynasty which introduced tea art, ceremonies and the overall culture of tea.

Chinese tea art indicates the making, refining and tasting process behind tea. The tea growers must pick an appropriate area to plant the tea, then pick them with only their nails so the temperature of the leaves remain the same. The tea is then made with the highest quality water, either from a glacier or a clear spring, then is made in different varieties.

Tea ceremonies vary from British culture which prioritizes the gathering of people, instead the focus is shifted to the environment of drinking. Tea was enjoyed in a serene setting where, according to Wang," the tea's quality, the drinker's moral quality and the environment should harmonize".

The ways of consuming tea is different in both cultures as well. British tea enjoyers invented tea bags which were first made with a cloth, tea pots to replace open pans with tea leaves, and tea caddies or chests that could hold different leaves and sugar. In China, the tea making process is more extensive so they have a variety of vessels to aid in producing tea. These vessels include a tea roller and dust cleaner, ladles, filters and a wind stove which produces the fire to boil tea. The list of vessels is extensive, but deemed as required to brew the perfect tea in traditional Chinese culture.

Both Chinese and British tea culture makes drinking tea an experience that can be enjoyed with either delicious dainty sandwiches and pastries or with beautiful scenery and the finest teas. British tea culture is centered around the social aspect, an event where mothers and daughters can catch up over a snack or where nobles can increase their social status through fancy parties. Chinese tea culture is focused on the process and cultivating process of tea making, ensuring the finest quality with a tranquil environment to fully absorb its calming effect. These cultures, however different, both share the same love and respect for the same beverage which provides a community. Neither culture is better than the other and both deserve the same respect they give to tea.

To many, tea is simply a hot beverage they drink with honey and lemon while sick, but to others it holds value. History and tradition runs deep in many cultures and as someone who would drink tea everyday if she could, it was very interesting to see those differences. What do you guys think? Drop a comment down below!

My process of making tea consists of adding just enough sugar to cover the bottom of the mug, and the amount honey I add depends on how fast I can say "I love honey so much". But I never stopped to wonder if these additions can negatively effect the antioxidant properties of the tea I drink.

ChatGPT states that the adding tea to sugar does not effect the antioxidants, but does increase the risk of diabetes. This information is proved to be incorrect by a study done by Vasundhara Sharma which says antioxidant properties of black tea with sugar were less than without sugar.

Kadisha Jimmy: What is matcha? Benefits, tips and recipes.

Rather than steeping Camilla Sinensis leaves, matcha provides an alternative by whisking the leaves into hot water. The increase of concentration of the tea leaves provides a higher amount of caffeine, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

The drink that was native to Japan has become popular on TikTok due to its alluring tastes and can now be found at many local coffee shops. New York Times states that the "retail sales have jumped 77 percent over the past three years".

Some say that the drink gives them a steady mind because the caffeine is absorbed more gradually than coffee. Matcha contains an increased dose of caffeine compared to green tea, but less compared to coffee.

The book, Health Benefits of Green Tea: an evidence-based approach, provides the chemical and historical background of how green tea was discovered for its antioxidant properties. Hara applies his vast knowledge of chemistry to highlight the soluble chemicals like caffeine that stimulate the nervous system and catechins that are oxidized during tea preparation to make it as it is found in stores today. The book provides the “how” to the link between tea and health with explanations and evidence to support how the property of tea is used today. I had questions about how these chemicals were in tea, whether they were modified extensively to obtain these healing agents. Through the book I understand that there are different species of the Camilla Sinensis that tea comes from, and different species contain different chemicals. Health Benefits on Green Tea: an evidence-based approach provides chemistry and tea lovers with the opportunity to learn about tea on the molecular level.

The book is a scholarly edited collection with contributions from many editors blending different perspectives on the same topic. All of the essays were centered around the effect of green tea catechins on a particular disease or pathogen. They were fluid essays that switched between topics seamlessly, without a noticeable difference in each. This knowledge is a contribution to the discipline of nutritional science and biochemistry.

The organization of the book makes it easier for the reader to locate the specific information. The collection goes into depths on the effects green tea has on a different system or disease each chapter and provided an in-depth explanation, along with an abstract and introduction. Hara includes diagrams within the chapters that can help the reader visualize the information from the text. The book contains an extensive index with terms linked back to the pages they were discussed on. The terms can be understood through reading the pages linked. On each edition of the collection, there are key terms, for example, the chapter on antidiabetic affects has keywords of “diabetes, green tea, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance,” which can be found in the index as well.

Although I was not the typical audience of the book, I was still able to understand the knowledge that the book provided. While I had some difficulties due to my lack of knowledge on specific chemicals found in tea, the message of the book was delivered across the gap of knowledge. The audience of the book is for those with extensive knowledge on biochemistry and the nutritional benefits of different chemicals. Ideally, graduate chemistry students who are interested in the antioxidant properties of green tea would jump to read this book. I would not recommend this book to anyone who does not have prior knowledge of chemistry due to the intensity of the content. However, using the illustrations and diagrams that is provided, broad knowledge of the book can be absorbed.

