What is Tea ?
Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world, surpassed only by water. It is a non alcoholic beverage. Every day people around the globe drink about 2.16 billion cups of tea daily .You know that a beverage is any liquid that can quench our thirst. Or to be more specific, any drink which quenches our thirst and gives us energy or refreshment is called a beverage. For example, tea, coffee, cola, beer, wine etc., these are all beverages. While tea and coffee are non alcoholic, beer and wine etc. are called alcoholic beverage. We drink tea not only to quench our thirst but also to refresh ourselves. After taking tea, we feel refreshed, our fatigue and drowsiness are reduced. Why does it happen? In a cup of tea or in tea liquor, basically three components contribute to the characteristics of tea as a beverage. These are -Polyphenols, Caffeine and Essential Oils or volatile compounds. Polyphenols are responsible for the briskness or astringency in the mouth, essential oils provide tea’s delicious aroma and flavor.Caffeine, an alkaloids which occur naturally in tea leaves, causes stimulation of the central nervous system, increases vigilance and reduces drowsiness. In case of beer or wine, the stimulation is given by the alcohol it contains. Non-alcoholic drinks often signify drinks (not tea) that would normally contain alcohol but are made with less than 5 percent alcohol in terms of volume.
