After water， tea is the second mostconsumed beverage in the world and it has been enjoyed for centuries. Tea production began in China but soon spread to other parts of Asia. When European explorers， such as Marco Polo， came across the satisfying beverage on their travel， they sparked a demand for tea worldwide that has continued to grow， in spite of the competition from soft drinks and coffee.

There are four main types of tea： black， white， green， and oolong. The difference depends on the processes used for treating the tea leaves， such as oxidation， fermentation， heating， and drying. Black tea is withered， fully oxidized， and dried， and makes a strong， ambercolored brew. English breakfast and Darjeeling are popular black teas. Green tea is not oxidized， it is withered and then dried. It has a pale green or golden color and a delicate taste. Oolong tea is between black and green tea in oxidation level and the resulting color and taste. Very popular in China， oolong is often referred to as the “Champagne of Teas”. Don’t drink it with milk， sugar， or lemon！ White tea is the least processed. It is withered and dried by steaming.

China and Japan produce the best green teas， Taiwan is known for its oolong tea， and India and Sri Lanka are famed for their black teas. Kenya， Argentina， and Vietnam are also major tea producers. The addition of spices， fruits， and flowers can also create different kinds of teas with unique flavors. In recent years， a market niche has been developed for “herbal teas” chamomile and peppermint are popular? but these are not true teas as they do not derive from the plant Camellia sinensis.

Different regions have their own specialties. For example， Indian masala， or “chai” tea， is made with cardamom， ginger， cinnamon， fennel， and cloves. Mint tea is consumed in North Africa and the Middle East. Bubble tea， especially popular in Hong Kong， Taiwan， and Singapore， is tea mixed with cold milk and dollops of sweet， jellylike tapioca balls. Earl Grey tea， named after a British Breakfast tea. It is a blend of black teas mixed with bergamot oil. Matcha， made from bright green tea leaf powder， is the staple of the worldrenowned Japanese tea ceremony. But now you can get it at popular coffee chains. It is high in vitamins A， B， C， E， and K.

Flowering tea is a novelty tea made by sewing the leaves and flowering parts of tea plants into tight podlike balls. When the pod is placed in hot water， it opens up， revealing the lovely flower inside.

Versatile and healthful， tea deserves its place as one of the world’s most beloved beverage. Let’s lift our cups and have a toast? to tea！