If you’re looking to improve your health in the upcoming year, tea can help.
- Tea has almost no calories, and flavorful loose leaf teas do not need caloric sweeteners.
- Tea replaces other sugary beverages like soda.
- Tea is full of antioxidants, which have been linked to fighting a number of cancers, including prostate cancer, breast cancer, and other types of cancer.
- Tea is good for the cardiovascular system and dental health.
- Tea may fight the flu. A recent study on children in Japan showed “Green tea is known to contain antiviral components that prevent influenza infection.”
- Tea has some caffeine, which is released slowly for an extended level of alertness without a sudden crash.
- ECGC, the main antioxidant in green tea, may prevent Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. In 2007, at the Fourth International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health in Washington D.C., Dr. Silvia Mandell presented the results of her study which showed the main antioxidant polyphenol of green tea extract, EGCG, when fed to mice induced with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, helped to protect brain cells from dying, as well as ‘rescuing’ already damaged neurons in the brain, a phenomenon called neurorescue or neurorestoration. The Michael J. Fox Foundation is holding tests in China on early Parkinson’s patients for further research.
- Due to the inclusion of both caffeine and l.theanine, tea induces a relaxed state of alertness; it keeps you energized without being jittery, so you’re better able to focus and study. It may even be an effective treatment for ADHD.
- Tea tastes good, and may even help suppress your appetite so you don’t overeat.
It seems no matter what your resolution is this year, tea can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
January 3rd, 2012
When you think of Hawaii, you probably don’t think of tea. But in recent years, Hawaiian growers have been learning and cultivating some fine and rare teas. Rare for many reasons: the atypically low elevation at which they are grown, the small size of the planting areas and the aim of integrating the fields into the existing landscape.
For a short while in 1887, the Hawaiian Coffee and Tea Company had a small plot in Kona but it was abandoned for financial reasons. In the 1960’s there was a small crop at the Lyon Arboretum on O’ahu but it was not considered commercially viable.
In the 1980’s, the sugar cane industry in Hawaii was at a decline and it was then that farmers began to turn to tea. Francis Zee of the US Department of Agriculture Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (USDA PBARC) and Milton Yamasaki from the University of Hawaii began researching tea as an option.
From that point, it has been a world of exploration and discovery for everyone involved. It has been a journey to find areas of Hawaii that will produce tea, decide which of the many kinds of tea are most suited to grow and how to manufacture and develop a finished product that is sure to please.
There are many people who have been working diligently over the past several decades to cultivate not only some special teas but also Hawaii’s place within the tea industry.
Takahiro Ino is a certified Japanese Tea Instructor and co-owner of Mauna Kea Tea with his wife Kimberly. Their processing style is the traditional Aoyagi, or green willow. The style is well-suited to their organic farming practices that utilize the natural terrain of Hawaii and stray from the use of fertilizers and pesticides. The Ino’s also use weed growth to understand the soil’s suitability for certain types of tea.
In Volcano Village, at 1300 meters, Eva and Chiu Lee cultivate white teas from bushes grown on their shady property. They have also left native trees to assist in the growth of tea leaves which is not a typical practice in many areas of the world but provides a distinctive taste. Eva and Chiu have been also been exploring with green teas and utilizing a Japanese ‘jotan’ table and find it important to learn from world leaders in tea production.
The Hawaii Tea Society, founded in 2002, aims to assist new tea growers and promote the production of tea in Hawaii. With continued research and outreach to reknown manufacturers of tea worldwide, these dedicated individuals and many more are working to brew something special and exciting for Hawaii and for tea lovers everywhere.
July 29th, 2011
The nice thing about being in this business is that one is surrounded by tea all day (and night) long. Anytime I want to enjoy something special, I can reach into our stores and fix up a cup.
I wouldn’t want to give that up, and once in a while I get a reminder how much tea matters and that it is far more than a beverage or a business.
The other day we received a wonderful note from a new customer about her purchase. She searched the internet for a particular tea we happen to have, so she had us send her a bit. She first had this tea while escaping from some tough times in her life along with dear friends at a seaside cabin.
