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Good Little Tea Company

Good Little Tea Company

 

Salmon Arm, BC, Canada

Description of business

Good Little Tea Company sells a variety of delicious products, including Vitamin C, Pain Relief Tea, Happy Tummy, Sleep Time, Tulsi Basil for Stress, Nettle, Mullein, Minty Dandelion Detox, Lemon Dandelion Detox, Shuswap Chai, Balance Chai, Moroccan Mint, Earl Grey, Vanilla Ear Grey. Please refer to Good Little Tea Company’s Facebook page or contact them for more information about their products.

Phone: 250-689-1424

History of tea

Tea originated in China in 2737 BC, when Shen Nung – the Chinese emperor – came across it accidentally, when some tree leaves blew into his boiled drinking water. Instead of throwing the contaminated water out, he decided to try it, which resulted in a good tasting drink. From there, tea became a popular drink in China, and some containers for tea leaves were found in tombs that date back to 206 BC – 220 AD, under the Han Dynasty; however, tea became China’s national drink under the Tang dynasty from 618 – 906 AD. It wasn’t until the 1600s when tea was brought to Europe – and America – and became a staple in Britain.

Fermentation process / Microorganisms involved

Black tea is the type of tea that is fermented the most. Yeast and other bacteria are the most commonly used microorganisms for fermentation. During the process, microorganisms produce oxidized polyphenolic compounds like theaflavins and thearubigins, which give tea its colour, taste, and aroma. Of course, using different microorganisms with different optimal environments – temperatures and pH – will yield different products, and therefore, a variety of tastes/aromas. The fermentation process of tea is quite simple; fermenting tea leaves is an oxidative process, where leaves are withered, and then exposed to air, after which they lay under controlled temperature and humidity. It is important to let the leaves ferment for a perfect time, as too little or too much may not give a desired outcome.

Health benefits – Tea has many studied health benefits, which include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Contains many antioxidants
  • Good for heart health
  • May lower cholesterol
  • Improves gut health
  • Reduces blood pressure
  • May improve focus
  • Provides a calming mood

Interesting facts 

  • Tea has more caffeine than coffee, but there are more coffee grounds used to make a cup of coffee, than there are leaves in a tea bag to make a cup of tea.
  • Tea bags were invented by an American man named Thomas Sullivan, during the 1900s. In 1908, he used small silk bags to send samples of his tea to customers.

Misconceptions 

  • A common misconception is that tea is often associated with the British, and so people think it originated there. This is false. It actually originated in China in 2737 BC!

References

Enloe A. 2018. 10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Black Tea. Healthline; [accessed 2021 Nov 30]. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/black-tea-benefits

Pou KRJ. 2016. Fermentation: The Key Step in the Processing of Black Tea. ResearchGate. [accessed 2021 Nov 30]; 41(2): 85 – 95 p. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309375687_Fermentation_The_Key_Step_in_the_Processing_of_Black_Tea. DOI: 10.5307/JBE.2016.41.2.085

The History of Tea. London, England: UK Tea and Infusions Association; [accessed 2021 Nov 30]. Available from: https://www.tea.co.uk/history-of-tea

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