The story of tea begins over four and a half thousand years ago. According to Chinese mythology, in 2737 BC the Chinese Emperor, Shen Nung, scholar and herbalist, was sitting beneath a tree while his servant boiled drinking water. A leaf from the tree dropped into the water and Shen Nung decided to try the brew. The tree was a wild tea tree.
From the earliest times tea was renowned for its properties as a healthy, refreshing drink. By the third century AD many stories were being told and some written about tea and the benefits of tea drinking, but it was not until the Tang Dynasty (618 AD – 906 AD) that tea became China’s national drink and the word ch’a was used to describe tea.
Tea drinking has been practiced throughout the world for hundreds of years. From the imperial court of ancient China to the Russian tea room, from the Japanese tea ceremony to British village tea shops, the soothing, healing and invigorating effects of tea have been appreciated and understood by many peoples.
Tea is a naturally refreshing drink and taken on its own it has no calories, so it’s the perfect drink to keep you looking good and feeling fit. When...