As she sipped our tea it took her back to those warm and comforting memories and is a place of solace whenever life’s events begin to overwhelm her. She shared with us how important and rejuvenating that experience is for her. It was quite a touching story which we shared with our Tea Smithies here.
The same day, there were several people in the shop that had not seen one another for some time, as was evident by their greetings and embraces as they came to share tea and friendship over a warm inviting pot of tea.
All of this can be lost in the day to day activities involved in working and building a place for those teas and experiences to be enjoyed.
So to all of our families, friends and supporters, Thank You for your inspiration and sharing your love of tea and life with us.
January 6th, 2011
I will be the first to admit that I do not normally reach for flavored hot teas. Maybe I am a purist, or maybe I am just stuffy and don’t venture out enough.
Be that as it may, this year when our winter blends were complete, I naturally sampled them for quality control. As I sipped them, their flavor and aromas immediately reminded why they are so popular during the winter season.
The Winter Evening has a nice mix of fruits, a surprising sweetness from pink peppercorns as well as almonds and pistachios that make this a smooth beverage.
I am thinking of renaming the Holiday Gifts Black Tea Blend. The citrus, cinnamon and cloves are comforting any cold day, or evening. The balance of ingredients make their interplay quite interesting.
So I will make it a New Year’s resolution to be a bit more expansive in my daily consumption.
Also, if you have a creative suggestion for our Holiday Gifts tea, we would love to hear it.
It’s a Big World…Drink it Up!
December 27th, 2010
That is Georgia, as in the Republic of! This little country is to the East of the Black Sea and south of Russia. Tea has long been a part of their heritage and today there is a thriving community of about 500 small farms that make up the Georgia Handmade Tea Makers Association.
What first struck me when I first received some of the Georgian tea is the size of the leaf and the care in which it had been plucked and handled. Once I infused the teas, I was overwhelmed by the number of complete bud sets in tact.
But the real beauty is the flavor. We named our tea Georgian Cultured Lady in honor of the women that carefully hand produce this tea, and in recognition of the multiple layers of refined tastes this treasure imparts. It is an extremely smooth tea complemented with a pronounced honey like sweetness.
But the surprise to me is the Georgian Caravan. This area has a history of tea and was a part of the Silk Tea Route, so one would expect an offering of a Russian Caravan. But this is more than a mere nod to the past. The smooth sweet tasting tea has just a thin layer of smokey flavor which just adds to the complexity and balance. Once I sipped on this, I could envision the traders relaxing with large mugs of tea after a long day on the roads.
I hope we can continue to get this on a regular basis so that we can continue to share it with you and your friends.
It’s a Big World…Drink it Up!
Chief Leaf
November 18th, 2010
On my visit to Taiwan last year, I experienced a full range of tea culture, from Hakka tea to service in Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world. One of the highlights was a visit to Lin’s Ceramics flagship store there. Since 1983, they have been developing and perfecting materials and styles that enhance the taste and experience of tea. The beauty and simplicity of the design were enhanced by the quality of craftsmanship. Much to my dismay, they were only available in Taiwan and a few select shops in China.
This year I again met them at the Hong Kong International Tea Festival. May Tsai carefully explained to me the choice of materials, which teas were best in them and showcased their handcrafted cups, pots, servers trays and warmers.
Over a shared pot of tea served from their Purion teapot, we discussed the possibility of bringing their art to the USA. To make a long story short we are very excited to have just received our first order of their Pottery and Purion lines.
I have discovered that people that have discovered Lin’s Ceramics on their visits to Taiwan have been enthralled with the pieces they brought back with them.
If you would like to learn more about Lin’s, or see some of the items we have here, please visit our website.
We sold our first pieces even while we were putting them up on display in the store, so we look forward to sharing this discovery with you.
It’s a BIG World…Drink it Up!
Tim
November 10th, 2010
So after 5000 years, wouldn’t you think there are plenty of tea shops in China? And if someone there did want to open one, well they should have plenty of resources to draw from when setting it up.
