A history of tea – or hisTEAry
Spanning thousands of years and countless cultures, the history of tea – or shall we say hisTEAry – is rich, long and interesting. Most historical records show tea dates back to Ancient China and has been a staple of its culture since then. But it may surprise you that it is in fact Turkey which consumes the most tea annually per capita, followed by Ireland and the UK. Britain is just as famous as China and other East and Southeast Asian countries for its history of tea and tea culture though, first arriving in the 16th Century and becoming popular in the 17th Century. Nevertheless, after water it is the most consumed drink in the world.
The leaves, leaf buds, and stems of the plant Camellia sinensis – native to East and Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent – are used to produce tea. Nowadays there are at least more than 1,500 different types of tea available, and in Chinese culture they are either classified as white, yellow, green, oolong, black (also known as red tea) or dark (fermented, but not the same as British black tea which is fermented).
The most popular types of tea today range from English Breakfast and Darjeeling to Chai and Ceylon. But two that also top lists are Matcha and Earl Grey, our HumaniTea flavours!
What is Matcha?
The history of tea – specifically Matcha – is intricately linked to tea drinking ceremonies and tea culture in East Asia. Matcha is a finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves originating from China, but is today most commonly known for being produced and popular in Japan (read more about the history and differences in the links), which is where we source our organic Matcha from (Shizuoka). One of the main differences between Matcha and normal green tea is that the plant is grown in the shade, hence a difference in colour and shade. Today, Matcha is widely loved and used to flavour almost anything, from pancakes and chocolate to even overnight oats and noodles.
Also, did you know that Matcha was discovered in China by Buddhist monk Myoan Eisai who brought it to Japan? Esai found that drinking it improved his Zen meditation sessions by producing a state of calm alertness, and it is this reason why Matcha is so well known for its calm energy, perfect for those who need to chill and focus.
What is Earl Grey?
When we talk about teas and the history of teas, Earl Grey is one of the UK’s most popular. It is traditionally a black tea blended with oil of bergamot, though green, oolong, and rooibos teas are sometimes used too. It is said the bergamot was originally added to enhance the flavour of low-quality teas. And, as its name suggests, the tea was called this after Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey – the British Prime Minister in the early 1830s – though varying accounts debate his relation to or input into the creation of it. Our organic Earl Grey tea is sourced from Africa.
What is Bubble Tea?
Originating in Taiwan in the 1980s before being introduced to the US by Taiwanese immigrants, and now a worldwide phenomenon found almost anywhere in the world, the history bubble tea – or boba tea – may not stretch as far back as standard tea but its quick rise in popularity is still fascinating.
It most commonly consists of tea accompanied by chewy tapioca balls (but can have other toppings, flavours and varieties). The tapioca balls are where it gets one of its Chinese names from (波霸 – “boba” meaning tapioca balls – 奶茶 – milk tea, the other being 珍珠奶茶 – literally meaning “pearl milk tea”). Most bubble teas are milk teas but those without milk are popular too and the majority of them use black, green and oolong teas.
However, bubble teas can be extremely sugary. So this is where HumaniTea’s Oat Milk Tea Lattes provide a great new and healthier alternative.
From Bubble Tea to HumaniTea
Our Founder and Chief Tea Officer Tina was inspired by the concept of bubble tea from her native Taiwan and British tea drinking culture to develop a delicious, well-balanced tea latte beverage. With her love for a quality cuppa and her desire to make a positive impact on society, Tina made a career switch from IT to just tea, and HumaniTea was born!
At HumaniTea, our milk tea lattes – which are the UK’s first chilled ready-to-drink ones of its kind – come in two flavours – Matcha Green and Earl Grey – and are 100% vegan due to using oat milk and our organic ingredients – including agave nectar as a natural sweetener – are all responsibly sourced. They come with a range of health benefits, including: providing a boost of natural energy without a caffeine crash, are full of antioxidants that teas already come with to aid inflammation regulation, and is known to help increase attention and focus.
So from the history of tea to the future of tea, coupled with our efforts to be as sustainable as possible, we can’t wait to continue bringing our delicious drinks that are good for humanity to you!