National Hot Tea Day

National Hot Tea Day celebrates tea's rich culture and history, diverse varieties, health benefits, and soothing qualities, and encourages "tea aficionados across the nation to raise a cup in honor." favorite drink list. The American Tea Council, a nonprofit association that connects tea packers, importers, and allied industries in the United States and major tea producing countries started the day, which occurs during National Hot Tea Month. They work to raise awareness of tea by providing information about the positive properties of tea. They said that drinking tea was the perfect way to start the New Year with a healthy mind and body.

Tea drinking can be traced back almost 5,000 years. According to legend, it was first drunk in China in 2737 BC, when Emperor Shennong accidentally absorbed it, after tea leaves were blown into his boiling water. By about 300 C.E., tea had become a healing beverage into a common beverage. It has long been associated with England, but it was not until the seventeenth century that it became popular there, when the upper classes began to drink it. At the time, it was quite expensive and taxed by the government. By the end of the nineteenth century, it was popular with all classes of British society.

Water is the only drink more popular than tea. Four in five Americans drink tea, and the United States is the third largest tea importer in the world after Russia and Pakistan, with consumption continuing to grow. Tea drinking is most popular in Turkey and Ireland. Today's holidays are dedicated to hot tea, but only 15-25% of tea sold in the United States is hot tea. Both young and old drink tea in equal proportions in the United States, and there and around the world it is customary to add sugar, honey, and milk.

Real tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. The main teas are black, green, white, dark, yellow and oolong. They all come from the same plant - their difference lies in the way they are prepared. After picking, the tea leaves begin to oxidize. White tea is the least oxidized, then green tea is more oxidized, and black tea is the most susceptible to oxidation. Dark tea is fermented after it is produced. Black tea is America's favorite, even though green tea has grown in popularity. In addition to real tea, there is also herbal tea, which is made from herbs or plants such as chamomile, mint, and hibiscus.

Tea has many health benefits. It contains high levels of flavonoids: bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties that can help neutralize free radicals that cause chronic disease. Studies show that tea can promote heart health. EGCG can promote it. Tea can lower overall cholesterol as well as "bad" LDL cholesterol, while increasing "good" HDL cholesterol. It can also improve blood pressure. Black tea is particularly beneficial for heart health: it can reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

Certain components of tea may have a negative effect on cancer. In particular, the main antioxidant in green tea, EGCG, can help kill cancer cells. Drinking tea has been linked to weight loss, waist circumference and BMI. Its flavonoids can boost metabolism, increase fat oxidation, and improve insulin action. Tea can help improve energy levels, in part due to its caffeine content.

Finally, tea improves cognitive performance and is rich in calming agents. It can help improve memory and concentration: Studies have shown that green tea can improve memory, attention, and brain function. Another study has shown that drinking two cups of black tea can increase attention. Green tea can act as a front against dementia, and the antioxidants in tea can protect brain cells from free radicals. L-theanine and EGCG are two of tea's bioactive compounds that may boost brain function, and both may also help reduce anxiety. L-theanine can help the brain focus attention and solve complex problems. On National Hot Tea Day, we raise our glasses to celebrate the health benefits and soothing qualities of tea, as well as the wide variety of teas that can be found, while appreciating the culture and history.

How to Observe National Hot Tea Day

Raise a cup or two of hot tea to celebrate its history, diversity, health benefits, and soothing qualities. The focus of the day is on drinking real tea — tea from the Camellia sinensis plant, such as white, green, or black tea — but herbal teas can also be used. Picking up different teas from the shop to try or stopping by a tea shop are great ways to spend the day.

You can also enter this year's IndividualiTEA Photo Sharing Sweepstakes, sponsored by the Tea Board of America, where $500 and a year's supply of tea can be won. This can be done by taking a photo or video or writing a description of the unique ways you drink tea and sharing it on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #IndividualiTEA and tagging @TeaCouncil. Visit the IndividualiTEA website for more information.