But wait! This is the 21st Century, and consumerism is rampant in China as it is in many other countries. What this means according to Mr. DENG Zengyong, president of Menghai Tea Factory, is that the business needs to define their market, products, and brand image.
As I listened, though the presentation was being simultaneously translated from Chinese, I was struck by the fact that they are dealing with the same issues as we do in the USA when opening a tea shop. Are you going to be quick service, or ‘appreciated’ which means a focus on high quality. What character is your store going to reflect? Will you be marketing your own brand, or focus on a commodity approach? How do you approach standardization?
One theme that he stressed for those opening a shop in China is that tea the range of tea can be complicated, and the retailer needs to simplify and educate their customers.
Now, we have taken that approach here at The Tea Smith since we opened. After all, loose leaf tea has recently captured the interest and minds of the American public. But in my naivety, I would have considered the average Chinese more knowledgeable about the finer points of tea. But when you think about it, just because there was tea in the home and on the table all of the time, that does not mean that particular attention was paid to how it got there, what it was or what else is available.
As a result, in many parts of China, new concepts in tea houses are being rolled out. Some are traditional, some are pushing the envelope with their contemporary designs and product offerings. Just as we find here, as consumers learn more about the tea they are drinking, what goes into the processing and the ever expanding and tantalizing array of flavors available, they demand more and finer beverages.
As we always say,
It’s a BIG World…Drink it Up!
Tim
November 1st, 2010
As I mentioned in my previous post, the business of tea in China is much more dynamic than one might think. (Or at least than I had pondered.) After all they are credited with discovering tea over 5000 years ago, and are one of the top producers in the world. And we know they continue to research the development, growing, processing, and health properties of tea.
Tea is such a vital part of the Chinese culture and economy that there are literally millions of people involved in every aspect of tea. This is part of their strength as a producer as well as a weakness for them in the world market.
Since there are tens of thousands of small tea producers and family farms in the country, they have little presence or influence in the overall market, and hence a difficult time maintaining control, consistency and establishing a distinct identity. As a result, many of their products end up as components in other products according to Mr. Jun Cai, Secretary General, Tea Section of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs.
Mr. Cai goes on to say that the outlook for small producers is not good until they can build a national identity for tea.
This is similar to brand building in other areas, such as Darjeeling and Assam in India, or high mountain oolongs from Taiwan.
Though China is the birthplace of tea, they need to continually compete in the world market with the other 150+ countries producing tea in order to maintain or grow their image and market share.
Next…How to open a tea shop….in China
It’s a BIG World…Drink it Up!
Tim
October 24th, 2010
This year I again had the opportunity to attend this event. As one would expect, the majority of the exhibitors were from China, though there was a slightly better representation from other countries this year than last. The exhibitors also seemed a bit more prepared to talk to attendees outside the region.
The attendees reflected a more international flair, for sure. I talked to visitors from Russia, Mexico, Australia, and several countries from Eastern Europe.
I really got more out of the Fair this year than last. A renewed acquaintance with a Buddhist monk whose community has a small organic tea farm just north of Taipei, and an successful meeting with Lin’s Ceramic Studio from Taiwan are bringing some exciting new offering to The Tea Smith.
Next time I will share some interesting tidbits from a couple of the seminars I attended on the state of tea in China. It is more dynamic than I would have considered it to be, given 5000 years of practice.
It’s a Big World… Drink it Up!
October 15th, 2010
You know, its’ not as though there is nothing going on in the world of tea, or at The Tea Smith. But from my lack of attention to the Teavangelist Blog, you wouldn’t know it. As a matter of fact, we have been traveling to Japan, Taiwan and China and I have negligent in sharing that with you.
So, I am renewing my dedication to blogging here, and look forward to sharing our activities, discoveries and musing with you. I will try to catch you up a bit during the next few weeks, then contribute on a regular basis.
It’s a BIG World… Drink it Up!
Tim
October 11th, 2010
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