A cup of Tea

 ON DRINKING TEA

“There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.”    — Lin Yutang

For many of us, drinking tea is one of life’s quiet joys. A day without a morning cup leaves us feeling listless and incomplete. Tea awakens us gently, without insistence, and accompanies us through moments both mundane and profound.

The Importance of Tea

Tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and is the second most consumed beverage in the world, after water. We drink tea not merely for its taste and fragrance, but also for its perceived health benefits. Rich in polyphenols, tea is believed to possess antioxidant properties that help combat oxidative stress. It is often associated with heart health and weight management. Beyond its physical effects, tea carries deep cultural significance, especially in China and Japan.

Classification of Tea

Based on leaf size, tea is broadly classified into three types: Assam tea, characterised by large leaves; China tea, with small leaves; and Cambodian tea, which has leaves of intermediate size. The premium Darjeeling tea is said to be a hybrid of Chinese small-leaf and Assam large-leaf varieties.

Tea is also classified by processing methods. The most familiar varieties include:

• Black tea – fully oxidised, strong in flavour, and dark in colour; the most widely consumed
• Green tea – unoxidized, valued for freshness and health benefits
• Oolong tea – partially oxidised
• White tea – minimally processed, made from young leaves and buds
• Pu-erh tea – a fermented tea that can be aged, known for its earthy flavour

Many people also enjoy herbal teas, or tisanes, which are not made from the tea plant but from a range of herbs, flowers, or fruits. These are often caffeine-free and prized for their diverse flavours and therapeutic qualities. I am personally familiar with Tulsi, lemongrass, and chamomile teas.

Composition and Health Claims

Studies indicate that the caffeine content of one gram of black tea ranges between 22–28 mg, while green tea contains about 11–20 mg per gram. Tea also contains small amounts of theobromine and theophylline. Its characteristic astringency comes from polyphenols, which make up 30–40% of tea leaves.

However, clinical research conducted in the early 21st century has found no conclusive scientific evidence that tea consumption prevents or cures disease, despite its widespread reputation for health benefits.

Tea in India

Tea drinking is widespread in India, particularly in the North, while coffee is traditionally preferred in the South. During my years in Bihar, coffee shops were rare, whereas tea stalls dotted every street and village corner. The iconic Indian Coffee House in Patna is now only a memory.

In Kerala, tea shops known as chayakadas were once ubiquitous. More than places to drink tea or eat snacks, they served as nerve centres of social and political life. They featured prominently in Malayalam cinema, especially in comedy scenes. It is often said that Kattan chaya and Parippu vada—black tea and dal fritters—formed the staple diet of early communists in the state. Today, many Chayakadas have vanished, replaced by sleek cafés and modern tea outlets.

Tea Drinking in Our Family

In our family, we were introduced to tea at an early age. I vividly recall my mother’s ancestral home, where tea and coffee were kept in large vessels in the dining hall. Anyone could ladle them into tumblers stacked nearby. My mother continued this tradition when we moved to the city.

Both my parents preferred tea to coffee, taken with milk but without sugar. Visitors, however, were generally offered coffee. Tea, in our home, was both nourishment and habit—simple, unceremonious, and constant.

A Brief History of Tea

Tea is native to China and was first recorded as a medicinal drink in the writings of the physician Hua Tuo around the 3rd century AD. It became popular as a recreational beverage during the Tang dynasty and gradually spread to other East Asian countries.

According to historical accounts, Portuguese merchants introduced tea to Europe in the 16th century. The Dutch East India Company brought the first shipment of Chinese tea to Europe in 1610, and the English East India Company introduced it to the London market in 1669. By the 17th century, tea drinking had become fashionable in Britain.

Today, 63% of people in the United Kingdom drink tea daily. Ireland ranks among the highest per capita tea consumers, second only to Turkey.

Tea Plantations

Tea is now grown mainly in Asia and Africa, with smaller plantations in South America and regions around the Black and Caspian Seas. China, India, Kenya, and Sri Lanka together account for over 80% of global tea production.

Large-scale tea cultivation in India began under British rule, where tea had previously been used mainly as a medicine.

Tea gardens later became major tourist attractions. Among the most famous in India are those of Darjeeling in West Bengal and Munnar–Devikulam in Kerala. I still recall the mist-covered tea gardens of Munnar, glowing softly in the early morning sunlight.

Preparing and Serving Tea

Preparing tea is both an art and a science. It is science because precise quantities matter; it is art because colour, aroma, and flavour must be preserved.

In North India, tea is often prepared by boiling water, milk, and sugar together—sometimes repeatedly. In our Kerala home, my mother boiled water, poured it over powdered tea, decanted the brew, and then added hot milk and sugar if required. The result, to us, was perfect tea.

Offering tea to guests is customary in many cultures, including India. Afternoon tea, served with light snacks, remains a British tradition that has endured here.

 In earlier times, serving tea was itself an art. Middle-class and upper middle-class homes proudly displayed tea sets with matching pots for tea, milk, and sugar. Over time, mugs replaced tea sets, and the ritual quietly disappeared.

Tea Bags and Modern Convenience

In 1953, the Yorkshire-based company Tetley introduced tea bags in the UK, revolutionising tea drinking. With the advent of microwave ovens, mugs, and tea bags, making tea became quick and effortless sans the charm of elaborate tea-making and the numerous tastes and flavours.

I recall an anecdote about Prince Charles—now King Charles—being served tea with a tea bag at the White House. Accustomed to ceremonial tea service, he reportedly did not quite know what to do with the tea bag.

Lin Yutang on Tea

Is tea drinking merely a routine, mechanical act? For Lin Yutang, it was nothing of the sort. In his celebrated book The Importance of Living, he treats tea drinking as a philosophy of life.

In the chapter “Tea and Friendship,” he celebrates the quiet pleasures of tea and companionship. For him, tea is an art of civilised living—not a stimulant or indulgence. Unlike alcohol, which excites, or coffee, which promotes efficiency, tea calms the spirit and sharpens the mind without disturbing inner balance.

Tea, Lin argues, is best enjoyed in leisure, contemplation, and conversation. It suits scholars, poets, and philosophers because it fosters clarity of thought and gentle reflection. Implicit in his writing is a critique of hurried modern life. Tea becomes a civilised protest against haste and mechanical existence.

To drink tea properly, he suggests, is to reclaim one’s humanity. Tea symbolises cultured leisure, mindful enjoyment, and balanced living. To understand tea, in a small but profound way, is to understand how to live well—to enjoy life sip by sip, not gulp by gulp.

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