Tag Archives: Tea

Is caffeine from tea less jolting?

Caffeine Chemical Makeup

Chemical Makeup of Caffeine

We love tea as much as the next person (okay perhaps a bit more). We are also a bit geeky by nature so we are fascinated to learn more about tannins, polyphenols, terrior, and other science related topics in the world of tea. We have also learned to be a bit skeptical as well. There are loads of claims attributed to tea being able to cure all kinds of health problems. There seems to be no end to the claims made around tea and tisanes. Most of these claims, however, utterly lack quality sources and rigorous scientific inquiry.

So it is with one of the more fascinating claims we have come across; that the caffeine in tea is somehow different or better than that found in coffee. Specifically, there are quite a number of websites claiming that the caffeine in tea is either “slow release” or is absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly. As the theory goes, this property makes tea a better choice because it doesn’t have the significant quick jolt found in coffee. What’s more the theory suggests that the caffeine stays with you longer, providing an enhanced sense of alertness and clarity.

How Caffeine is Generally Accepted to Impact the Body

It turns out that caffeine causes quite a number of reactions inside the body stemming largely from the brain. Specifically, as the body gets tired it is believed that adenosine molecules builds up in the brain where they attache to aptly named adenosine receptors. This in-turn causes you to feel drowsy and triggers sleep. It turns out that caffeine fits nicely into those adenosine receptors where the brain happily doesn’t get the message that it should be tired. In a cascading effect, it is believed that neurons in the brain begin firing because of the blocked adenosine receptors, the body begins to think its under attack, and the pituitary gland starts releasing adrenaline and the body goes into fight or flight mode, ready for anything.

Caffeine in Tea is Somehow Different

Tea Leaves in Gaiwan

Steeping Tea Leaves by Wikimol, CC BY-SA-3.0

All this leads us back to the earlier theory about how the caffeine in tea is somehow different from caffeine found in coffee, soda, or myriad other products. Realistically, caffeine is caffeine is caffeine.  It’s all the same molecule, whether it’s coming from tea, coffee, chocolate, medicine, or so-called energy drinks. What is fascinating, however, is how the body behaves when caffeine is ingested with other substances. While tea has long been believed to deliver a less jolting caffeine effect science hadn’t been able to explain it (and really still hasn’t).

There have recently been a few studies which look at caffeine in combination with compounds present in tea that appear to shed light on the subject. In particular, research has been looking at L-theanine, an amino acid found primarily in plants and fungus materials in combination with caffeine. Tea, as should be obvious at this point, contains L-theanine. Researchers in two different studies (referenced below) have found some linkages in the combination of the two compounds to favorable alertness, cognitive performance, blood pressure, and heart rate. The kicker, however, is that the study participants were given 40-50 mg of caffeine and 90-100 mg of L-theanine.

According to research by Dr. Emma Keenan at the University of Bristol (UK), a standard cup of black tea, quoted as 200 ml or a bit over 6 oz, has 24.2 +/- 5.7 mg of L-theanine. This is one quarter the amount given to study participants when looking at the combination of both caffeine and L-theanine.  For green tea this was even lower at 7.9 +/- 3.8 mg of L-theanine. Even if you double the amount of tea consumed to a (perhaps) more reasonable 400 ml or 12-13 oz, the amount of L-theanine is still about half the amount used in study.

For its part caffeine varies wildly in a cup of tea ranging loosely between 30 and 120 mg of caffeine (we will be doing another blog soon which may further challenge assumptions about caffeine in tea).

So is Caffeine in Tea Different?

From our vantage the caffeine in tea isn’t different at all.  Its still caffeine.  What may be different is how the body responds to the combination of tea, L-theanine, and other compounds present in tea. There is promising research to suggest that L-theanine in combination with caffeine may boost alertness and cognitive response but we wouldn’t feel comfortable making that claim without more research and realistic dosages that mimic real-world consumption of tea.

Sources Cited

The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness, by Giesbrecht T, Rycroft JA, Rowson MJ, De Bruin EA, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21040626

The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood, by Owen GN, Parnell H, De Bruin EA, Rycroft JA, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18681988

How much theanine in a cup of tea? Effects of tea type and method of preparation’, by Keenan, E, Finnie, M, Jones, P, Rogers, P & Priestley, C 2011, Food Chemistry, vol 125., pp. 588 – 594, http://www.bristol.ac.uk/expsych/people/emma-k-keenan/pub/2957550

5 Things About Orange Pekoe Tea

We continue to be amazed by the wide variety of flavors found in the tea world. In an effort to differentiate themselves tea companies are always looking for new flavors and blends to set themselves apart. One thing that still amazes us is to hear people say they love the flavor of Orange Pekoe tea. Since it is not a flavor at all, it seemed inevitable that we would need to dedicate a blog to what Orange Pekoe actually is. In short:

  1. Orange Pekoe is a grade of black tea that a marketing department went wild with.
  2. There is no orange in Orange Pekoe
  3. Tea grading based on Orange Pekoe isn’t mandatory and is primarily for industry buyers.
  4. Grading based on Orange Pekoe generally follows British Colonial influence.
  5. Orange Pekoe says very little about the taste of your tea.

