Tannins are found in the roots, barks, leaves and fruit of some plants. The leather industry has used tannins for centuries to shrink and tighten the animal hide.

These tannins can also be found in the tea plant, more so in oxidized black and dark oolong teas – and to a lesser extent in green and white teas. Tannins are complex polyphenols that have an astringent (tightening/drying) effect on the body. You notice this when you drink a cup of black tea and are left with a pelty, dry feeling on your tongue.

There is a good and not so good side to tannins. On the good side, they

1. give tea its color and flavor
2. are  very useful in treating diarrhea
3. soothe sore red eyes and get rid of puffy eyes
4. treat infections

On the other side, tannins

1. can stain your teeth after prolonged drinking of tea or red wine
2. may decrease the absorption of vitamins and minerals because they  line (“tan”) the stomach
3. can aggravate constipation

If you want to know how much tannin you’ll find in your cup of tea – black tea has about 6-8 percent tannins, while green tea has only trace amounts of tannin. Oolong teas, for whatever reason, have the highest amount of tannins – around 20%. But tannins are not just found in tea. They are also present in herbs such as red raspberry leaf and nettle. Medicinally, they come in handy in toning mucous membranes of the intestine and in treating eczema and other skin conditions.

Kickstart your Immune system before the flu and cold season with this vitamin-packed tea blend!

Both, hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa)  and elderberries (Sambucca nigra) are rich in vitamin C and antimicrobial properties. While much of the hibiscus research has revolved around its blood pressure lowering action, it is also used medicinally to treat coughs and fevers.

Elderberries have long been used in Europe to make wonderful pies, preserves, wine and syrups – but is also known and popular for its decongestant properties and as a tonic to the mucous membranes.

If you ask me,  they make  a great pair to ward of nasty viruses!

For two cups (16 fl oz) of tea, use

1 tbs dried hibiscus flowers

1 tbs fresh or 2 tsp dried elderberries

2 cups boiling water

Combine the hibiscus and elderberries, add boiling water, cover and let steep for 10-20 minutes. (the longer you steep the tea, the more medicinal constituents are extracted) Strain, sweeten with honey or agave syrup and drink hot!

With a history spanning five thousand years, there is much to know about tea. I thought, for today’s blog, I’d put together a few tidbits about tea that you may not have heard yet.

Did you know:

- that New Yorkers were sipping tea long before the English even thought about it. Tea was introduced to the “New Amsterdam”, as New York was then called,  by Dutch Settlers. It was the Dutch who first imported tea from China and spread it across the European Continent.

- that at the Boston tea party, 342 chests of tea were thrown overboard – that was about 120000 pounds of tea floating in the ocean.

- that a professional tea taster goes through a seven year apprenticeship before his palate is refined enough.

- eighty percent of all tea consumed in the world is black and that eighty percent of all tea consumed in the U.S. is iced.

- the first book written about tea, the “Ch’a-ching” was published in 780 C.E. and is still in print today!

- no artificial materials are used inside the Japanese tearoom, only the five elements of the Taoist universe: earth, wood, fire, water, metal

- that before tea became a staple in every English household, Ale was the popular morning drink.

- that the habit of putting sugar in your tea, started around the latter part of the 17th century. It was the working class that developed this habit first out of necessity. Tea was affordable and with a little sugar offered the temporary illusion of a hot, nutritious meal.

- that it takes 60000 tea leaves to make 2 lbs of Dragonwell green tea.

(Source: Liquid Jade, Beatrice Hohenegger)

Overweight and obesity in children is on the rise in the United States. According to statistics published by the Department of Health
and Human Services, the number of adolescents who are overweight has tripled since 1980 and the prevalence among younger children has more than doubled.

While genetic factors play a role in some cases, more often it is the lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating habits, including too
many sugary drinks like sodas and even fruit juice that contribute to the increased number of overweight children.

Statistics published by the National Soft Drink Association (NSDA state that thec onsumption of soft drinks is now over 600 12-ounce servings (12 oz.) per person per year. Since the late 1970`s the soft drink consumption in the United States has doubled and is now at 150 quarts per year, or about three quarts per week. Twenty-one percent of the sugar in the average American’s diet comes from soft drinks!
That’s more than just an unhealthy consumption of empty calories. It is a dangerous overload of caffeine and potentially hazardous, nutrient-depleting additives.

Instead of letting your child overindulge in sodas and other drinks loaded with sugar, artificial colors and preservatives, try other healthy and tasty alternative. Rooibos – also called African Redbush or simply Red Tea is a great way to introduce your child to a healthier, yet tasty drink option.

