Teaâ??s proper use is to amuse the idle and relax the studios, to dilute the full meal of those who cannot use exercise and will not use abstinence.

                                   Samuel Johnson 1709 - 1764

The tea we drink and know so well is actually a camellia, Camellia sinensis. First discovered as a tea, or, dried leaf tip that could be added to boiling water as a drink.

Its discovery was due to the ancient Chinese culture of herbal medicine and is traditionally attributed to Shen Nong, said to have lived about 2.500 years ago.

Teas origin was as a medicinal herb, used to â??clear the mindâ? and was promptly adopted by scholars and Buddhist monks during meditation.

Although tea had been widely prepared as a drink throughout China for over 2000 years, we must remember that China, to the Europeans was totally unknown, except for very minor reports and references in books, i.e. from a Persian traveller in 1559 who mentions tea as a wonderful antidote to fever, headache and stomach ache!

It was, however, the Dutch who first imported tea into Europe in 1610 as a purely medicinal drink, but by 1637, tea was being imported into Holland as a hot drink with an increasing popularity. Holland, at this time, was the tea drinking country, not England.

Tea was drunk in England, on a small scale, however, tea arrived in England with a new vigor via the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, with the return to England of Charles ll, who had lived in exile among the tea drinking Dutch.

But it was via Portugal that tea drinking in England received its real boost. The Portuguese had, throughout the 15th century been Europeâ??s leading sea power, with a vast and adventurous merchant fleet trading between Lisbon, India and the southern Chinese port of Canton. Portugal had been the very first to encounter tea having a virtual control of trade to Asia until about 1600.

Portugal had been the first foreign power to be granted a trading concession by the Imperial Chinese government, with imported goods, hardly known in Europe, including silks, porcelain, lacquer ware and tea, establishing Lisbon as an important and wealthy city.

By the middle of the 17th century, tea was the drink of choice at the Portuguese court.

In 1661 a political union was established between England and Portugal and as was the style of the day, the political union was followed by a Royal marriage between England and Portugal, which symbolized the union between the two kingdoms.

In 1662 Princess Catherine of Braganza was sent to England to be the Royal bride of Charles ll.  Catherine, now Queen of England, further promoted tea at the English court. The new Queens passion for tea firmly established tea drinking at court, which very quickly spread throughout high society.

Today, tea is an inexpensive drink enjoyed by anyone who wishes to drink it, but it was not always so. Tea in the 17th and 18th century was very expensive, indeed, a luxury drink enjoyed only by the wealthy classes.

We can still see preserved posters from Thomas Garwayâ??s London tea and coffee shop, with tea priced at 16 to 60 shillings a pound! And in 1664 a poster, advertising tea at £4 5/- shillings for a little over two pound weight. In 1664 this was a vast amount of money, well beyond the purse of the average family.

By the early 18th century, the fashion for tea was gaining new ground and the price for standard grade tea had dropped to about 12 â?? 14 shillings a pound, a sum of money equal to the average weekly income of a master craftsman at the time.

With tea being a privilege of the rich, it soon became something to show-off about and the tea ceremony began to develop. This allowed the host to give a lavish display of wealth and status, in the 18th century, your wealth and social standing was something to display and the grander the display, the better.

The tea table became a social centre and to extend hospitality to guests could be an expensive exercise, we find a London magazine of 1744 reporting that it could cost more to maintain a fashionable tea table than to keep two children and a nurse!

In the 18th century, tea was usually served, mid afternoon, after dinner, which was served in the early afternoon.  The lady of the house presided over the ritual of the tea table, which by now had become almost a ceremony, with rules of etiquette specific to â??taking teaâ?.  By example, there is a Thomas Rawlinson cartoon; named â??The French Visitorsâ?, The Frenchmen are seen, cross legged and red in the face, obviously, desperate to relieve themselves, written in the balloon shape coming from their mouthsâ?? is â??Please, Madam, no more tea!!â?  The joke, in 18th century terms, was that they did not know the tea table etiquette which required a guest to place his / her spoon in the tea cup to indicate to the hostess, no more, thank you.

This generous hostess had kept refilling the French visitorâ??s cups and they too polite to say, no more, thank you.

