Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, other than water. Its history spans over 5,000 years and was popular even before the Egyptians built the great pyramids. Since ancient times, tea has been revered for its bountiful health benefits and therapeutic properties. Today, over 6 billion pounds of tea are harvested annually, and the best loose-leaf teas are comparable to fine wine.
All “true” tea comes from the same plant, called the Camellia sinensis. Any leaf, root, fruit or flower that comes from a different plant is considered an herbal tea. It is important to distinguish between real tea and herbal tea since the flavor, health benefits and nutritional characteristics vary from plant to plant.
There are thousands of different kinds of teas, each with their own individual appearance, taste and aroma. To make sense of all the variations, “true teas” can be categorized into 4 major categories: white, green, oolong and black. Generally, these categories refer to how much a tea is oxidized.
Black tea is fully oxidized, oolong tea is partially oxidized and green and white teas are unoxidized. Generally speaking, the less a tea is oxidized, the lighter it will be in both taste and aroma. Heavily oxidized teas will yield a dark, rich, reddish-brown infusion while less oxidized teas will yield a light, yellow-green liquor.
There are many differences between loose leaf tea and tea you get in tea bags. It's more than just the look. The "leaves" used in tea bags are merely "dust and fannings" from broken up tea leaves. These fine remnants of tea leaves in this form lose most of their essential oils, aroma and are largely compromised in quality from full leaf tea. When this type of tea is steeped, more tannins are released than whole leaf tea, creating more bitterness. The tea bags themselves constrain the tea leaves, not allowing for full flavor and aroma to be realized.
At Q-Tea Premium Tea House we are committed to the pure quality of our loose leaf teas and you can be sure that the flavor will full and true.
About Tea
True Tea
Whether hot or iced, tea made from real tealeaves provides more than just great taste. Tea cleanses the body, lifts mood, eases anxiety and restores our sense of well being. Scientific studies suggest abundant health benefits and disease-fighting properties from a daily cup.
What makes tea so healthy? Researchers are working around the globe trying to answer this very question! Although we do not have all the answers, we do know that tea contains potent antioxidants that are many times stronger than antioxidant-powerhouses vitamins C and E. Tea also contains soothing, stress-relieving properties and has no fat, carbs or sodium and virtually no calories. Tea is also the only source for a remarkable amino acid called Theanine, which can reduce anxiety and improve mood.
Weight Loss
Tea is a wonderful weight loss aid. According to scientific studies, regular tea drinking (at least 1 cup a day) increases metabolism, promotes fat burning, regulates blood sugar levels, reduces fat deposits in the abdomen and lowers cholesterol. Tea’s weight-loss effects are not caused by caffeine. Tea contains no fat, carbs or sodium and less than 2 calories per cup. Tea also hydrates the body and helps curb the appetite.
Types of tea that aid in Weight Loss: Click Here
Stress Relief
You may have noticed that drinking a cup of tea feels nurturing and comforting. This is not your imagination!
Scientists have discovered that Theanine, a rare amino acid found exclusively in high-quality tea, has beneficial effects on the body. Theanine is known to promote mental and physical relaxation, improve mood and reduce anxiety without causing drowsiness. This amazing amino acid directly stimulates the production of alpha brain waves, creating a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness similar to what is achieved through meditation. Theanine also positively affects neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, in the brain. Scientists believe that Theanine may also increase concentration and memory, combat PMS, and regulate blood pressure.
White tea is believed to contain the highest levels of Theanine due to minimal processing and the use of young, tender leaves.
The herbal tea, chamomile, is also great for stress relief. Chamomile has been prized for thousands of years for its therapeutic effects. In fact, chamomile was dedicated to the ancient Egyptian gods for its ability to calm the mind and comfort the senses, acting as a mild sedative.
Types of teas that aid in Stress Release: Click Here
Super Antioxidant
Tea is one of the richest sources of dietary antioxidants. In fact, a single cup of tea may have the antioxidant equivalent of 1-10+ servings of fruits or vegetables. Antioxidants may play an important role in maintaining health by preventing free radicals (unstable molecules) from causing damage to cells, which can lead to disease, aging, and cancer.
Although the teas listed below are reported to have the highest levels of antioxidants, please remember that all true teas are rich in antioxidants and health-promoting properties. We encourage customers to select teas based on taste. After all, the tea that is healthiest for you is the one you will drink the most!
