eh is a drink that contains caffeine, an infusion made by brewing leaves, leaf tops, or dried petioles from the Camellia sinensis plant with hot water. Tea derived from tea plants is divided into 4 groups: black tea, oolong tea, green tea, and white tea.

The term "tea" is also used for drinks made from fruit, spices or other medicinal plants that are brewed, for example, rosehip, camomile, chrysanthemum and Jiaogulan teas. Tea that does not contain tea leaves is called herbal tea.

Tea is a natural source of caffeine, theophylline and antioxidants with fat, carbohydrate or protein levels close to zero percent. Tea when drunk feels a bit bitter which is a pleasure from tea.

Flower tea with a mixture of jasmine flower buds called jasmine tea or jasmine scented tea is the most popular type of tea in Indonesia [1]. Tea consumption in Indonesia of 0.8 kilograms per capita per year is still far below other countries in the world, although Indonesia is the fifth largest tea producing country in the world. [2]


Table of contents
1 History of Tea
1.1 Tea Trip to Japan
1.2 Tea trips to the West
1.3 Tea in America and England
2 Tea processing and grouping
3 tea potions
4 Composition
5 Tea in various languages
6 Packaging
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
Tea History
China became the cradle of tea, where the Chinese tea tree (Camellia sinensis) was discovered and originated. Precisely in the southwestern province of Yunnan. The climate of the region is tropical and sub-tropical, where the area is indeed an ancient forest. Such an area, which is warm and humid, is a very suitable place for tea plants, and there is even wild tea that is 2,700 years old and the rest of the tea plants grown that reach the age of 800 years are found here.

Legend is the oldest form of documentation, where it is told that Shennong became the forerunner of agriculture and medicinal herbs, also the inventor of tea. It was said in his book that he directly tried many herbal ingredients and used tea as an exterminating drug if he was exposed to the poison of the herb he tried. His life ended because he drank a poisonous concoction and did not have time to drink poisoned tea which caused his internal organs to become inflamed.

Chinese tea was originally used for medicinal ingredients (8th century BC), and even then it has thousands of years of history. The Chinese at that time chewed tea (770 BC-476 BC) they enjoyed a pleasant taste from the extract of tea leaves. Tea is also often combined with various types of food and soup mix.

In the era of the Han dynasty (221 BC - 8 AD), tea began to be processed with fairly simple processing, formed rounded, dried and stored, tea began to be used as a drink, tea brewed and combined with other ingredients (for example: ginger) and this habit firmly attached to the culture of Chinese society. Furthermore, tea is then used as a tradition in entertaining guests. After the Ming Dynasty, many types of tea were later discovered and added, popular teas later developed in Canton (Guangdong) and Fukien (Fujian) regions.

The consumption of Chinese culture will spread tea habits, even tightly attached to every layer of society. In 800 AD, Lu Yu wrote a book entitled "Ch'a Ching" which defines tea. Lu Yu was an orphan who was raised by Buddhist priest scholars in one of the best monasteries in China. As a young man, he often opposes clerical education discipline which then makes him have good observation, his performance increases from year to year, even so, he feels his life is empty and meaningless.

After halfway through his life, he retired for 5 years to isolate himself. With his biography and journey he had visited, he conditioned various methods of planting and managing ancient Chinese tea.

Tea trip to Japan
It turns out that the influence of Chinese tea infects Japan, tea consumption spreads through Chinese culture which eventually reaches every aspect of society. Tea seeds were brought to Japan by a Buddhist priest named Yeisei who saw that Chinese tea was able to increase concentration while meditating. He is known as the father of tea in Japan, because of this origin, Japanese tea is closely related to Zen Buddhism. Tea was also in demand in the Japanese empire, which then spread rapidly among the Japanese castles and communities.

Tea is even a culture and part of the art that is poured in the Japanese Tea Ceremony (Cha-no-yu or hot water for tea). This ceremony requires long training, even years. The performance of Cha-no-yu is high in perfection, politeness, charm and elegance.

