Organic Tea

From LoveToKnow Organic

Organic tea has the health benefits of regular tea without the addition of chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides. This means a healthier brew in your cup.

Advantages of Organic Tea

In 2000, the U.S. Department of Agriculture incorporated a standard for the use of the term "organic". Products using the USDA "Certified Organic" label are produced without chemical fertilizers or synthetic pesticides. An organic farming strategy also includes a more environmentally friendly approach to land development and maintenance, relying on agricultural production methods that are ecologically responsible, like utilizing green manure crops to replenish the soil.

The word organic is often used in the same breath as the word natural, but these two terms have different interpretations when used in packaging. Natural means that a product has been processed using few if any preservatives or additives. When you see natural and certified organic labeling on a package of organic tea, the product inside was grown using earth friendly practices and packaged without preservatives.

If you worry about the chemical soup used in the production of some agricultural products, like cotton and produce, relying on the organic label can be a way to help control your exposure to potentially harmful substances. If you or someone in your family is suffering from allergies, you can evaluate suspected food interactions based on a better understanding of just what you are drinking and eating when you use certified organic products.

Understanding Tea

Originally what we call tea was produced from the Camellia sinensis, a plant in the camellia family. Camellia sinensis, or tea plant, can be processed a number of ways to create different varieties of tea, like black, oolong, green or white. Although these four basic teas are produced from the same plant, they have very different flavors and can have different chemical and antioxidant properties. The tea plant needs acidic conditions and lots of rain to flourish, and there are currently four major countries involved in modern tea cultivation and production in the world: India, Kenya, China and Sri Lanka.

Understanding organic tea can get confusing because tea doesn't always contain anything resembling the traditional camellia plant. Today, the term organic tea can refer to any of a number of hot, plant-based infusions designed to be relaxing or medically beneficial. From alfalfa to lavender, herbal teas are making it easier to get your vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in an easy, hot brewed drink.

Tea Facts

Camellia sinensis is native to China and has been cultivated there for at least 5,000 years.
Tea is the second most popular drink worldwide.
Tea is an important crop in many parts of the world, and although there are four major producers, tea is grown in over 30 countries.
There are a number of steps in standard tea processing: Withering, rolling, oxidizing, drying and sorting.
Prized Darjeeling teas can cost as much as $1,500 per pound.
Drinking tea may help protect your body against: heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and some types of cancer.
One pound of loose tea will brew up to 200 cups of hot or ice tea.
The best varieties of tea are grown at high altitudes and use hand picked buds and young leaves.

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