Even though it is commonly referred to as a tea, Rooibos is actually and herb (Asphalthus Linearis), which is indigenous to the Cederberg mountains of South Africa. Enjoyed for centuries by the natives, both as a beverage and health tonic, Rooibos has been gaining
in popularity here in the U.S. as well. What makes Rooibos such a great drink for kids is the fact that it is naturally caffeine free and due to the
low tannin content, it is mild and slightly sweet tasting. (without the added sugar!)

• Rooibos also contains essential minerals, such as potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium and fluoride. A glass
  of iced Rooibos is the ideal drink to replenish electrolytes on a hot Arizona summer
  day.
• Unlike caffeinated drinks, Rooibos has properties that are calming and can even help with nervous tension and  disturbed sleep patterns. Its antispasmodic properties have long been known to relief stomach and digestive discomfort in adults and children. South African mothers often give their babies Rooibos to relief colic.
• Much like green tea, Rooibos isrich in antioxidants and flavenoids
• Rooibos is available in its original form or flavored with fruit and botanicals. It is easy to prepare and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

As a special summer treat, use Rooibos to make refreshing popsicles, lightly sweetened with agave syrup or stevia and replace
that juice box in your child’s lunch box with a thermos of iced Rooibos. For the occasional “bubbly” effect just turn your iced Rooibos into an Arnold Palmer by adding some mineral water.

Rooibos is a truly a healthier alternative tosugar laden drinks, providing minerals important to your child’s health and it
is so delicious that your child will quickly come to love it!

Tea-infused syrups are a great complement to a fresh fruit dessert and flavors can be adjusted seasonally to the different fruits available. The tea-infused port recipe, caught my eye when flipping through the pages of Cynthia Gold’s book “Culinary Tea”.

Ingredients:

1 bottle (750ml) sweet white port

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh or 1/4 cup dried rose petals

1/4 cup loose leaf black tea

1tbsp dried lavender.

Place the port in a large pitcher with rose petals. Steep covered for 30 minutes. Add the lavender and tea leaves. Steep covered for an additional 30 minutes – then taste. When the flavor is at a concentration you like, strain the mixture through double layers of cheesecloth, or through a coffee filter. Store in an airtight glass bottle and chill.

Prepare 6 cups of fresh fruit, such as peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines and blueberries, pour the port of the fruit and garnish with 1/4 tsp. grated lime.

Serve cold!

2 1/2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup

“Clouding” is a term used to describe the opaque, fog-like appearance of a tea’s liquor. This does not mean that there is anything wrong with the tea, nor does it affect the flavor. The problem is more cosmetic, since cloudy tea does not look very good in clear iced tea glasses.  The two factors that can lead to a cloudy glass of iced tea are are the water quality and certain chemicals compounds in the tea called “theaflavins”.

Hard water, for  example, has high concentrations of minerals, which when brewed with tea, can form visible solids that do not dissolve at cooler temperatures.

The second factor, modern science is pointing out, are precipitates being released into the water. A 2005 article in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry explains that theaflavins are only soluble in water at higher temperatures and will only remain suspended if the temperature changes slowly. So, if you pour hot tea over ice, the tea cools to quickly, the theaflavins will not remain suspended and the tea will cloud.  To avoid this, let your tea cool at room temperature first, before adding ice.

It also seems that certain varietals of tea are more susceptible to clouding than others. In general, Ceylon and South Indian teas (such as Nilgiri) are less likely to cloud than those from the Assam valley. South American teas don’t seem to cloud at all, which is probably the reason, why the majority of tea used by the iced tea industry comes form Argentina.

If it happens, that you made a fresh batch of iced tea and it turns out cloudy, use this trick to reverse the reaction. Add a little bit of hot water to your tea before serving. This will clear the liquor very quickly by reorganizing the chemical structure of the infusion and baffle your guests!

Much is said and written about Tea’s health properties but there is so much more than antioxidants that can be found in a cup of good tea. The Japanese Buddhist priest Myoe (1173-1232) inscribed his thoughts on tea on a kettle:

Tea has the blessing of all deities

Tea promotes filial piety

Trea drives away all evil spirits

Tea banishes drowsiness

Tea keeps the five internal organs in harmony

Tea wards off disease

Tea strenghtens friendship

Tea disciplines body and mind

Tea destroys the passions

Tea grants a peaceful death