Tea trips to the West
Converting culture
the amount of tea that has been done in China and Japan turned out to be a byword in Europe. The caravan group even heard how people consumed tea, and got vague information, the funny thing was they heard that tea was brewed, salted, buttered and then eaten. Europeans who personally discovered tea and later wrote about it were Jesuit Father Jasper de Cruz in 1560. Portuguese established trade relations with China, developed a trade route by shipping tea to Lisbon and then Dutch ships left for France, the Netherlands and the Baltic tea then became more popular in the western hemisphere. It stopped in Europe at the time of Elizabeth I, and then trends in the Dutch kingdom. Tea became an expensive drink at that time (more than $ 100 per pound), so tea traders gained prosperity from it. Dutch people are very fond of tea, and tea consumption has increased rapidly, although many have questioned the benefits of tea, and various other negative effects. Whatever it is, the community in general no longer disputes / is affected and returns to enjoy this tea drink. Tea is a part of the people in Europe, and a variety of tea consumption combinations are tried, such as mixing tea with milk. At that time tea service was first served in the restaurant. The drinks shop also provides complete portable tea utensils with heating equipment. The tea was very popular in France, but it did not last long (approximately fifteen years), and was later replaced by its popularity with drinks that had stronger appeal such as wine, coffee, and chocolate. In America and England In 1650, the Dutch people were very active in trade to the Western world. Peter Stuyvesant, who brought Chinese tea to America for the first time to his colony (the place was known as: New York until now). The first time he arrived in England around the 1650s, afterwards tea became a very popular beverage and could even be said to be the national beverage of the community United Kingdom. Tea processing and grouping Tea is grouped according to processing methods. The leaves of Camellia sinensis tea immediately wither and undergo oxidation if not dried immediately after picking. The drying process makes the leaves dark, because of the breakdown of chlorophyll and detachment of tannin elements. The next process is wet heating with hot steam so that the water content of the leaves evaporates and the oxidation process can be stopped at a predetermined stage. Tea leaf processing is often referred to as "fermentation" even though the actual use of this term is not appropriate. Tea processing does not use yeast and no ethanol is produced as is the actual fermentation process. Tea processing that is not true can indeed cause tea to be overgrown with fungi that result in a fermentation process. Tea that has undergone fermentation with mushrooms must be discarded, because it contains toxins and carcinogenic elements. Grouping of tea is based on oxidation level: White tea Tea made from leaf buds that do not undergo oxidation and when not yet picked are protected from sunlight to block the formation of chlorophyll. White tea is produced in fewer amounts than other types of tea so the price becomes more expensive. White tea is less well known outside of China, although white tea in packs of teabags is also becoming popular. Green tea The leaves of tea made as green tea are usually processed immediately after picking. After the leaves have oxidized in a minimal amount, the oxidation process is stopped by heating (traditional Japanese method by using steam or traditional Chinese ways by roasting on a hot pan). Dry tea can be sold in the form of tea leaves or rolled tightly in the form of small balls (tea called gun powder). Oolong The oxidation process is stopped in the middle between green tea and black tea which usually takes 2-3 days. Black tea or red tea Tea leaves are allowed to be fully oxidized for about 2 weeks to 1 month. Black tea is the most common type of tea in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh) and most countries in Africa such as: Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Malawi and Zimbabwe. The literal translation of hanzi characters for Chinese (红茶) or (紅茶) in Japanese is "red tea" because tea water is actually red. Westerners call it "black tea" because tea leaves are black. In South Africa, "red tea" is the name for rooibos tea which belongs to the class of herbal tea. Black tea is still divided into 2 types: Orthodox (tea is processed with traditional processing methods) or CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl tea production method that developed since 1932). Unblended black tea is grouped by origin
bunan, year of production, and period of picking (early spring, second picking, or fall). Orthodox and CTS teas are still divided according to post-production leaf quality according to Orange Pekoe.Pu-erh standards (Póu léi in Cantonese) Pu-erh tea consists of two types: "raw" and "cooked." Pu-erh tea which is still "raw" can be used directly for tea or stored for some time until "cooked". During storage, Pu-erh tea undergoes the second stage of microbiological oxidation. The "ripe" pu-erh tea is made from artificially oxidized tea leaves to resemble the taste of "raw" puerh tea that has long been stored and undergoes a natural aging process. The "ripe" pu-erh tea is made by controlling the humidity and temperature of tea leaves similar to the composting process. Pu-erh tea is usually sold in solid form after being pressed into a brick, small plate or bowl. Pu-erh tea is pressed so that the second stage of the oxidation process can run, because the pu-erh tea that is not pressed will not experience the ripening process. The longer it is stored, the aroma of pu-erh tea becomes even better. Pu-erh tea which is still "raw" is sometimes stored for up to 30 years or even 50 years to mature. Tea experts and tea enthusiasts have not yet met an agreement on storage time that is considered optimal. Storage for 10 to 15 years is often considered sufficient, although pu-erh tea can be taken after less than a year of storage. Pu-erh tea drinks are made by boiling pu-erh tea leaves in boiling water often for up to five minutes. Tibetans have the habit of drinking pu-erh tea mixed with butter from yak fat, sugar and salt.
Tea potions
Most of the tea brands sold on the market are the result of tea-making ingredients that make a unique blend for the brand from a variety of different tea leaves. The delicious taste of high-quality and high-priced tea can usually cover the taste of low-quality tea, so the quality of tea can increase and can be sold at a more reasonable price. The concoction of tea also keeps the taste of tea owned by certain brands stable throughout time.

