Get the finest and
healthiest teas here!

The History Of Ceylon Black Tea

This unique processing method actually accounts for the stronger and more flavorful taste of Ceylon black tea. The way Ceylon black tea is packed is also another reason why its flavor is longer-lasting, making them excellent products for export and shipping.

There are several varieties of black tea. The main difference is in the places or regions where the tea plants are grown. Like wine regions in France, Australia, and California, black tea that come from one region has slight characteristic differences from black tea grown in other regions. Because of this, black tea types are often named after the name of their growing region in order to make it easier to identify them by association.

One important type of back tea is Ceylon Black Tea, grown on an island of the same name in Sri Lanka where extreme climate and rough physical nature of the countryside play an important role in its characteristic taste.

Before Ceylon was ever a tea growing region, it was first a coffee region. Coffee planting in Sri Lanka started around the 1800s, roughly three centuries after the Portuguese first landed in search of spices. In 1837, Sri Lanka recorded a historic 4,000 acres of coffee on the island of Ceylon alone, prompting coffee trade and export in the then British colony. However, nearly forty years later, coffee planting in Sri Lanka suffered a huge setback from which they were never able to recover.

It was in the beginning of 1865 when coffee planters of Ceylon noted a leaf fungus appearing that caused the leaf to die and drop off - the dreaded Hemileia vastatrix or "Devastating Emily." For a time, planters planted at a faster rate to overcome it, to no avail. By 1867, planters began looking at tea and planted them at fields, rather than at trials. The reversal was dramatic, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, himself, wrote in his De Profundis:

"Those were the royal days of coffee planting in Ceylon, before a single season and a rotting fungus drove a whole community through years of despair to one of the greatest commercial victories which pluck and ingenuity ever won. Not often is it that men have heart when their one great industry is withered, to rear up in a few years another as rich to take its place, and the tea fields of Ceylon are as true a monument to courage as is the lion at Waterloo." The first Ceylon black tea that was produced in the 1860s was literally rolled by hand or arm, on bungalow verandah floors, or on tables and then fired over charcoal fires. The resultant Ceylon black tea was a fruity, full-bodied beverage with a slightly smoky taste. Today, Ceylon black tea leaves are processed using developing machines, but quite a few are still made the old-fashioned way.

TeaBenefits.com Featured Product Buy Ceylon Tea We offer high-quality yet low-priced Ceylon. Makes the best Ceylon Tea. We give up to 40% discount! Try us now! Buy Now! Buy Mango Ceylon Tea This fruity classic has essence of Mango and Marigold petals added to it, which complements the fine, fermented Ceylon leaves. Ceylon Tea! Buy Now!

Author: Jonas Smith
About the Author: Want to find out about daily fiber and fiber sources? Get tips from the Health And Nutrition website.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The History Of Ceylon Black Tea

Black Tea Benefits Trivia:

Did you know that:

• Antioxidants in black tea help fight the damages wrought by free radicals which are viewed as the source of many of today's debilitating diseases. Did you know that aside from the catechins that are so abundant in tea, there are a lot of other types of antioxidants? Discover them all here.

• Black tea is abundant in the antioxidant compound known as quercetin. Quercetin is a plant-based chemical, or phytochemical, known as a flavonoid. Its proponents say that quercetin helps in protecting against heart attacks, strokes and cancer. Read more about quercetin here.

• Aside from black tea, the flavonoid quercetin can also be found in such fruits as apples, vegetables such as onions, and drinks such as red wine.

• Black tea has a high magnesium content. Magnesium is a water-insoluble mineral that aids in helps in forming healthy bones and teeth. It also may help reduce the severity of asthma attacks. Go here for more info on magnesium.

• Black tea contains a good amount of caffeine, though not as much as coffee. A cup of black tea is said to yield only about a half or a third of caffeine as a similar cup of black coffee. While caffeine is believed to help sharpen and improve brain performance, it is also known to contribute to palpitations and insomnia when taken in large amounts. Learn more about the caffeine content of black tea here.

• Black tea has a considerable content of Vitamin B1 or thiamine. Thiamine is a water-soluble vitamin that enables the body to use its carbohydrate intake for energy-use. It also helps enhance blood circulation. Discover the benefits of thiamine here.

• The quality of the water used to brew the tea is very important. It is believed that the water used must be free of contaminants and contain enough oxygen to enhance the natural flavor of the tea. Teas made with pure water yield a crisp flavor and a clear brew that is aesthetically pleasant. Learn more about the health benefits of water here.

Check out these Related Articles for Black Tea:

• Drinking black tea may help smokers fight emphysema risk, experts say!
• Black Tea may help cure Breast Cancer, researchers say!
• Black tea as good as green in oral cancer prevention, research shows
• The Benefits of Black Tea
• Is Black Tea Good For You?
• Black Tea Health Benefits, Black Tea Types
• Some Health Benefits of Black Tea
• Organic Black Tea - The Best Loved Tea Sets the Bar Higher
• The Origin Of China Black Tea
• The Nutrition In Black Tea
• The Caffeine Of Black Tea
• Black tea

Submit Your Article

Are you ready to try Ceylon Tea now?
Buy Ceylon here! and be on the road to better health.

Organics Harvested Fresh for You. Order now!

Check out these Interesting Books on Ceylon Black Tea:

Check out these Related Topics to Black Tea Benefits:

• Amino Acids
• Antioxidants
• Folic Acid
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Quercetin
• Sodium
• Tea for Cancer
• Tea for Diabetes
• Tea for Heart Disease
• Vitamin B
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E