For many people, tea is as significant as water, and just like most of us don’t think twice before drinking a glass of water, drinking a cup of tea is so deeply embedded in their routines and DNAs that they hardly think about it.

But seeing how tea has made its way into ancient rituals like the Japanese Chado and also into the English culture, i.e., British afternoon tea, it’s fairly apparent that tea is a lot more fascinating than we realize.

Here are some interesting tea-related facts to know.

The Chinese Have Been Drinking Tea For A Long, Long Time Now

Most of us know that despite tea enjoying global popularity today, it was first discovered, or rather invented, in China. But did you know it was invented more than 2000 years ago?

According to Chinese legends, the Chinese emperor, who was also a herbalist, accidentally drank hot water infused with leaves from a nearby tree all the way back in 2737 BC. That was the first-ever version of tea, and for the next few years, it was consumed as a medicinal draught in China. However, it was only a matter of a few centuries before tea became a casual beverage, not just in China but around the world!

British Afternoon Tea Wasn’t Always A Thing

One thing that’s very often linked to English culture is tea. But interestingly, the British have only been drinking tea for a few hundred years.

China didn’t share its secret beverage with the world for a very long time. However, in the early 1600s, Dutch traders started bringing large amounts of tea to Europe, and it arrived in Britain in the 1650s. But even then, for the next few decades, tea was only for the aristocrats—it was too expensive for the masses. However, thanks to tea smugglers who brought cheaper tea to the country in the 18^th century, British afternoon tea soon became a common tradition.

All Kinds Of Tea Come From The Same Tree Species

If you’ve tried different teas, you’ve probably noticed how each tea—black, green, white, and oolong have a distinct taste and scent. However, they all come from the same plant species, Camellia sinensis.

The reason that various types of tea leaves differ is that they are processed differently once they’re harvested.

If you’d like to try some different types, you can check out the collection we have at Red Bud Tea Company. We offer over 100 different types of teas, including cinnamon green tea, ginger turmeric, and authentic Indian masala chai tea online.

Check them all out.