Tea is one of the most appreciated and consumed beverages in the world, second only to water. Hot or iced, teas are allies that hydrate, provide important nutrients and antioxidant substances.

This drink is also a source of various curiosities that are worth knowing.

30 trivia about tea

  1. 2737 BC, the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung and his court took a break during a journey and while they waited for the servants to boil water to drink, some absurd leaves fell inside the container with the water. Thus appeared a brownish and fragrant liquid which the emperor approved and circulated;
  2. In ancient China and Siberia, tea was used as a bargaining chip, having a high value like money itself;
  3. Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world after water. It is estimated that more than 3 billion cups of tea are consumed daily;
  4. It is considered that the biggest tea-consuming countries in the world are India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Morocco, Russia, China, Ireland, United States of America and United Kingdom;
  5. In a day’s work, an individual who is experienced in harvesting tea leaves can collect as much as 32 kilos of them, enough to prepare 14,000 cups of the beverage;
  6. A cup of black tea has half the caffeine in a cup of coffee;
  7. This drink is a natural appetite suppressant, is good for the heart and helps to balance cholesterol levels;
  8. In terms of health benefits and flavor, purchased loose leaf tea is better than packaged tea;
  9. Several languages ​​around the world refer to the word tea as “cha”;
  10. Tea can be used to relieve burns and scalds. To do this, just place wet tea bags on the affected area;
  11. There are four main types of tea: black, white, green and oolong;
  12. One cup of white tea has the same amount of antioxidant substances as ten cups of apple juice;
  13. If stored correctly, tea leaves have a shelf life of 12 months;
  14. Tea with its expiration date because it is used as a plant fertilizer;
  15. Five out of six Americans consume tea every day;
  16. The tea bag was created in the early 20th century by New York merchant Thomas Sullivan as a cheaper alternative to metal cans. Legend has it that the merchant decided to wrap the tea leaves in small gauze bags, and the customers threw the small package into the boiling water;
  17. The biggest tea producers in the world are China and India;
  18. There are approximately 3,000 varieties of tea;
  19. During the battles of World War II, British soldiers would pause for a cup of tea;
  20. Iced tea was born in the United States in 1904;
  21. Tea is practically a sacred drink in Tibet;
  22. Black tea is the most produced and exported type of tea in the world;
  23. Studies show that men from Asian countries who regularly consume green tea have less risk of prostate cancer;
  24. Most of the caffeine in tea is released after the first 30 seconds of brewing;
  25. Each and every type of tea originates from the Camellia sinensis plant , varying only the growth process and the oxidation (or not) of the leaves;
  26. The Camellia sinensis can reach a height of 9 meters;
  27. The Camellia sinensis plant can produce tea leaves for 50 years;
  28. The expression “teaspoon” refers to the size of the spoon, which was perfect for measuring loose tea;
  29. Between 1608 and 1850, China was the leading tea exporter to the Western world;
  30. The most expensive teabag was produced by British company PG TIPS in celebration of its 75th anniversary and contained a limited edition Premium tea leaf and 280 diamonds.