Recipes India - Tea

Tea
 
The tea is a drink which is made from the young and flavorful leaves and buds of tea plant. It is the most important non-alcoholic beverage in the world. In India, the state of Assam has over 800 tea estates and is one of the major tea producers.

The estates of Darjeeling produce Darjeeling Teas which are also called as the Champagne Teas with aroma resembling Muskat grapes and taste varying from malty or complex to bright or simple. The teas are grown in high altitudes with clouds comforting the tea plant and moisturizing its leaves.

The tea has three basic types such as the black tea, the green tea and the oolong tea. Black tea is fully oxidized or fermented and yields a hearty flavored, amber brew. It is very popular in US and over 90% of the tea consumed is black tea.

Green tea skips the oxidizing step and has a more delicate taste with light green/golden in color. Being a staple in the Orient, it is said to reduce cancer risks. Oolong tea is partly oxidized and is a cross between black and green tea in color and taste.

It is popular mainly in China. There are also herbal teas which contain no true tea leaves and are created from the flowers, berries, peels, seeds, leaves and roots of many different plants.

As tea contains caffeine, medicinally it is used as a stimulant, or as an astringent lotion which may be used as a gargle or injection. An infusion of tea is used for some digestive problems and to reduce sweating in fevers. At some places, tea leaves have been used homoeopathically for mania, paralysis, nervousness, neuralgia and sleeplessness.