Our world revolves around Tea

Disclaimer: This is a long read, so brace yourself, sit down, relax and grab a snack with a cup of tea or bottle of cold water or whatever works for you.?

The Sylhet district is a traditional tea growing area in Bangladesh. Nearly 300,000 workers are employed in the tea garden, and it has about 150 tea gardens by exporting tea abroad, and Bangladesh is earning a lot of foreign currencies.

The area around Sylhet is a traditional tea growing area. The Malnichera tea garden is situated in Sylhet Sadar district which is nearly 3KM northern side from the main Sylhet town. The Sylhet area is very near to Assam and Tripura of India, and about 70% of the people in Bangladesh drink tea for refreshment thereby making tea a kind of popular soft drink.

Source: Journal of Nuclear and Particle Physics 2012, 2(6): 147-152

In an article published by Jan Conway on March 21st 2019 on Statista.com, it was written that “Tea is the second most widely consumed beverage worldwide, following only water. In 2015, global tea production amounted to about 5.2 million metric tons.” Who knew?

Countries like China (which is responsible for about 50% of total tea production with 2.35 million metric tons), India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia were among the main tea producers in 2016, but when it comes to tea importers, the Russian Federation is leading with about 548 million U.S. dollars in trade value. But in the same year, Turkey was the largest tea-consuming country in the world with a per capita tea consumption of approximately 6.96 pounds a year.

In 2018, global consumption of tea amounted to about 273 billion litres, and it is forecasted to reach 297 billion litres by 2021. There are many types of teas, depending on their oxidation levels: green, yellow, ginseng, oolong and black.

According to the consumer behaviour statistics from the same site, it was published that in the U.S., 8.26 gal is the per capita tea consumption, 23% of people drink tea every day, 39% drink tea in the afternoon, 40% drink tea to relax, 54% drink green tea at home, 56% use Lipton tea at home, 71% usually buy tea at the supermarket.

The question that arose in my mind after the research is; Did you know that the tea business had a large, existing market, or it was even considered a profitable business? Besides, who would have thought that a country like the Russian Federation was amassing so much in revenue because of tea?

There is something special about a cup of tea, it works like magic!

I have been a tea lover since childhood and I was drawn toward this incredible drink that has become like drinking water with lots of health benefits because of the simplicity in brewing a cup.

Several years ago, after the morning devotion, my dad and I would grab a cup of finely brewed tea (Lipton or Top Tea) mixed with honey, and in some cases, sugar as we would sit in the living room, biscuits served in a bowl and sometimes, chin-chin, as we enjoy long conversations that spanned into hours with topics ranging from politics to technology, agriculture to sports, religion to the entertainment industry or it could be a post we saw on social media and sometimes, it could be about the extended families and how everyone is faring in their individual lives - how I miss those days!

“Tea for me is another form of antidote, a catalyst for long and deep conversations, a daily companion of some sort with little or less negative effect. A finely brewed cup reminds me of all the good things that consistency hold and the things that I miss in my childhood.”

Its benefits go beyond vitality and satisfaction in a cup especially the sense of acceptance and fulfilment that it gives that I am counted worthy to be a member of the “Hall of fame” when it comes to tea lovers in the world with the likes of Abraham Lincoln.

The likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson who also said, “Some people will tell you there is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea,” and I am sure Sydney Smith - an English wit and writer had the same excitement welling up inside him when he wrote, “Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea! How did it exist? I am glad I was born before tea.”

The complementary constituent that a set of teacups presents on a dining table is priceless apart from the beauty effect it adds. One can’t even begin to quantify and it could be because, over time, tea was easily associated with the English – the elite and the wealthy in the society. However, another reason could be because it is easy and quick to make whenever a guest or a visitor shows up unexpectedly, and it never fails to come through – if you brew it right.

American novelist and poet - Alice Walker had this to say about the importance of tea, that, “Tea to the English is a picnic indoors,” and that means that the town-folks of Bangladesh that drinks tea for refreshment would be having daily picnics.

How wonderful!

