Tea passion

CEBU, Philippines - Civilization’s affair with tea has endured for centuries.

Chinese philosophers hailed tea for its medicinal qualities. And for sometime, it was considered a drink for China’s nobles and privileged few. During the Soong Dynasty, tea tasting parties were held among the elite. When China’s social divide was crushed, tea became available to the vast majority, who enjoyed the beverage for its flavor.

In India, tea is enjoyed mixed with milk and laced with cardamom and other spices. This drink is called chai, and drinking this beverage is a social activity that gives people an opportunity to sit, relax, and catch up with friends. In fact, in almost every corner of India, one would see chaiwalas (street vendors selling chai) that would come in different forms: in bicycles, with small stalls like that of our pungko-pungko, or with sari-sari store-like stalls.

The British are also passionate about their tea, and the elite would spend their late afternoons with tea and pastries. This tradition, according to historic-uk.com, dates back to 1840 when Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, would have tea at 4 o’clock in the afternoon to break her hunger before dinner at around 8 p.m. Eventually, this daily pause for tea became a fashionable event. In 1880 upper-class and society women dressed in long gowns with their gloves and hats, would converge in their drawing rooms for tea.

Japan, perhaps, could claim to have the only remaining tea ritual still observed today. The Japanese Tea Ceremony is a very austere custom reserved for special guests and on special occasions.

The tea ceremony has its origins in Zen Buddhism and according to japaneselifestyle. com.au, this was first practiced by Buddhist monks in the 12th century. In the 16th century, Sen No Rikyo, Japan’s most revered historical figure in tea ceremony, introduced the concept of ichi-go ichi-e, “a belief that every meeting should be treasured, for it can never be reproduced.”

Health benefits

Developing a tea habit, however, is beyond socializing. In every society, tea is revered not just as a social drink, but for its medicinal value.

Tea contains polyphenols that help fight a myriad of diseases including cancer. These polyphenols are called flavanoids, a potent antioxidant that lends to the many health benefits that can be had with regular tea intake.

According to teabenefits.com, a website maintained by tea enthusiasts and aims to document the different benefits of the beverage, polyphenol is known to protect the body from free radicals, help prevent blood clotting, lower cholesterol levels, neutralize enzymes that aid in the growth of tumor cells, help deactivate cancer promoters, and help stimulate the immune system.

The site added that fluoride in tea also helps in promoting stronger teeth. Also, tea contains theanine, an amino acid that reduces mental and physical stress while helping improve understanding and mood.

Tea hype

All these benefits helped in hyping the need for the beverage, and with the advances in shipping technology, importation of tea from different regions of the world has become much easier and faster. This also allows for the near absolute preservation of the original taste of the leaves.

This enabled tea enthusiasts to savor different flavors, as the taste of the leaves vary depending on its place of origin owing to factors like soil minerals, elevation of the plantation, and even in the drying and fermentation process.

This popularity has enabled the beverage to grab the second spot as the most popular beverage in the world, next only to water.

Tea time for Cebuanos

In Cebu, Marco Polo Plaza – Cebu and Maribago Bluewaters Beach Resort have devoted part of their afternoon indulgence to tea drinking.

Marco Polo’s Tea O’Clock features the different tea concoctions and flavors of the famous British tea brand, Twinings of London. Guests are also invited to talk on a diverse range of topics, from society happenings to, perhaps, the current political climate in the country. Who knows? When it comes to tea time, the topic of conversation will always be unpredictable.

Bluewaters’ High Tea, on the other hand, introduces a wide selection of tea flavors and other hot beverages paired with delicious snacks that include sandwiches and pastries.

So, whether to improve your social skills or to improve your health, making tea drinking a daily habit can be an experience to be had.