Tea and coffee are the top two beverages in the world today, and many people wonder which is the most popular and, indeed, which is healthier. Both tea and coffee are consumed worldwide, both in hot and cold forms. In this short article, we take a closer look at the two beverages and see what we can discover.
Coffee
Let's look at coffee first, a drink made from dried and roasted coffee beans. This beverage is said to be the biggest-selling daily drink, with billions of people drinking at least one cup a day. Coffee is a stimulant, which is thanks to caffeine, an element found in the drink, which many believe to be addictive. The earliest evidence of coffee drinking was discovered in Yemen and Ethiopia in the 15th century. During the next 100 years, coffee spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa.Arabica & Robusta
Two species of coffee plant, arabica and robusta, are cultivated in more than 70 countries, mainly in the equatorial regions of the Americas, parts of Asia, and areas within the Indian continent. Both species are very popular, and Brazil has become the number one coffee exporter, with almost 10 million tonnes of green coffee beans produced in 2021; Brazil is responsible for about 30% of that number.Tea
The tea plant (Camellia Sinensis) is cultivated in East Asia, northern China, and Myanmar; tea has a very long and colorful history, with ancient Eastern civilizations consuming tea for thousands of years. We know that Chinese Emperors were very fond of tea, with several dynasties developing the shrub and experimenting with different brewing methods. The Tang Dynasty introduced steaming and pounding, which turned the tea into a mouldable cake form; the Song Dynasty focused more on loose-leaf tea. The Yuan and Ming Dynasties started to apply heat in a large, dry pan, which was then rolled and aired. New Zealanders are avid consumers of black tea, which you can order directly from NZ’s leading online tea supplier.Global Exposure
Merchants and priests were introduced to tea when they arrived in China in the 16th century. In the early 17th century, the East India Company exported its first load of tea to Holland, where it quickly took off. It didn’t take long for the English aristocracy to discover the delights of fine tea, and the East India Company imported tea to England and mainland Europe.Tea smuggling
The illegal smuggling of tea in the 18th century allowed ordinary Europeans to afford to drink tea, which quickly grew in popularity. The British introduced tea as a crop to the Indians, establishing huge plantations for export to Europe.Many people drink both tea and coffee. If you are looking for the best quality tea in New Zealand, Google can take you to the website of the leading tea supplier, where you can order your favourite brew.