Also, different types of tea contain different types of antioxidants, so, just as you wouldn't eat only one kind of vegetable, drinking a variety of teas may provide an increased spectrum of healthy benefits.
Types of tea that provide antioxidants: Click Here
Sleep Aid:
You may have noticed that drinking a cup of tea feels nurturing and comforting. This is not your imagination! Scientists have discovered that theanine, a rare amino acid found exclusively in high-quality tea, acts as a natural anti-depressant and has many beneficial and calming effects on the body. Theanine is known to promote mental and physical relaxation, improve mood and reduce anxiety without causing drowsiness. Its consumption stimulates the production of alpha brain waves, which create a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness similar to what is achieved through meditation. Theanine also positively affects neurotransmitters in the brain, such as dopamine and serotonin, creating a relaxed, happy feeling. Coupled with caffeine, the theanine-induced alpha brainwaves lead to an uplifted mental mood, often described as a state of calm alertness. An ancient, Chinese Tang Dynasty poet refers to this effect as “Tea Drunk.”
Our Sleep Aid collection consists of 100% caffeine free teas that are made from botanicals with soothing, calming properties. Sweet dreams!
Types of tea that aid with sleep: Click Here
Tea Benefits
Tea Types...
How to Brew The Perfect Cup
Brewing Tips:
Once you know the basics, brewing the perfect cup of tea is easy! If you can boil water, you can make tea. Fine tuning the flavor is essentially a game of maneuvering and adjusting 3 elements: water temperature, steep time and amount of tea used.
With just a little practice, preparing a great tasting cup of tea is easy and will quickly become second nature. The right brewing equipment can also further simplify the process.
Basic Directions:
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Bring fresh, cold water to a rolling boil. The ideal water temperature for brewing most teas is around 195˚F. Since water boils at 212˚ F, this is just slightly under boiling. Always start with the freshest, purest source of water available as this will heavily impact tea's flavor ... it is the main ingredient, after all!
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Add tealeaves to a teapot, fill-your-own teabag or infuser basket. Use 1 teaspoon – 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) per cup (8 oz) of water depending upon desired strength. Adjust to taste.
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Pour boiling water directly over black, oolong and herbal tea. Allow water to cool slightly before brewing green tea, white tea or yerba maté. Cover.
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Infuse (steep) leaves for 2-5 minutes; 3.5 minutes is a good standard steep time that works well for most teas. DO NOT OVERSTEEP or tea may become bitter. If you prefer strong tea, do not over steep; simply use more leaves.
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Remove tea sachet, bag or infuser from water or strain leaves. ENJOY!
High-quality tea can be steeped multiple times. Increase steeping time 1 minute with each subsequent infusion.
Caffeine Info
One of the benefits of tea drinking, at least for many of us, is that tea contains caffeine. In moderation, tea’s caffeine has many positive effects on the body and is considered a safe, natural and effective way to get a quick boost. The caffeine found in tea can increase mental alertness, improve muscle action, shorten reaction time, and stimulate the digestive system, kidneys and metabolism in ways that possibly help eliminate toxins.
Caffeine-content in comparison:
The caffeine in tea is gentle; many people sensitive to caffeine in coffee and soda can drink tea without a problem. Not only does tea contain less caffeine than many other beverages, the caffeine in tea actually works differently in the body because it binds with other components of the leaf (such as polyphenols), creating a slower and gentler release. Because the caffeine is released slowly, tea provides a gentle lift in energy, mood and concentration without the crash associated with coffee. The caffeine found in a cup of tea doesn’t appear to raise the heart rate or blood pressure the way that other forms of caffeine do. In addition, theanine (found almost exclusively in high-grade tea) counteracts the effects of caffeine by stimulating the production of alpha brain waves, which calms the body and promotes a state of relaxed awareness.
Q-tea do not offer decaffeinated teas because commercial decaffeination processes (even those considered ‘natural’) use chemical solvents to strip the leaf of caffeine. Unfortunately, commercial decaffeination also removes much of tea’s flavor and health benefits. However, we do offer 100% caffeine-free alternatives such as rooibos or chamomile. These herbal tea's soothing, calming properties are a wonderful choice for evening.