Nonetheless, tea has been known to even the odds and bridge the gap that societal prejudices and inequalities have created. It has been forging new paths, void of rivalry and dispute for over a century even in our modern, civilized age because we agree on something that unites us, and it connects hearts and minds beyond the walls of colour, culture and tradition that separate us.

I appreciate the insight of Chaim Potok, an American author and Rabbi when he wrote, “Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.”

Tea bridges the asunder between friends, families, colleagues, neighbours, partners, where they come together to settle their score over a cup of tea, and this is common in some parts of the country, especially in the civilized world like Asia, America, and some part of Africa.

It is also common to see (in movies and stories) where people settle billion-dollar deals over a cup of tea, or they invite folks over and treat them to a cup of tea, sometimes coffee, sometimes a cold bottle of beer or wine. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals as it is already a custom for them.

Tea drinking was introduced in Japan during the late eighth century and became a vital part of Japanese culture. In the United Kingdom, Tea is recognized as one of the countrys' cultural beverages. Tea is a popular beverage in Middle Eastern cultures.

A cup of tea would restore my normality, said Douglas Adams (An English author and writer). For me, tea is a teacher and a tutor on life, family, friendship, partnership, investment and it has taught me the principle of building anything – that is transgenerational – that spans through decades and centuries – something that preserves a legacy – that will last because from where I stand, tea has endured the test of time!

Arthur Wing Pinero, an English playwright, once said, “Where there’s tea, there’s hope.”

Hot as it may – cold as it may – it speaks about the phases in a man’s life. Just like the weather, we respond to these atmospheric changes with fear or courage, but I believe, the curator orchestrated all things for the good of man, contrary as it may sound as we read or see every day and we can always hold on as Hope will see us through the darkest of times.

British statesman and Liberal politician - William Ewart Gladstone said, “If you are cold, tea will warm you; if you are too heated, it will cool you; if you are depressed, it will cheer you; if you are excited, it will calm you.”

I am pleased each time we approach the dry/hot season in Nigeria even though we have two seasons which is the cold/rainy season and the dry/hot season. I welcome the weather with open arms because it means less sweating – intake of more liquid, and no one can deny that water is a vital need of the body.

Very vital that up to 60% of the human body is composed of water and according to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%. If you get tired of drinking water because it is tasteless and you feel like drinking sweet water, instead of opting for soda or beer, why not opt for a cup of tea, you can add some honey to sweeten the deal as your body will thank you for it.

These statistics show that if only we drink enough tea, we can prevent and treat common diseases like cold, cough, sore throat. It also treats urinary tract infections, helps reduce fever, reduces heartburn, prevents constipation and its complications and many other infections and diseases that we battle with today by just drinking the right amount of water tea.

American political figure and diplomat, Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “A woman is like a teabag – you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.”

Tea in its fragile nature can be a hoax - unsuspecting, however, it brings different flavours to the table of nourishment and the potential that a tea bag holds cannot be fully deduced from face-value until it is tested - until it has gone through the litmus test of the heat and the fire - until it is dipped into hot water!

This analogy can be used and brought close to home to describe the hidden potentials in every human that will not find expression until they come in close contact with dire situations that will demand that they give their best and in some cases, their all and the outcome of this will mean a shift in their paradigm which most times leave an indelible mark that will demand that whatever they do or get involved with will display excellence, integrity, discipline, beauty and grit.

Tough times reveal our true colours like the teabag.?

So, whatever storm seems to be ahead of you - whatever hot water situation you find yourself - it is not time to throw in the towel, in fact, smile - put your head up high and tell yourself - this too shall pass and I will come out refined and smoothened!

Adopt drinking tea habits as contrary to many other options out there to stay healthy and when you do, you will help to spread the truth that this uniquely unsuspecting dose of longevity holds the empathy that seems to be lost among humans and acceptance that we can achieve no matter who we are or where we find ourselves.

The world will become a better and more conducive place just by spreading the beauty of TEA - truth, empathy and acceptance.

Have any insights you like to share? Feel free to but don't forget to comment, like and share.