Steeped in Tradition, Tea Has a Rich History

Water is the most consumed beverage in the world, with tea in the No. 2 spot, followed by coffee. America is the exception, with coffee edging out tea for the No. 2 position.

At BostonbeaN Coffee Company, we love tea and coffee equally. Read on to learn more about the history of tea, and why adding a cup of tea to your hot beverage consumption is beneficial to your health.

assorted hot teas

A Brief History of Tea

Tea has its origins in China somewhere around 2737 BC. The story goes that Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was sitting under a tree when tea leaves were conveniently blown into a pot of hot water being prepared by a servant. The emperor was also a herbalist, and decided to see what became of the resulting concoction.

As always, you should take origin stories with a grain of salt, but it’s thought that tea didn’t grow in popularity as a beverage until the Tang dynasty (618-930 AD). Tea didn’t reach Europe until the late 1500s, and the first commercial shipment reached Holland in 1606, kickstarting the demand for tea.

Popular Flavors and Types of Tea

There’s no one consensus on the most popular tea flavors, but as a general rule, you can expect to find the following flavors and bases readily available on store shelves:

  • Earl Grey
  • Chai Masala
  • Green tea
  • Black tea
  • Black lemon tea
  • Peach tea
  • Matcha
  • Mint
  • Chamomile
  • Tulsi

Tea comes in a variety of formats that include loose-leaf, bagged and powders. Its caffeine content range includes full strength, half-caff and caffeine free. Some varieties of teas have more caffeine than others for a nice jolt of energy in the morning.

assorted tea bags

Benefits of Drinking Tea

The benefits of drinking tea reach further than providing a power-up. They include:

  • Boosting your immune system
  • Reducing inflammation
  • Protecting against cancer and heart disease
  • Protecting your bones
  • Lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes

Bring Our Teas to Your Boston Office

At BostonbeaN Coffee Company, we feature cold brew coffee and tea crafted by the local micro-roaster Barismo, among other offerings. Get in touch with us today to learn about our services and how we can turn your office kitchen into a private café that provides customized tea and coffee to your employees.