Know Your Black Tea, Say Experts at Top Tea Company

A beverage that is healthy and easy to make! A beverage that is refreshing and yet has less caffeine than its cousin coffee…

Make way for this friendly neighbourhood beverage, black tea!

Harvested from the Camellia sinensis plant and made out of actual leaves, it is known for its various health benefits, as reported by independent studies.

Black tea owes its origin to China. Its production was spread to other countries when Scottish and English entrepreneurs and adventurers went to China and “borrowed” tea plants (If you know you know). The only teas believed to be consumed till the 17th century were green and oolong tea. It was only when the Chinese began fermentation of teas to extend their shelf life, that it produced an oxidised and darker version of the leaves which came to be known as ‘black tea.’

While the Europeans did it the hard way, you can get it delivered right at your doorsteps. Buy black tea online from the top tea company in India and enjoy this tea in the comfort of your home.

How black tea becomes ‘black’ tea!

Four steps are put to use in making black tea and transforming fresh, green leaves into a dark and rich infusion to fill your cup. The quality of a finished tea depends on when and for how long the following steps are applied.

Step 1: Withering

Freshly harvested tea leaves are scattered across metal tracks in an even layer, and the air is pulled and pushed across the leaves using fans. Conventionally, this process was conducted outdoors where leaves were dried through air and sunlight. However, nowadays, depending on the ambient conditions, the leaves are processed inside and are kept aside to wilt/wither for 10 to 14 hours. Humidity is carefully supervised and the desired amount of moisture loss is achieved in order to create the desired flavour.

Step 2: Rolling (Orthodox approach)

The main idea behind rolling is to damage the cell walls or the external layer of leaves. This is done to scatter moisture evenly on the walls of the leaves. Juices stored inside the leaves are extracted by twisting and pressing the leaves. This way enzymes inside the leaf are exposed to the outside air, speeding up the next few steps! This process is time-consuming and here leaves remain whole or partially broken.

CTC (Crush-Tear-Curl) approach

Here, the tea leaves are not rolled but cut into fine pieces instead. An array of cylindrical rollers with sharp teeth break the leaves into extremely small pieces. These smaller pieces react quickly with air (more on that later) resulting in a strong and bold black tea. We often find CTC black tea in bags. Not only black tea, but the CTC approach is used to create Wagh Bakri Green Tea as well.

Step 3: Oxidise

Oxidation is a natural method of processing that occurs when leaves are exposed to oxygen to dry and darken them. In this step, enzymes break down the cell walls of leaves turning them brown. Leaves may be left to oxidise for up to eight hours, affecting their colour as well as flavour. Black tea is oxidised up to 80% and has a more earthy, astringent tinge This step also affects the caffeine content in black tea, making it an excellent alternative to coffee for the caffeine.

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The Stress-Busting Magic of Black Tea

Since the pandemic hit, studies have suggested that stress and anxiety among people have also risen. A Delhi-based preventive healthcare platform, The Center of Healing (TCOH), conducted a study and found that 74 percent and 88 percent of Indians are suffering from stress and anxiety respectively. We know it’s hard, but what if we told you that all this stress could lessen with just ek cup masala chai?

Yes! Various studies have shown that a limited amount of black tea helps in aiding stress and anxiety.

Let’s dig deeper

But first, let’s know more about this concoction!

All teas originate from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis. The plant has been grown and harvested to produce tea for hundreds of years and has caffeine as well as other stimulants and antioxidants. First grown in rocky, mountainous regions of China and India, this is now grown in countries throughout Asia and across the globe.

If they are of the same plant then why is black tea black and green tea green? The colour of the brewed tea depends on how the tea leaves are processed. With oxidation, the process of exposing green leaves to moist oxygen rich air, the leaves turn to a dark brownish-black colour. This oxidation can be controlled by tea manufacturers. Black tea is a fully oxidized tea. Green tea comes from the same plant, but is not oxidized.

Moreover, it is also said that Camellia sinensis assamica, the larger-leafed varietal of the plant, is typically used to produce black tea. Originated in Assam in India, it grows in warm, moist climates and is prolific in sub-tropical forests. On the other hand Camellia sinensis, the smaller-leafed variety, is typically used to make green and white teas.

Ensure you’re getting the freshest black tea to sip and buy black tea online in India or you may even choose to buy organic tea online. Or perhaps like most Indians you are a fan of masala chai, in which case, you may choose to buy masala tea online.

So how does this drinking tea help during anxiety?

Anxiety and stress may have mental symptoms like excessive worrying and feeling restless along with physical symptoms such as  jitters and changes in sleep patterns. This leaves a negative impact on the body and can hamper everyday life. People suffering from anxiety may be able to find an oasis of calm and clarity with a cup of black tea. It was found in several independent studies that people who drink black tea remain more relaxed and at ease.

In 2021, the tea advisory panel published a study stating how just 2-3 cups of black tea or green tea a day can help boost brain and mind health. If we go a little back, according to another 2006 study by Andrew Steptoe, a researcher at the University College London, drinking black tea may speed up people’s recovery from the daily stresses of life. Although it does not appear to reduce the actual levels of stress we experience, tea does seem to have a greater effect in bringing stress hormone levels back to normal.

Word of caution: Though moderate amounts of black tea may help relieve stress, when overdone, it may also increase anxiety and nervousness.

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