The information aligns with similar sources I have read as I was researching. It mentions how tea has been used dating back almost 3000 years and the origination being in China. The book stated that it was not going to cover the entirety of teas history, only the aspects that align with the health aspects of Camellia Sinensis. Tea can possibly provide anticarcinogenic properties upon drinking it. I had always believed tea to be useful for minor sicknesses, like the common cold, or relaxation before sleep. Thinking that tea could prevent something as fatal as cancer was interesting for me to read upon the different ways teas could be used.

Tea has been tied with health benefits for centuries, even used as medicine for illnesses. Because my interest in this topic stems from my appreciation for tea and my major in biochemistry, I decided to conduct an experiment to test the effects of tea directly. Over the course of four days, my mom and I each drank one cup of chamomile tea before going to sleep to determine whether it improved sleep quality. Each night, we drank tea at around 11:00 PM, about 30 minutes before going to bed. Chamomile tea is commonly associated with improving sleep quality and reducing the time it takes to fall asleep.

On average, it typically takes me between 30 minutes to an hour to fall asleep on weekdays, so my hypothesis was that drinking chamomile tea would reduce this time. However, during the first two days, I noticed no significant change in how long it took me to fall asleep, although I did feel noticeably drowsier after drinking the tea. This relaxed feeling continued as I was trying to fall asleep, but I believe the lack of immediate results may be due to my usual sleep schedule, because I typically fall asleep closer to 1:00 AM. During the final two days, however, I found that I was able to fall asleep faster than usual.

My mom experienced similar results, although she reported falling asleep faster after the second day. She stated that, “I didn’t notice much change at first, but after a few nights, I started to feel calmer before bed and found myself falling asleep more quickly than I normally do.”

Considered one of China’s greatest dynasties, the imperial court ruled from 618 through 907 and accumulated a vast amount of land. The dynasty’s growth can be partially attributed to Chinese traders, whose exchange of tea bricks contributed to the expansion of the T’ang dynasty through foreign trade.

Tea leaves were originally introduced as an herbal tonic to help reduce symptoms of heatstroke and treat insomnia. Green tea leaves were commonly used but not consumed alone, instead, used as ingredients in herbal mixtures. The demand for tea bloomed, and in response, a wide range of tea types emerged.

Tea blossomed amongst emperors and peasants and became an everyday beverage. Tea drinking transitioned to being refined, and only the most affluent could afford the finest tea leaves, utensils, and bowls. Bret Hinsch explains that tea was used for “raising their social status, building connections, proving exemplary manhood, and accumulating cultural capital”. The immense history of China is rooted in the cultural aspects of tea. As an average tea consumer, I am curious to know what the finer teas taste like. Considering the increase in pollution, it can be assumed that the quality was impeccable and could have offered a difference in health benefits.

Tony Gebely is an acclaimed tea expert and author who has spent nearly two decades researching tea production, processing, and culture around the world. His interest in tea began during a college trip to southern China, where, according to Hahn, “tea-making in China dates back to at least 2000 BCE.” Exploring the germination of tea and its cultural history inspired Gebely to travel throughout Asia gaining firsthand experience on techniques and traditions of tea cultivation.

He later created Tea Epicure, a blog where he shares his experiences and knowledge about tea from traveling. Through his writing, Gebely explains the different stages of tea processing, the chemical changes that occur during those stages, and preparation methods that beginners can follow. In addition to his blog, he has written several books that discuss tea processing and the compounds found in tea leaves.

Gebely’s passion for tea extends beyond research alone. In fact, he even incorporated tea into his own wedding. Talk about dedication! By fully immersing himself in the world of tea, he has created valuable opportunities for readers and researchers to better understand the relationship between tea, culture, and health.

Primary Source:

file:///C:/Users/montg/Downloads/snow-shan-handbook-gebely.pdf (his book)

Secondary Source:

https://www.readeighty.com/blog/american-tea-competitions-and-innovation-with-tony-gebely

Tea is more than just hot water and leaves. It is a ritual, comfort, and for many people, a necessity. Made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, a plant that originated in Southeast Asia and continues to thrive in countries such as China and Japan, tea has grown into one of the most widely enjoyed beverages in the world. According to Blake Stabler, “all types of teas are made using the leaves of the Camellia sinensis,” though the harvesting and processing methods vary greatly. These differences are what create the range of flavors, colors, and potential health benefits found in each cup.

Tea Leaf Absolute by Jermey Tamen

From delicate white tea, picked before the leaves fully mature, to earthy green tea, bold black tea, and lightly oxidized oolong, each type offers something distinct. The level of oxidation and preparation alters the chemical composition of the leaves, influencing caffeine content, antioxidant levels, and overall effects on the body. Some teas may promote relaxation because of naturally occurring compounds that have a mild calming effect, while others may support focus, digestion, or heart health by contributing to reduced stress hormones and improved circulation.

Tea Time is dedicated to exploring these differences in a way that is informative while still engaging. This blog will highlight four primary types of tea, discuss examples such as lavender and Earl Grey, and examine when and how often to enjoy them for the best results. While tea once symbolized political rebellion during events like the Boston Tea Party, today it more often represents a mindful pause in a busy day.

Background image by Kelsey Rose, "Evening"