Everyone's Cup of Tea

Which drink prevents cancer & arthritis & also improves your teeth? No, it’s not Horlicks or Bournvita or any such commercially prepared nutritional drinks. Surprising as it may sound, it is the first thing you take in the morning-- your favourite cup of tea.

Tea is perhaps the most widely consumed beverage in the world, next only to water. Little wonder then tea can be found in almost 90 percent of all Indian households. From the discerning connoisseur to the common man, who just can’t get through the daily chores without his cuppa, tea is an inevitable part of our lives.

According to Dolly Roy, a reputed tea-tester, who also runs her own tea boutique in Calcutta, most Indian teas are black teas, rich , deeply coloured liquor, meant to satisfy the western tastes. However we also grow teas with a more subtle taste that can be as delicate as the semi fermented ones from China. This is because; recent researches have shown that the nutritional values of green tea are higher than those of the black tea. The mineral fluoride present in tea is known to prevent tooth decay. Green tea contains twice as much fluoride as black tea, she points out.

Nutritional Facts
Apart from improving dental health, tea is also said to increase bone density and general longevity. The antioxidants present in tea help maintain a healthy heart. Therefore regular consumption of tea lowers the risk of cardio-vascular diseases. Researchers believe that the antioxidants in two cups of tea are equivalent to seven cups of orange juice or twenty cups of apple juice! Drinking tea also prevents chronic diseases like cancer of the lung, breast, pancreas, colon and prostate. It increases resistance against all viral diseases and prevents infection. Above all, tea is a natural and safe drink, free of fat and calories.

Proper moments of drinking tea
For a true tea-lover, any time is teatime. According to a Chinese poet, one can have tea when one is sitting idle, or when his thoughts are disturbed, when he is reading poetry or listening to songs, when he is in a quiet, secluded place or even in a social gathering. And since tea makes you come out of your drowsiness, most people prefer to start their day with a hot cup of tea, whether it is from Darjeeling, Assam, Terai or Nilgiris. Unlike coffee, the second most popular drink in our country, consumption of tea (up to 2-3 cups a day) is absolutely harmless. Ritu Acharya, a housewife feels that it is the first cup of tea in the morning that keeps her going all day. Similarly, for Usha Uthup, noted Indy-pop singer, the ultimate luxury in life is to relax with her bed-tea every morning. In my profession, time is precious. In my hectic schedule, the only time I find for myself is in the morning. And this is the time for me to unwind, hum a few lines of my favourite numbers while sipping my favourite cup of tea, she says.

Tea - Testing as a profession
Whether you are a commerce graduate or a science student or a professor of economics, if tea is your first love, you can well become a tea-tester. This is not easy though. To start with, you must meet the basic guidelines of the Tea Board of India. And if you are selected, you are put through a year of vigorous training in most of the tea-growing areas. You are required to quit smoking, drop certain food products from your diet and restrict your drinking habits in order to retain the sensitivity of tongue. And once you are through all this, you become a registered tea-tester. Now your job is to categorise tea according to their flavours and also promote tea in various parts of the world. Not a simple job, but your affection for your favourite drink will surely see you through.

Tea, for centuries has been regarded, as the most accepted and most popular beverage in our country and recent researches, revealing the nutritional facts, will definitely make it even more popular.