The history of tea may possibly date back to 2737 B.C. The commonly held story in China states that the emperor Sheng-nung discovered green tea accidentally while boiling water near a tea plant. Some of the leaves fell into the water and the emperor liked the taste!

Green tea has become one of the most well researched natural foods. There has actually been over 1000 studies conducted with green tea to find evidence of its health-promoting properties. The research has found that green tea contains powerful antioxidants called catechins that are very powerful in protecting us from oxidative stress.

Even though Britain, by far, is the most famous tea drinking country in the west, the Dutch are actually attributed with being the first nation to export tea to the west. The Dutch East India Company sent the first shipment of tea to Europe in 1606. It was a big hit, so by 1610 the Dutch were shipping tea back home on a regular basis.

The other common story is of prince Siddhartha during the 6th century. After denouncing his claim to the throne, Siddhartha vowed to meditate for nine years without sleep. Five years into his vow he became a little drowsy and was drawn to chew the leaves of the Camellia sinesis plant, finding that it helped him become alert.

Siddhartha carried the leaves and seeds with him throughout his travels, eventually bringing them to Japan. The monks there embraced the tea and also used it for their meditation practices to help keep them focused. Eventually this practice of drinking green tea became an art in Japan, evolving into the famous Japanese tea ceremony.

As a result of the Dutch exports, the first teas served up in Britain were done so at coffee houses - at very expensive prices! The popularity of tea in Britain didn't begin until they started receiving exports from the East India Company in the 18th century. This popularity grew even more during the British Colonization of India in 1858, when exports of tea increased further.

It was also the Dutch that introduced tea to the US. Dutch settlers brought tea with them to a colony once called New Amsterdam around 1650, where it became a very popular drink. Dutch trade of tea also expanded to the US by this time, ensuring the supply of tea for the New Amsterdam residents.

These catechins are not just powerful antioxidants, but can also aid weight loss. Many studies show that catechins can somehow speed up our metabolism. One Japanese study suggests that in high doses, green tea can burn as much as an extra 70-80 calories per day!

Joseph Edwards enjoys writing about and drinking tea, especially green tea! He is also an advocate of green living, and, well, all things green! For more information about green tea visit Benefits of Drinking Green Tea .

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For hundreds of years people from countries all across the world have savored it both for its health properties and for its unique flavor. Tea has been a main part of people's diets in the eastern world as well as of places in the west, like Great Britain. Today it remains a main staple in the modern American diet, at least in part due to the versatility of its flavor properties.

Some types of tea are beloved because they serve as the ideal accompaniment to finger sandwiches and petit fours at a traditional afternoon garden tea party, while other types of tea are savored for their ability to help bring a sense of calm and rejuvenation after a difficult day. Some people choose to start their daily routine with a strong cup of Black tea, while others relax and unwind with a night cap of Chamomile Tea.

Tea comes in a variety of all-natural, herbal blends, many of which have been shown to possess great health properties. For example, many teas are rich in antioxidants, which help the body defend itself against free radicals in the atmosphere and against the potential onset of many forms of cancer. Green tea in particular is often cited as one of the single healthiest, most anti-oxidant rich natural products in the world. Many scientists cite its pervasive presence in the Japanese dietary regime as a major source of their population's lower rates of cancer and better overall health.

While scientists continue to uncover more of the health properties of tea, they are also now beginning to discover some of the many potential health benefits of drinking tea's common counterpart, coffee. In the past decade it was discovered that dark coffee, like tea, is very rich in antioxidants. Recent studies have suggested that daily coffee consumption may have numerous long term benefits for one's overall health, among them memory preservation and cancer prevention.

For decades coffee drinks have been enjoyed both for their potent caffeine properties and for the unique, bold flavour of the black coffee bean. Many people enjoy sharing a good cup of cappuccino with an old group of friends, while others savor their daily break from work with a cup of dark, bold espresso. Thus whether it is enjoyed for its delicious, smooth flavor or for the rejuvenation it provides, coffee is beloved by thousands of Americans.

Just as tea comes in a vast array of herbal blends, coffee drinks come in a variety of flavors. And although coffee and tea share many properties and characteristics, coffee is unique in that the taste that is derived from coffee beans will always reflect the soil properties and climate of where they were grown. A coffee brewed from a bean that is grown in one part of the world will have a very different flavor from one brewed from the same bean, grown elsewhere in the world.

Another significant difference between tea and coffee is that coffee is more often enjoyed with more additives and condiments. While tea is typically savored with just a bit of sugar or milk, coffee drinks often come with a vast array of additives, such as different types of milk, sweetener, or syrup. Thus while both tea and pure coffee have many nutritional properties, many coffee drinks provide a less healthy alternative to tea because they are often in calories, fat, and sugar.

Both coffee and tea are enjoyed for their nutritional and taste properties, yet any lover of either beverage can tell you that the two are very different beverages.

Damian Papworth adores using one cup coffee makers for a quick morning fix. When he has dinner parties though, his 8 cup coffee maker comes in real handy.

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Today coffee perhaps best known for its dark, rich, bold flavor and its concentration of caffeine. Most busy parents, stressed students, and on-the-go professionals drink coffee both for its savory taste and for the little pick-me-up it offers each morning or afternoon. While coffee's numerous wonderful qualities have long made it a staple in the diet of many westerners, it has only been recently that scientists have begun to uncover some additional health benefits provided by the bean itself. As a result, more and more people every day are jumping on the coffee train.

While many years ago coffee was eaten as a whole bean, or eventually brewed into a strong drink, today it is served in a vast array of delectably doctored ways. From strong, straight black espresso to sweet, frothy mocha-lattes, today's coffee choices have something to delight the palates of even the most discerning.

The growth of major coffee retailers in the past decade has helped to make coffee a mainstay in the mainstream cultural dietary regime. Today more and more people who never previously frequented coffee shops or retailers, are now beginning to jump on the Starbucks bandwagon. Options tailored to meet one's specific flavor preferences as well as nutritional needs, ensure that everyone can find exactly what they would like. Special limited edition offerings and a festive atmosphere of many coffee shops during the fall and holiday season also have helped to make coffee more similar to a wonderful little indulgence or treat, rather than a simple beverage option.

In this economy, in particular, more and more people are taking solace in enjoying small, more cost-friendly, quality-of-life indulgences, and forgoing more expensive habits such as dining at high-priced, four-course restaurants.

In addition to the delicious, bold, rich flavor savored by coffee-lovers, the drink is also enjoyed for its quite potent caffeine properties. For busy students, professionals, and parents, coffee is often a central part of the morning routine. A good cup of coffee can help to ensure a more enjoyable and productive day of study and work, and to make up for a few hours of missed sleep or a late night at the office or library.

Recently scientists studying the chemical composition of coffee also found that it contains some properties that were not previously known.

Recently scientists discovered that coffee beans are one o f the foods richest in antioxidants. Antioxidants, which are typically found in brightly or deeply colored beans, fruits, and vegetables provide human bodies with an increased level of protection from harmful chemicals in the external environment, and as a result they help to prevent premature skin-aging.

Many people around the world have thus taken notice of the potential role of coffee in their skincare and dietary regimen, however perhaps the most important role of the antioxidants found in coffee relates to their ability to improve overall health. Antioxidants are believed to be rich in cancer-prevention properties and to thus help to prevent numerous forms of human cancer.

Whether it is enjoyed for its health properties, its delicious flavor, or its ability to perk up one's morning, coffee is quickly growing in popularity among Americans today.

Coffee is a beverage Damian Papworth loves so lots he bought a krups 4 cup coffee maker. When he is on his own though, one cup coffee makers are lots more sensible

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