As the 18th century began to fade into the early 19th century, tea, now being grown by the British in India and Ceylon, became less and less expensive, eventually to become a staple of the poorer classes. Of particular benefit, although not understood at the time was the fact the drinking water was now being boiled, so that the many diseases spread by contaminated drinking water began to decline

The tea, that we know today, is a very inexpensive drink, enjoyed by millions, the elegant ritual of the tea table, now reduced to a mug and a tea bag.  

 

  

  

 

 

Where you purchase your oolong tea is just as important as how you brew it. There are many sites online that sell this type of beverage. There are also many sites that exaggerate claims and sell you an inferior tea.

It is a type of tea that originated in China about 400 years ago.

It has numerous healthful properties and has been used by Chinese herbalists for centuries to treat many different ailments.

It is allowed to ferment longer than green tea and less than black tea which is fully fermented. This process results in a rich, flavorful tea with unique medicinal properties.

This tea is full of free radical harnessing polyphenols. Studies have shown that the polyphenols in this magical drink reduces triglyceride levels significantly.

The benefits are increased with regular drinking. Someone drinking just three cups per day can start to reap the benefits of this amazing tea.

The flavor of this drink is somewhere between that of green and black teas. In both China and Japan it is traditionally taken in a small teapot with tiny cups and is a very important part of everyday life.

How you benefit from these properties is entirely up to you.

The first step should be the proper brewing of the oolong tea. A method of tea brewing knows as Gongfu Cha is traditionally used to brew oolong tea. Tea masters study for years in order to perfect this art. The main differences between this method of brewing and regular tea brewing are the uncompromising steps, the amount of tea used and the time it is allowed to steep.

However, you can brew a very nice cup of oolong tea at home without years of training.

The key to a delicious cup of tea lies in several things.

First, you must start with quality loose leaf tea. The tea you purchase should be the best quality organic tea you can afford. Premium loose leaf oolong tea can be re-infused many times so you really do get your money’s worth.

Next, you need good water. Spring water is a good choice, but avoid using distilled water as it will produce a flat tasting tea. Tap water should be filtered first and avoid using hard water at all costs.

The temperature of the water is also vital. A good temperature is about 12 degrees below boiling. Water that is too warm will alter the levels of the plant’s medicinal properties and water that is too cool will not cause the tea leaves to release all of their essential oils.

Bring the water to just under a boil and allow it to cool slightly. Place at least enough tea leaves to cover the bottom of the pot. It is not uncommon for someone to place enough tea leaves into the teapot to fill it completely. This may seem like a lot of leaves, but as they expand and swell, you’ll be able to re-infuse this pot many times.

Also, remember to never leave the loose tea sitting in water. Decant all of the tea into cups and add only enough hot water for the amount of tea you wish to drink at any given time.

After the water has been added to the tea leaves, allow them to steep for a few moments then pour off this first infusion and discard it or use it water your roses. This allows water to circulate around the larger leaves and ensures that your first cup will be perfect.

You can re-infuse the tea many times using this method.

If you plan on drinking a lot of oolong tea (and you will), you may want to consider the purchase of a nice Yixing teapot. These small teapots are made of porous clay and help make the perfect cup of oolong tea.

Sit back and relax with a warm cup of oolong tea and savor the moment!

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the “French Paradox.” For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. 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.

Why don’t other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

What is Ginkgo (Ginko)

Called the ‘Temple Tea’ in ancient China, no plant was more revered and protected than Ginkgo. The great sages and healers prized Ginkgo leaves as the guardian of mental health and longevity. Today, people seeking total wellness value Ginkgo as much as the ancient Chinese did.

Ginkgo, the most ancient of all trees, has long been sacred by the Chinese for its effects on the heart and for its other health-giving properties. Now Western doctors are prescribing ginkgo as a tonic and memory booster.

Besides being known as ginkgo biloba, it is an Asian tree also called the Maidenhair and has been widely used in Chinese medicine for hundreds of years. The ginkgo leaf is used to make herbal teas and extracts, which have been shown to have a significant range of positive health effects.

What is it used for

Ginko is a very special herb with many healing properties for the brain, nerves and blood vessels which improve circulation and blood flow. The rejuvenating and nutritive properties have made it widely used by practitioners of Eastern and Western Herbalism.

Most common uses of the herb are: 

• Ginko has been known to Increase blood flow to the brain and is thought to improve concentration and memory.

• Ginko improves Circulatory problems which relieves fluid retention to the feet and ankles

• Ginko has been used to heal male impotence, and is a standard herbal treatment for male sexual dysfunction.

