Tea is the New Coffee

It was almost 5, 000 years ago when the first cup of tea came to be. It was when Emperor Shen Nung from China discovered it by accident (perhaps, serendipity) as wild tree leaves were blown to his pot of boiling water. As he took his first sips, he felt a special kind of warmth in his stomach, a pleasant smell on his nose.

Drinking tea reached many parts of the world from fourth to eighth century. It has grown past being a medicinal drink and became part of the global lifestyle as a daily drink. All over the world, tea has a rich history – encompassing narratives of trade and status symbol.

It is not a wonder how tea boomed and became a favorite drink for peoples of the world. From ritualistic intentions to delightful reasons, cultures have embraced it as part of their health practices and socialization. In Japan, matcha or green tea is consumed not just a drink but many things: cakes, smoothies, and so forth. Who would have thought that it all started from monks drinking their tea as part of their meditation sessions? In many cultures, it was a connection with the earth: the blossoms of healing, wellness, serenity, and togetherness.