Faham Tea

Orchid flowers are some of nature's most stunning objects. For many among us, they create joy simply by gracing our houses or gardens. It must be admitted that aside from their beauty, orchids have little practical value for people, with the singular exception of the orchid that produces our vanilla flavoring.

If you had lived 80 to a hundred years ago, though, you might have had the chance to drink a wonderful tea made from the leaves of an unusual orchid. This drink, commonly called Faham tea, achieved some celebrity in France in the early part of the 20th century. Specifically, it was made from the sweet smelling leaves of the Angraecum fragrans orchid (also recorded as the Jumella fragrans).

The unusual orchid was indigenous to the Reunion Island off the coast of Africa. An epiphytal species known  on the island as "faham," its usage as tea is credited to Reunion's indigenous people, who are reported to have been the first to discover how delicious it was.

An article in a horticultual magazine from 1924 noted that so-called Faham tea had been sold in France, where some consumers were sipping it in place of "Chinese" (i.e., regular) tea. "Every work on botany of any importance similarly places it in the foremost rank of the beneficial productions of  this favored clime (Reunion)," the author says. "One of our most illustrious writers George Sand eulogizes it in the midst of the fine description of the Island of Bourbon." Bourbon was an earlier name for Reunion, incidentally.

The orchid in question was known to grow very high on the mountain slopes of the island, far within almost unreachable forests. The problems inherent in collecting a large amount of this plant meant that Faham tea, as a viable commercial item, was doomed to fail. Despite general agreement as to the tea's tastiness, it was completely forgotten by mid- 20th century.

Most of us won't ever have the pleasure of knowing what Faham tea tasted like. But if you happen to be fortunate enough to own a specimen or two of the right kind of orchid, you could sacrifice a few leaves and make some yourself. To prepare the tea, you first bring water to a boil in a tea kettle. Then, you add some dried orchid leaves (approximately as much per cup as you would regular tea) to the water, bringing down the heat and permitting it to steep for a few minutes.

A flyer published in the 1920s extolling Faham tea avers:

It can be used as a substitute for tea on all occasions, as it combines its tonic and digestive qualities free from the sleepless effect. It possesses an aroma of great delicacy capable of being rendered more or less pungent according to the quantity used, and it gives forth a most agreeable perfume. After being drank it leaves a lasting fragrance in the mouth and in a closed room the odor of it can be recognized long after.

This beverage has the further advantage over tea which requires to be drank at the time of making in that it can be reserved for a future occasion if requisite and may either be taken cold or made hot again. Milk or spirits in small quantities, especially rum, serve to develope its aroma and lending it additional delicacy or greater strength render it a delicious drink. Lastly this valuable plant is made use of to flavor custards and ices, to which it communicates its delicate fragrance.

Sounds delightful. Faham tea, anyone?

Now, if you think you would like to try your hand at growing orchids, rare or otherwise, you will require accurate instructions.

Now there is lots of excellent, accurate information available for anyone who would like to grow orchids. The most accurate and clear guidebook to today's orchid cultivation, in my opinion, is Orchid Care Expert by a Mr. Nigel Howard, which may be downloaded from the web. Mr. Howard's guide is a full course all to itself, perfect for beginners as well as the more experienced. Also, check out the Orchid Secrets website, which features an ever-expanding database of entries on many facets of orchid care.

The Benefits of Green Tea: Why It's Good For You

Drinking green tea made several discoveries regarding health benefits. Aside from green tea becoming an antioxidant, it is also claimed that it can help with cancer prevention, heart protection, arthritis prevention and liver protection.  According to legends, tea was discovered by a Chinese emperor about 5,000 years ago. This Chinese emperor was boiling water to the belief that it can become more potable and safer to drink. When suddenly a large gust of wind took over and blew the leaves into the water that’s boiling. By the combination of water and leaves, a brown mixture was fashioned. Reluctantly, the emperor discovered the mixture making a very fragrant aroma. The moment he tasted it, he described it to be agreeable. From that moment on, green tea was born. No matter how accurate this legend is, what’s important is that green tea have become one of the most popular drink in China.)   

(More recently, the health benefits of green tea have been established by studies done by medical professionals and companies who produce green tea products. These studies do show that the health benefits of green tea can add to the longevity of those who drink this product.

First of all, you need to understand that the body does millions of processes occurring at all times. Even when you are asleep, the brain is active and will require oxygen in order to function properly. However, the oxygen that we breathe in can create harmful side effects, or what most people know as oxidants. These oxidants or commonly known as free radicals are introduced to our system through external sources, such as pollution, stress, smoking, diet, and even exposure to the sun. And, these free radicals are known to be one of the main contributors in the growth of cancer cells.

So, in order to counteract the effect of oxidants or free radicals, we will need to introduce antioxidants in our body. And, green tea has a lot of them. Although some foods do have antioxidants, you will see that green tea has a lot more. In fact, the antioxidants found on green tea are much higher than that found in grape juice and red wine. This explains why there are a lot of scientists who are studying the
health benefits of green tea.

