Tea

Tea is a product made by processing the . The flavour of the raw tea is developed by processes including Oxidation , heating, drying and the addition of other Herb s, Spice s, or Fruit . Tea is a natural source of Caffeine and Theophylline . Tea is also Diuretic . The term Herbal Tea usually refers to infusions of fruit or herbs containing no actual tea, for example Rosehip tea or Chamomile tea. Alternative terms for this are ''tisane'' or ''herbal infusion'', which lack the word ''tea''. This article is concerned exclusively with preparations and uses of the tea plant. Tea is often referred to by one of its many slang names, including ''cuppa'' (short for ''cup of tea''), ''cha'' (Japanese for ''tea''), and ''brew''. A total of 3,200,000 Tonne s of tea were produced worldwide in 2004 FAO figures . CULTIVATION Tea is produced from leaves and leaf buds of '' Camellia Sinensis '', the tea plant. All tea varieties, such as green, oolong and black tea, are harvested from this species; they differ in processing. In the wild, the tea tree may grow from 5 to 15 m, and sometimes even to 30 mArcimovicova p. 43. See also a photo of an exceptionally old and big tea tree called "King tea plant" (taken by SMČ tea expedition, 1997 ).. The wild distribution is in the foothills of the Himalayas, stretching from northeast India to southwest China[http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/Mansfeld/taxonomy/datenvoll.afp?module=mf&source=botnam&taxid=4999]. Cultivated tea shrubs are usually trimmed to below 2 m (six feet) to stimulate the growth of leaves and to ease plucking. Many insects, including the green leafhopper, mites, caterpillars, and termites, are natural enemies to tea plants. estimates.]] Tea grows wild in subtropical Monsoon Climate s with wet and hot summers and relatively cold and dry winters.Arcimovicova p. 46 Today, it is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. In tropical regions, the best conditions are at higher Altitude s. Important tea producing countries are India , China , Bangladesh , Pakistan , Iran , Sri Lanka , Taiwan , Japan , Indonesia , Nepal , Australia , Argentina , and Kenya . (In the tea trade, Sri Lanka and Taiwan are still referred to by their former names of Ceylon and Formosa, respectively.) PROCESSING AND CLASSIFICATION The three types of tea are distinguished by their processing. Leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', if not dried quickly after picking, soon begin to wilt and Oxidise . This process resembles the Malt ing of barley, in that Starch is converted into Sugar s; the leaves turn progressively darker, as Chlorophyll breaks down and Tannin s are released. The next step in processing is to stop the oxidation process at a predetermined stage by removing the water from the leaves via heating. The term '' Fermentation '' was used (probably by Wine fanciers) to describe this process, and has stuck, even though no true fermentation happens (i.e. the process is not driven by Microbes and produces no Ethanol ). Without careful moisture and temperature control, Fungi will grow on tea. The fungi will cause fermentation which will contaminate the tea with toxic and Carcinogen ic substances. In fact, when real fermentation happens, the tea must be discarded. Tea is traditionally classified based on the degree or period of fermentation (oxidation) the leaves have undergone: ; White Tea (白茶): Young leaves (new growth buds) that have undergone no oxidation; the buds may be shielded from sunlight to prevent formation of chlorophyll. White tea is produced in lesser quantities than most of the other styles, and can be correspondingly more expensive than tea from the same plant processed by other methods. It is also less well-known in countries outside of China, though this is changing with the introduction of white tea in bagged form. ;, a traditional Japanese method; or by dry cooking in hot pans, the traditional Chinese method. Tea leaves may be left to dry as separate leaves or rolled into small pellets to make ''gun-powder'' tea. The latter process is time consuming and is typically done only with Pekoes of higher quality. The tea is processed within one to two days of harvesting. ; Oolong (烏龍茶): Oxidation is stopped somewhere between the standards for green tea and black tea. The oxidation process will take two to three days. ;, an increasingly popular South African Tisane . The oxidation process will take around two weeks and up to one month. Black tea is further classified as either ''orthodox'' or ''CTC'' ('' Crush, Tear, Curl '', a production method developed about 1932). Unblended black teas are also identified by the estate they come from, their year and the flush (first, second or autumn). Orthodox and CTC teas are further graded according to the post-production leaf quality by the Orange Pekoe system. ;, where both the moisture and temperature of the tea are carefully monitored. Both types of pu-erh tea are usually compressed into various shapes including bricks, discs, bowls, or mushrooms. Compression occurs to start the second oxidation/fermentation process, as only compressed forms of pu-erh will age. While most teas are consumed within a year of production, pu-erh can be aged for many years to improve its flavour, up to 30 to 50 years for raw pu-erh and 10 to 15 years for cooked pu-erh, although experts and aficionados disagree about what the optimal age is to stop the aging process. In China and amongst some westerners, the tea is traditionally brewed in the Gong Fu style, which is a process of several short steepings in a Yixing pot. Most often in foreign countries, pu-erh is steeped for up to five minutes in boiling water. Additionally, Some Tibet ans use pu-erh as a caloric food, boiled with Yak butter, sugar and salt to make Yak Butter Tea . Pu-erh also has Medicinal uses in Traditional Chinese Medicine , where it is used to cure Cough , balance Qi , and help in Weight Loss . Teas that undergo a second oxidation, such as pu-erh and Liu Bao , are collectively referred to as ''Black tea (黑茶)'' in Chinese. This is not to be confused with the English term ''Black tea'', which is known in Chinese as ''Red Tea (紅茶)''. ;, or of special tea processed similarly to green tea, but with a slower drying phase. ; tea'', kukicha is made from Twig s and old leaves Pruned from the tea plant during its dormant season and Dry-roasted over a fire. Popular as a health food in Japan and in Macrobiotic Diet s.
	Image:Bai Hao Yin Zhen Tea Leaf (Fuding)jpgFuding	"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Bai_Hao_Yinzhen_tea" class="copylinks">Bai Hao Yinzhen Tea , a White Tea
	Image:Xiaguan Te Ji Tuo Cha 2004jpgGreen	"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Pu-erh" class="copylinks">Pu-erh tuo cha, a type of compressed raw pu-erh
	Image:Huoshan Huangya Tea Leaves Closejpg	"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Huoshan_Huangya_tea" class="copylinks">Huoshan Huangya Tea a Yellow Tea

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Tea