by Susan Keeping

Created on: December 30, 2006   Last Updated: June 17, 2008

I would say that tea is my favorite beverage. I do need a cup of coffee first thing in the morning at work but after that it's usually tea that I drink.

Tea has always played a big part in my family. I am originally from Scotland and my mother usually made quite a few pots of tea each night. I started out needing to have sugar in my tea, but as I grew older I found I couldn't stand it that sweet and stopped using it completely. I also used to add a lot of milk to my tea but these days I usually add little more than a splash of milk, unless I'm having green tea which I have without any additions.

Tea is soothing to me. I don't know if it has something to do with it being a comfort "food". Tea was something I shared with my family. Having tea became a social part of our evening; we all got together to have that cup of tea... and maybe a biscuit too.

Tea does have less caffeine than coffee, therefore it is more calming, more relaxing and healthier for you.

Tea is what I drink when I'm feeling ill and tea is what I drink when I'm upset and need something to calm me. My favorite brands are Tetley and Twinings. I prefer orange pekoe tea but will also drink English Breakfast tea, Earl Grey tea and green tea. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I only tried Earl Grey tea after hearing it mentioned on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Jean-Luc Picard liked his Earl Grey tea hot! But, it is good. I'm drinking a cup of Earl Grey tea right now.

I do not usually like herbal teas other than green tea or jasmine tea. I have tried others but don't find drinking them to be an enjoyable experience. Sometimes the smell overwhelms the taste for me.

The second heaviest tea drinkers in the world are the British; 3 ounces a day less than the Turkish. According to the Jacksonville Tea Company website the average British citizen brews three to four cups a day. That explains why I enjoy my tea so much; it was all around me in the culture.

Due to health concerns, the usage of tea is going up all the time and experts expect that use will keep growing. If you don't like tea, give it another try. You might just find that you really like it. I would recommend you start with pekoe or black tea before moving onto Earl Grey and green tea.

Sources:
List of countries by tea consumption: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_te a_consumption_per_capita
UK Tea Council: http://www.tea.co.uk/news.php?showItem=176

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