Black tea - origin, production, properties and brewing method
After water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. During a single day, 60% of the world's population, drinks up to 20 billion cups of the brew. In terms of the production of dried tea, the black variety is, of course, dominant, as it is the one most often chosen. Despite the fact that it is green tea that is considered the healthiest, it turns out that black tea is in no way inferior to it.
Black tea - where it comes from?
Black teas is obtained from the leaves, as well as the undeveloped buds of Camellia sinensis shrubs. A large part of the species of this plant, feels best in the warm as well as humid climate in the eastern and southeastern parts of Asia, as evidenced by the fact that countries from these regions dominate the tea market. Black tea is produced from leaves that come from China, Java, Sumatra and Sri Lanka. More recently, it has also been cultivated in Africa, and this includes Kenya, Ruanda, South Africa, and Tanzania.
Production
At the very beginning, in the case of high-quality tea, production means plucking fresh leaves from the bush - the first two and the tea bud. Next comes the wilting process, which is designed to reduce the water in the leaves, as well as greater flexibility, making them easier to roll and allowing them to oxidize. When full oxidation is achieved, it is possible to dry the leaves to remove excess water. Before black tea can be brewed, it is necessary to sort and clean it. Sensory evaluation is also an important step. Only after that, it is possible to pack and transport it.
Properties of black tea
Black teas, or more precisely the infusion obtained from them, to our body does not provides no nutrients, nor fats and proteins. However, it is a very rich source of polyphenols and it is thanks to them that black tea owes its properties to. Well, polyphenols exhibit strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, which has already been proven. Moreover, scientists indicate that there is a correlation between the consumption of black tea and a reduction in the risk of the onset of cardiovascular disease. All this is due to the fact that polyphenols prevent oxidation of LDL fraction cholesterols, and also have an anti-inflammatory effect. This is of considerable importance, during the development of atherosclerosis, or hypertension. Moreover, there are also studies that show that drinking black tea has anti-cancer effects.
The theine present in it acts as a stimulant and affects concentration, thus affecting our cognitive abilities. In addition, there is a lot of fluoride in black tea leaves, which in turn affects the health of our oral cavity. Digging deeper, we also come across an interesting piece of information that black tea has a beneficial effect on bone mineral density, in menopausal women.
Can it be said that black tea is healthy?
If black tea is drunk in reasonable quantities, it can be a good addition to health-promoting preventive care. The antioxidants in it have a good effect on us, but an excess of them can be harmful. Polyphenols can inhibit iron absorption, resulting in iron deficiency and anemia. With this in mind, black tea should not be consumed during a meal.
Black tea brewing method
Preparation of black tea infusion is much simpler than in the case of green tea, and this is due to the fact that it is simply impossible to spoil it. Pour boiling water over the dry, steaming for 2 to 5 minutes. Express teas are steeped for a shorter time, while leaf teas are steeped a little longer to release their aroma. Black tea goes well with honey or lemon, while it is worth drinking it without additives, as it has a rich flavor.