Tea from leaves of Camellia sinensis, a plant of the Theaceae family, is consumed by more than two thirds of the world’s population and is the most popular beverage, next only to water.
The tea plant is cultivated in more than 30 countries. Approximately 2.5 million metric tons of dried teas are produced annually. Production involves a series of drying and fermenting steps.
Green tea is consumed primarily in some Asian countries, such as Japan, Korea, China and India and a few countries in North Africa and Middle East. Black tea is consumed in some Asian countries and Western nations. Oolong tea is consumed southeastern China and Taiwan.
There are also many products sold in the market as herbal tea which are not derived from the plant Camellia sinensis. There are extracts of several herbs.
Teas differ regarding how they are produced. Green tea production involves steaming fresh leaves at elevated temperatures, followed by series of drying and rolling steps so that the chemical composition essentially remains similar to that of the fresh leaves.
Black tea production involves withering plucked leaves, followed by extended fermentation. Thus, depending on the extend of fermentation, the chemical composition of most black teas is different. Oolong tea is made by solar withering of tea leaves followed by partial fermentation.
Tea Consumption