Because liver is another agent responsible for metabolism, it is greatly affected by green tea. There is strong correlation of bonds between liver function and antioxidants. When the liver does it job, it filters the body from toxins and washes it away through excretion.

Toxins are referred to harmful substances that we gather through daily living like digested food, breathed air, consumed water, alcohol intake and even remnants of cigarette smoking. What green tea provides the body is stimulating and strengthening the immune system making the liver more capable of filtering every single substance that can be dangerous to the body.

Discover The Amazing Health Benefits of Green Tea

There are those who are under the impression that green tea is a fairly new thing however the truth is that the Chinese have been enjoying the taste and health benefits for many thousands of years.  Ailments that green tea is believed to help with include bone loss and even weight loss.  Of course, there are many types of tea on the market.

If you think that these claims have no scientific proof you would be wrong due to the fact that there have been umpteen studies all carried out all around the world. In the 1994 edition of the Journal of National Cancer Institute, the outcome of an epidemiological study stated that one of the health benefits of drinking green tea is that it can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by up to 60%.  This is just one of the health benefits of tea.

One of the main reasons that green tea provides so many wonderful health benefits is because of polyphenols. A strong antioxidant, EGCG can not only inhibit the growth of cancer cells but can also destroy them without affecting the cells that are healthy.

The EGCG in green tea is a health benefit substance that can lower down LDL cholesterol levels and stop blood from forming abnormal clots (thrombosis), a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.

Aside from medicinal value, green tea can also {provide|offer} other benefits to your health, particularly when it comes to fitness. By drinking green tea, it has been discovered that you will burn more calories when you do exercising. A recent study on the health benefits of green tea shows that the drink can help dieters. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1999, men who take both caffeine and green tea burn down more calories than men who only take caffeine or a placebo.

As if that wasn't enough health benefit of green tea is its ability to kill bacteria. The reason that this is so beneficial is that it can prevent tooth decay as well as food poisoning.

Green Tea

The Healing Tea

 

Scientists have discovered that green tea can be helpful for many medical purposes. This healthful tea has been around for thousands of years, and today it is popular all over the world. Some scientists say that green tea can reduce the risk of esophageal and colon cancer by almost sixty percent. Through research scientists have discovered that green tea can be a great help for high cholesterol, infection, and even weight loss. But what makes this tea so spectacular? Certain properties in green tea enable it to attack and kill cancer cells. Besides, green tea is high in EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), a powerful anti-oxidant that can help protect your skin against UV rays.

What Makes Green Tea Different?

Green tea comes from the plant (Camellia sinensis), the same plant from which normal black tea is made. The main difference is that green tea goes through minimal oxidation while processing, giving it a much lighter color than regular black tea. Green tea comes in a variety of flavors, and is usually not served with any type of cream or sugar. Another special quality that green tea possesses is that it can increase metabolism, which aids weight loss and lowering cholesterol. The way green tea is harvested also makes a difference. It is harvested usually in early spring and is done by hand, and then dried. The Chinese used to steam the tea to stop fermentation, but today most it is done by roasting.

 

History of Green Tea

Green tea has been around for approximately 5,000 years, but the story of its origin is unclear. Some say that the emperor Shen Nung discovered the plant when a leaf fell into his cup. But another story says that a man by the name of Shien Non Shei found the plant and tasted it, discovering that it was in fact, delicious, and decided upon making a beverage out of it. But whatever its origin, the Chinese have been drinking green tea for thousands of years. In ancient China, Green tea was the drink of the wealthy and political leaders, because it was a costly drink.  But as time passed, the drink was more widely spread among the people of China and Japan.

 

Green tea was introduced into the US by Europeans involved in the tea trade from Asia. And grew rapidly in popularity, making tea a very important part of the trade market in the new world.

 

Side Effects

Green tea has only one side effect, due to its amount of caffeine; however, green tea actually contains less caffeine than some other teas and coffees. But some people are sensitive to caffeine, and may experience insomnia, or other side effects involved in excess of caffeine. But the amount you drink is sometimes a question for scientists. A study by the Saitama Cancer Research Institute in Japan, discovered that there were fewer cases of breast cancer in woman who drank five or more cups daily. Another study discovered that drinking at least four cups a day, can help prevent some types of arthritis, and can also reduce the symptoms in patience who already have arthritis. Some people might say that green tea is a natural healer, but further research is still needed to prove the point!

Boost Your Health With A Simple Cup Of Tea

A lot of people in the western world drink tea without knowing all the health benefits it actually provides.

Much is written about green tea and the antioxidants it contains that help you fight aging and slow down the onset of fatal diseases. But there are other teas that help you too, you only have to look on the shelves at your favorite store.

Tea grows ever more popular and in lots of varieties too, my local supermarket now stocks about a 100 varieties.