Jasmine tea is made by mixing jasmine buds that are ready to bloom. Before being mixed with jasmine buds, the tea leaves undergo a moisturizing process so that the fragrant jasmine can stick to the tea leaves.

Composition
Tea contains a type of antioxidant called catechins. In fresh tea leaves, catechin levels can reach 30% of dry weight. Green tea and white tea contain high catechins, while black tea contains less catechins because catechins are lost in the oxidation process. Tea also contains caffeine (about 3% of dry weight or about 40 mg per cup), theophylline and theobromine in small amounts. [3]

Tea in various languages
Hanzi characters for tea are 茶, but are spoken differently in various Chinese dialects. Speakers of Hokkien from Xiamen call it te, while Cantonese speakers in Guangzhou and Hong Kong call it cha. Speakers of the Wu dialect in Shanghai and its surroundings call it zoo.

Languages ​​that call "tea" follow the title te according to Hokkien language: Afrikaans (tee), Armenian, Catalan (te), Danish (te), Dutch (thee), English (tea), Esperanto (teo ), Estonian (tee), Faroe (te), Finnish (tee), French (thé), Frisian (tee), Galician (té), German (Tee), Hebrew (תה, / te / or / tei /), Hungarian (tea), Icelandic (te), Irish (tae), Italian (tè), Latin (thea), Latvian (tēja), Malay (teh), Norwegian (te), Polish (Latin herbata thea), Gaelic-Scottish (tì, teatha), Sinhala, Spanish (té), Swedish (te), Tamil (thè), Welsh (te), and Yiddish (טיי, / tei /).

Languages ​​that call "tea" follow the name cha or chai: Albanian (çaj), Arabic (شَاي), Bengali (চা), Bosnian (čaj), Bulgarian (чай), Kapampangan (cha), Cebuano (tsa), Croatian (čaj), Czech (čaj), Greek (τσάι), Hindi (चाय), English English (char, chai) *, Japanese (茶, ち ゃ, cha), Korean (차), Macedonian (čaj), Malayalam, Nepali (chai), Persian (چاى), Punjabi (ਚਾਹ), Portuguese (chá), Romanian (ceai), Russian, (чай, chai ), Serbian (чај), Slovak (čaj), Slovenian (čaj), Swahili (chai), Tagalog (tsaa), Thai (ชา), Tibetan (ja), Turkish (çay), Ukrainian (чай), Urdu (چاى) and Vietnamese (trà or chè).

* It's rarely spoken.

Packaging

Tea bag
Tea bag
Tea is packaged in small bags which are usually made of paper with a rope. Teabags are very popular because they are practical for making tea, but heavy tea lovers usually don't like the taste of teabags.
Filter tea
Tea is packaged in small bags that are usually made of non-string paper. Filter tea is very popular because it is practical to make tea in large quantities and produce more concentrated than teabags.
Brewed tea (tea leaves)
Tea is packed in cans or wrapped in a plastic or paper wrap. The amount of tea can be arranged according to taste and is often considered impractical. Tea strainer is used so that floating tea is not drunk. In addition, tea can also be included in tea bags before brewing. A Chinese tea bowl called gaiwan can be used to filter tea leaves when pouring tea into another tea bowl.
Pressed tea
Tea is pressed to be solid for storage and ripening purposes. Pu erh tea is sold in solid form and is taken little by little when you want to drink. Tea that has been pressed has a longer shelf life than ordinary tea leaves.
Stick tea
Tea is packed in sticks from thin aluminum sheets that have small holes that serve as tea strainer.
Instant tea
Powdered tea that remains dissolved in hot or cold water. First created in the 1930s but not produced until the late 1950s. Instant tea has vanilla, honey, fruit, or mixed with milk powder.
See also
Chinese tea culture
Chinese Tea Manufacturer
Korean tea celebration
Tea ceremony
Assam tea
Orange Pekoe
Snapple
List of tea companies
Filter tea
Teh tarik
Classic Tea
Teh Poci
Tegal Tea
Tea bottle