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While researching to start my business, I had cause to chat to a guy at a tea garden over in China. He recognised my accent immediately and said,
"Ah, you are English! We love you guys, you drink so much tea." "Really?" I said, a bit surprised "But, you're in China, don't you have a lot of tea too?" "Yeah we have a lot, but we only drink three cups a day with meals. You guys drink it like there is no water." |
This giant tea cup is actually a terracotta plant pot. Thank goodness!
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Why we All probably have Too much already
That comment from a man in China summed it up for me, and I had barely started out in the tea industry. For a country which has never so far been able to grow tea to suit our demands, we have a well established reputation in the UK for consuming more of it more times a day than anywhere else in the world.
The English are practically a dinner jacket clad, umbrella wielding, tiffin snaffling mascot for tea, and most people here don't mind that image. We like being associated with tea, and let's face it, it's better than any of our other international reputations as tea towel wearing tourists, rowdy football fans and talented bar supports. Our preferred dandy image coupled with a distinct knowledge gap for tea probably hasn't helped our casual intake habits.
The English are practically a dinner jacket clad, umbrella wielding, tiffin snaffling mascot for tea, and most people here don't mind that image. We like being associated with tea, and let's face it, it's better than any of our other international reputations as tea towel wearing tourists, rowdy football fans and talented bar supports. Our preferred dandy image coupled with a distinct knowledge gap for tea probably hasn't helped our casual intake habits.
Our Crazy Casual Consuming
These days, thanks to the tea bag and low tea dust prices, we ditched the teapot some time ago and have been able to consume more per person than ever before. Hurrah! Or perhaps not so much.
Six cups a day is pretty normal in the UK. Eight to ten is still a common figure, and over ten cups a day isn't unusual. The UK also largely prefers black tea blends, and black tea is the strongest of tea types. We are casually consuming enough that many of us are likely already encountering some of its side affects.
Six cups a day is pretty normal in the UK. Eight to ten is still a common figure, and over ten cups a day isn't unusual. The UK also largely prefers black tea blends, and black tea is the strongest of tea types. We are casually consuming enough that many of us are likely already encountering some of its side affects.
One-Cup Tea Bags
You might have seen this written on a box of tea bags recently. The tea bag isn't the norm everywhere. In fact it's only really here where it is, so in tea producing countries there is emerging the One-Cup Tea Bag; or the tea bag, as we know it.
Pretty much everyone but us brews their leaves more than once, and loose in a pan or teapot. Domestic demand is rising in many tea producing regions, but the tea bag is still relatively new, as is the idea of using it once for only one cup.
Pretty much everyone but us brews their leaves more than once, and loose in a pan or teapot. Domestic demand is rising in many tea producing regions, but the tea bag is still relatively new, as is the idea of using it once for only one cup.
How much is Too much, and What Happens?
Six cups a day seems to be fine, and most people would see a small benefit from that amount of tea. More than ten though may not be so good for everyone, myself included, as I have definitely experienced pronounced tea side effects.
You may have experienced unusual restlessness, muscle twitches (particularly in your eyes), finding it harder to feel awake in the morning, or even a quickened heart rate.
You may have experienced unusual restlessness, muscle twitches (particularly in your eyes), finding it harder to feel awake in the morning, or even a quickened heart rate.
Studies and Evidence?
If you've been searching already, you'll have noticed that a common trend with studies on tea is their conclusion, which will almost always begin: "This study was inconclusive because..." . The fact is, no matter how large or small a demographic is chosen, the study data is affected by other aspects of our lives. Our environment, diet, modern medicines, stress levels, and fatigue make the effects of tea difficult to measure. Largely the summary will say that a small amount of tea is good for you, but as with everything, moderation is good too.
Too much Tea, or just Fatigue?
Muscle twitches can be caused by more general fatigue and stress too, so a less caffeine and more sleep policy can help very much to mend that problem. The same less tea more sleep method should also help with general restlessness, and will help you to wake up properly the next day.
Sometimes more drastic side effects call for a bigger cut down, as with quickening heart rates. If you experience this directly after drinking tea, as I have heard of this once before, then it should definitely be advised to avoid caffeine until you have consulted your doctor and found the cause. Sometimes caffeine simply has a stronger effect on some than others, and pronounced effects could be a sign of intolerance.
Sometimes more drastic side effects call for a bigger cut down, as with quickening heart rates. If you experience this directly after drinking tea, as I have heard of this once before, then it should definitely be advised to avoid caffeine until you have consulted your doctor and found the cause. Sometimes caffeine simply has a stronger effect on some than others, and pronounced effects could be a sign of intolerance.
Having Less and Better Tea
Of course a non caffeine tea would help, but even if you'd rather not change tea type, then changing tea quality can help a lot.
Just having better tea, the same type you usually like but a bit less of it, can go a along way to treat yourself for the reduction, and help alleviate the amount of work your body is doing to process all that caffeine every day.
The use of teapots is on the rise too, so in that case using better tea and appreciating it more may well help to slow down our crazy consuming habits, and be a benefit for our health.
Thankfully, if you really need to change from caffeine there are thousands of alternatives out there. Someone, somewhere, has probably decaffeinated the tea you already like. If they haven't done it yet, it might be worth asking a company about having a batch of your favoured tea decaffeinated, because everything is possible if you ask.
And you know, don't forget, there is always water...
Just having better tea, the same type you usually like but a bit less of it, can go a along way to treat yourself for the reduction, and help alleviate the amount of work your body is doing to process all that caffeine every day.
The use of teapots is on the rise too, so in that case using better tea and appreciating it more may well help to slow down our crazy consuming habits, and be a benefit for our health.
Thankfully, if you really need to change from caffeine there are thousands of alternatives out there. Someone, somewhere, has probably decaffeinated the tea you already like. If they haven't done it yet, it might be worth asking a company about having a batch of your favoured tea decaffeinated, because everything is possible if you ask.
And you know, don't forget, there is always water...
Chamomile
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Wild Rose Bud Tea
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Barley Tea
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