The particular health benefits that are often talked about are that tea contains antioxidants which help fight cancer and delay the natural aging process and polyphones which help to fight plaque on the teeth and also increase the flow of your digestive juices.

Green Tea

Green tea now comes in an abundance of flavors, you are really spoilt for choice. Try a few different types and you should soon settle on one that you like.

The choice of varieties includes, pure green tea, Jasmine, Peony,green tea and orange, Dragon Pearl, White Monkey and there is even a blend called gunpowder.

The particular health benefits of green teas include a high concentration of antioxidants, so beneficial for slowing the aging process and stopping the damage to your body of the free radical particles that are harmful to your cells.

In addition, research is also identifying green tea as a positive benefit in the fight against cancer, arthritis, cholesterol control. Keep an eye on the news and you will notice several reports a month will include something that mentions the benefits of green tea.

White Tea

White Tea like the others listed here is made from the same tea plant, it is the method of cultivation that varies. White tea is made by harvesting the very young tea leaves that are still covered in down. Leaves do not receive fermentation. Instead, they are steamed and dried in the sun.

As white tea is subject to less processing than other varieties you get more bang for your buck as regards a health boost.

Because the leaves are still downy, the brewed tea has a silver-white appearance. It has a sweet aroma and fresh flavor. The many varieties of white tea include Silver Needle and Jasmine Silver Needle together with White Peony.

Oolong Tea

A unique name and one which I did not think would appear in my local supermarket, but it was there. The flavor of Oolong Tea lies somewhere between the taste of green tea and black tea, rich but not too overpowering.

Oolong tea is known for relieving indigestion problems and lowers cholesterol levels in the body.

Oolong tea is made from large, mature trees and produces a full-bodied taste. The leaves are semi-fermented and after being picked, are left to wither, which removed moisture.

The common flavors of Oolong include WUYI rock, Jasmine and Ice peak.

Black Tea

This is probably the most popular drink in the Western world, certainly in the UK.

Black tea is the most processed of the varieties here, it goes through a full fermentation process that makes the leaves darken to a color that is almost black in appearance.

Black tea can seem to others to taste of fruit, spice and even flowers.

The varieties of black tea are too abundant to mention here but they include, English breakfast tea, Earl Grey, Ceylon, Lapsang Souchong and variants of each.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea, which is considered a floral tea, has a very aromatic, fruity flavor and is a member of the daisy family. This tea is known for helping aid with toothaches, insomnia, muscle cramps, and can help reduce the swelling of skin irritations.

I hope that this article has encouraged you to try some other varieties of tea. Go on try a few new tea flavors, you never know you may find a great tasting one you stick with.

White Tea, Healthy Tea

Do you think tea suits only Indians and Chinese? Do you avoid tea simply because coffee is easier to make? It’s time to do some serious tea thinking then! In contrast to popular belief in some countries, research shows that tea has many health benefits. It boosts immunity and has cancer fighting properties. Therefore, a hot cuppa or two can do you a lot of good and no harm.

 

You must have read about or come across different varieties of tea: black, green, and oolong. White tea is comparatively rare and expensive, and few have heard about it. It comes from leaves of the same Camellia bush as the other varieties of tea; the difference emerges from the way it is processed.    

 

Black tea is the fermented variety, and the fermentation leads to the loss of some beneficial components of tea leaves. Green tea undergoes no fermentation and is obtained by either steaming or slightly heating the leaves. It is a healthier option than black tea. Oolong tea lies in between these two varieties, in terms of processing.

 

White tea is made from the very young leaves and buds of the Camellia plant. The name white tea comes from the fine white hair on the young buds. Some researchers, however, suggest that the name comes from plain boiled water that was served when tea leaves were not available in humble Chinese homes. White tea has traditionally been associated with the elite classes in China.

 

White tea is the healthiest option among the different varieties of tea as it undergoes little processing and no fermentation. It is made by steaming and drying the selected buds and leaves. Its taste is mild and sweet, and research indicates that it has greater cancer fighting power than green tea. Another advantage of white tea is that it is low in caffeine compared with green or black tea. It is also known to prevent skin from sagging. Consequently, reputed cosmetics manufacturers are making a beeline for white tea. A word of caution: avoid white tea if you suffer from stomach ailments.

 

The best way to prepare white tea is to add it to water before it boils. This variety of tea is mainly produced in China and Japan, but Darjeeling in India is also known for it. Fujian Province of China is famous for this type of tea. A variety of this tea is also grown in Sri Lanka. White tea has some interesting names like tribute eyebrow, silver needle, white peony, golden moon, and white cloud. 

 

Given the benefits of white tea, you can slowly take to it to refresh yourself and gain health benefits in the process. Researchers suggest that four cups of green tea per day is ideal for promoting good health. As white tea has more effective properties, just a couple of cups should keep you in the pink of health. Promote tea drinking at home and your workplace, and lots of recharged people are going to thank you!