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BLACK TEA
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AMBROSIA BLACK TEA
Apricot Tea, Black Currant, Mango Tea, Rose Hips, Orange
Peel & Cinnamon Chips
BLACK LAVENDER
China Black tea, Ceylon Chester, Earl Grey, Culinary
Lavender buds and Rose Hips
CHAI BLACK TEA
Black teas, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves & pepper
CHINA BLACK TEA
China Black Tea is a premium quality basic black tea
CINNAMON SPICE TEA
Black tea, orange peel, cinnamon bark, clove
CREAMY EARL GREY
Flavored with the same oil of bergamot as our classic
Earl Greybut with a hint of vanilla and cream.
A smooth and aromatic blend with a wonderful
creamy-fruity flavor that appeals to a wide range
of tastes. Even if you are not an Earl Grey fan, we
recommend you try this tea.
EARL GREY
Black tea and natural bergamot oil
ENGLISH BREAKFAST
An equal mix of Chester (Ceylon) and Kalgar (Indian)
Black Teas
HOUSE BLEND BLACK TEA
Blended Ceylon Chester and China Black Tea
LAPSANG SOUCHONG
Black tea from the Fujian province of China. Lapsang
Souchong tea (also called Russian Caravan
tea) has a
famously smoky aroma and flavor. To create this, tea
leaves are dried in bamboo
baskets over pine fires,
achieving a perfect balance of smoke and tea flavor.
ORANGE SPICE BLACK TEA
Ceylon tea, orange peel, orange oil, clovebud oil.
Serving black tea every day in
our Nashville tea bar. Sold by the cup, loose and
by the pound.
Green Pergola Tea and Aromatherapy
223 Donelson Pike
Nashville, TN 37214
615.889.0044
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Black
Tea Information:
Black tea is made from the dried
leaves of Camellia sinensis , a perennial evergreen shrub.
Black tea has a long history of use dating back to China
approximately 5,000 years ago. Green tea, black tea, and
oolong tea are all derived from the same plant.
Black tea is a source of caffeine, a methylxanthine that
stimulates the central nervous system, relaxes smooth muscle
in the airways to the lungs (bronchioles), stimulates the
heart, and acts on the kidney as a diuretic (increasing
urine). One cup of tea contains about 50 milligrams of
caffeine, depending on the strength and size of cup (as
compared to coffee, which contains 65 to 175 milligrams of
caffeine per cup). Tea also contains polyphenols (catechins,
anthocyanins, phenolic acids), tannin, trace elements, and
vitamins.
The tea plant is native to Southeast Asia and can grow up to a
height of 40 feet, but is usually maintained at a height of
two to three feet by regular pruning. The first spring leaf
buds, called the first flush , are considered the
highest-quality leaves. When the first flush leaf bud is
picked, another one grows, which is called the second flush ,
and this continues until an autumn flush . The older leaves
picked farther down the stems are considered to be of poorer
quality.
Tea varieties reflect the growing region (for example, Ceylon
or Assam), the district (for example, Darjeeling), the form
(for example, pekoe is cut, gunpowder is rolled), and the
processing method (for example, black, green, or oolong).
India and Sri Lanka are the major producers of black tea.
Historically, tea has been served as a part of various
ceremonies and has been used to stay alert during long
meditations. A legend in India describes the story of Prince
Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, who tore off his
eyelids in frustration at his inability to stay awake during
meditation while journeying through China. A tea plant is said
to have sprouted from the spot where his eyelids fell,
providing him with the ability to stay awake, meditate, and
reach enlightenment. Turkish traders reportedly introduced tea
to Western cultures in the 6th century. By the 18th Century,
tea was commonly consumed in England, where it became
customary to drink tea at 5 p.m.
Black tea reached the Americas with the first European
settlers in 1492. Black tea gained notoriety in the United
States in 1773 when colonists tossed black tea into Boston
Harbor during the Boston Tea Party. This symbolic gesture was
an early event in the U.S. War of Independence against
England.
Until recently, tea research has focused on green tea. Green
tea is loaded with the compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg),
a powerful anti-oxidant. Since the fermentation process used
to make black tea converts EGCg into other compounds,
researchers assumed black tea had less health benefits than
green tea. However, recent studies indicate the compounds
contained in black tea – theaflavins and thearubigens – do
more than contribute to its dark color and distinctive flavor.
They also provide health benefits originally attributed solely
to green tea.
Black Tea Research
•A long-term study by the Netherlands National Institute of
Public Health and the Environment found a correlation between
regular consumption of black tea and reduced risk of stroke.
Researchers looked at data from a study examining the health
benefits of foods that are high in flavonoids – phytonutrients
with antioxidant benefits. While some of the flavonoids were
obtained from fruits and vegetables, seventy percent came from
black tea. The study looked at 552 men over a 15 year period.
Researchers concluded that the flavonoids in black tea helped
reduce the production of LDL – the “bad” cholesterol that can
lead to stroke and heart attacks. Furthermore, men who drank
over four cups of black tea per day had a significantly lower
risk of stroke than men who drank only two to three cups per
day.
•A separate study by Dr. Joseph Vita at Boston’s School of
Medicine supported these results. For four months, sixty-six
men drank four cups of either black tea or a placebo daily.
Dr. Vita concluded that drinking black tea can help reverse an
abnormal functioning of the blood vessels that can contribute
to stroke or heart attack. Furthermore, improvement in the
functioning of the blood vessels was visible within two hours
of drinking just one cup of black tea.
•Finally, a study of over 3,000 adults in Saudi Arabia – where
black tea is favored over green – found that regular
consumption of the dark brew can reduce the risk of coronary
heart disease by fifty percent.
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