• Ginko has been used in the research of alleviating early stage Alzheimer’s.

• The benefits of Ginko have been known to treat depression due to the increased blood flow to the brain.

• Ginko is used in Europe for treating Asthma and bronchitis.

• As Ginko improves blood flow it is widely used to aid in the treatment of Arthritis.

At Teaworld we have a large selection of teas containing Ginko, such as with Ginger, eucalyptus, cardamom , lemon grass, black pepper, basil and many more invigorating herbs.

For more information on Ginko tea and where you can buy some of the finest teas visit http://www.teaworld.co.uk/search.php?start=0&end=9&query=ginkgo

In the past, herbal medicine was more frequently used compared with the present.  More recently  

the interest in herbal medicinal products, especially in the field of healthy nutrition, dermatology and cosmetics, has risen enormously.  Many plant-derived substances show photo protective properties in terms of absorption of UV radiation and preventing photo damage to molecular structures of human skin.  Modern phytopharmaceutics as well as phytocosmetics have standardized, defined methods for the herbal matrix. 

The pharmacological effect of the compounds could be foreseen from their chemical structure.  The development of rational technology of pharmaceutical preparations follows the identification of active constituents in pharmaceutical herbs their good-to-excellent effect.

Numerous examples can be found in many literature citations, and in fact in many potions are used for different ailments e.g. The buckwheat herb (Fagopyrum esculentum is rich in flavonoids, which have been identified as potent antioxidants and have a high content of phenolics, and a low content of the phototoxic fagopyrin. the extractable matter, contains fagopyrin, rutin, and chlorogenic acid.   

Pharmaceutical herbal preparations have been used for the treatment of respiratory diseases for a long time.  Alongside with the well known herbs, there are many of crude drugs to be investigated and applied in therapeutics.  Respiratory diseases are mainly treated by chemical medicines and antibiotics.  The use of herbal preparations is limited and they are usually used as supplemental ones.  Biochemical processes in plants, chemical compounds and information on their value in therapy were shown too beneficial. The pharmacological effect of the compounds often arises from their chemical structure elucidation and knowledge. Hence, the development of rational technology of pharmaceutical preparations follows the identification of active constituents in pharmaceutical herbs.  The proper use of pharmaceutical herbs supplies the organism with the natural substances, thus preventing various diseases. 

An anti-influenza virus agent contains the medicinal herb extracts including Houttuyniae herbal extract, Acanthopanax sessiliflorus, Seem extract, Saposhnikoviae Radix extract and Bupleurum falcatum L. extract, wherein the medicinal herb extracts are prepared by extracting the medicinal herbs with at least one solvent selected from C1-C4 lower alcohol, ethyl acetate, acetone, water and hexane. 

 The traditional Chinese herb tripterygium wilfordii contains diterpenoid triepoxides comprise triptolide, triptodiolide, triptonide etc. are used to prepare a drug for treating neoplasm or cancer with one or more medicinal carriers

A nutritious food composition containing an herbal extract as a main component isomaltooligosaccharide,, high fructose and other additives which  supplies sufficient nutrients to a woman in childbed and improves the immunity and thus helps the child-bed woman maintain and improve the health.  The nutritious food composition contains 10 to 20% by weight of a herbal extract e.g.arabic gum, taurine, silk peptide, polydextrose and herb flavors.These are but a few examples of the many that are developed, and introduced in the market instead as a subsidiary or complimentary medicine.

However, it is worthy to note, and in long time use, that some of these potions have side effects and slow toxic inducement, e.g. the Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum L.), is known to contain a neurotoxin, and may have been inadvertently mixed into the herbal tea.  In view of the severity of the adverse health effects and the clear association with consumption of a specific herbal tea, the suspected herbal tea was quickly withdrawn from the market.  Consumption of the herbal tea caused required hospitalization of persons due to generalized tonic-clonic seizures.  Morphologic and organoleptic investigations of the suspected herbal tea indicated that this possibly contained the neurotoxin anisatin, a non-competitive GABA-antagonist which can cause hyperactivity of the central nervous system and tonic-clonic seizures.  Hence ingestion of a herbal tea containing anisatin caused the reported serious adverse health effects. 

Our advice is that one has to treat these herbal drugs with caution and after considerable consultation lest serious adverse or allergic effects may arise during treatment and use.