#1. Orange Pekoe is a grade of black tea that a marketing department went wild with.

Orange Pekoe is really a grade of black tea, not a flavor. Major tea bag producers did a disservice to the North American tea drinking public when it decided to market tea with the name Orange Pekoe. At some point they decided, like so many other companies, that marketing should win out over accuracy. At least one of the major brands refreshed their packaging a few years ago so that the word Ceylon (this is now the country of Sri Lanka) started to appear in the same size font in front of Orange Pekoe.

There is no orange in orange pekoe.

No Orange in Orange Pekoe Tea

#2. There is no orange in Orange Pekoe

There is no orange flavoring in the tea. How orange came to be attached to the grading system has several theories, ranging from a marketing ploy to just highlighting the variety of colors residing within the dried leaves. The marketing ploy is an interesting story theorizing that the Dutch East India Company added Orange to the front of the Pekoe, which is a mis-translation of the Chinese word for Bai Hao (Morrison, 1819), to honor the ruling Dutch family, Orange-Nassau.

#3. Tea grading based on Orange Pekoe isn’t mandatory and is primarily for industry buyers.

Grading around “Orange Pekoe” is not a mandatory grading system. Instead it is an agreed upon set of definitions in the industry around the appearance and size of dried black tea leaves. The system is followed by those in industry and anyone who abuses it are quickly corrected by their peers.  The system developed as a way for the Dutch and British to be able to communicate to the growers what they wanted in countries where they did not speak the language. It allows further description to their buyers what, specifically, they wanted.  The system helps to distinguish between the different sizes of whole black tea leaves. Leaf sizes are determined by sifting the tea through fine mesh strainers at the end of the production run. Ultimately, the grading system has nothing to do with quality or taste.

Grade Name Definition
SFTGFOP or SFTGFOP-1 Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe – The tea maker considers this to be the best of the best in both color variation, amount of unbroken leaf buds present and size of leaves

FTGFOP Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe – Shows the grower considers this a truly special tea both in both color variation, tea leaf size and the amount of unbroken leaf buds in the batch

TGFOP Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe – Not just unbroken whole leaves but leaf buds that have not unfurled are present and are typically gold or silver in color, shows an expert handling of the leaves, this is going to be a colorful tea ranging from silver to dark brown

GFOP Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe – Larger whole tea leaves, unbroken, with oxidized tips on some leaves that appear golden in color creating a wider variety in color in the dried leaves

FOP Flowery Orange Pekoe – Whole tea leaf with little to no broken parts that is more loosely rolled than orange pekoe so it appears wider in size than orange pekoe, more variation in shades of brown

OP Orange Pekoe – Whole tea leaf that may be slightly broken from processing but is generally whole.  Typically it is a tightly rolled leaf and the color is going to be consistent

 

#4. Grading based on Orange Pekoe generally follows British Colonial influence.

This system is typically used on black tea from India, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Kenya, and some South American countries. While the grading system outlined above is for whole leaf there is a grading system for tea that is crushed for tea bags.  China did not use this system until more recently, in response to market demand, and furthermore it is not used by all tea manufacturers in China either.

#5. Orange Pekoe says very little about the taste of your tea.

Kosabei Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe

Large full leaf tea with silver and gold leaf tips.

Experiment with the different grades of black tea and with the country your orange pekoe tea comes from and you may be surprised to learn how diverse orange pekoe flavors can be.  The OP is going to be a more robust blend with a malty flavor, while the SFTGFOP is going to be much lighter in flavor because of all the leaf buds.  Even within the same category the tea is going to taste different because it is an agricultural product and should vary in taste year to year just like the rainfalls and temperature that create the terroir of the tea.  I hope you enjoy the exploration!

Works Cited
Morrison, R. R. (1819). A Dictionary of the Chinese Language, Vol. 1, part 2. Macao: United East India Company.

History of Iced Tea

With June being National Iced Tea Month we wanted to explore the history of iced tea a bit more, looking at its origins before 1904 and where it has evolved. Iced tea came into the mainstream in the United States when it was served, out of necessity, at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri in 1904.

Print on stereo card of 1904 World's Fair where ice tea was rumored to have been invented.

Birdseye View World’s Fair, Shared by Boston Public Library, CC BY 2.0

History of Iced Tea

In actuality, iced tea had been in homes in the United States since the early 1800’s. Iced tea back then was more of a cocktail than a refreshing drink. Early cookbooks show recipes for Tea Punch, made with a combination of ice, green tea, sugar, cream and liquor. The green tea is not a surprise, as that was the predominant tea coming into the United States until the Opium Wars interrupted trade with China redirecting the tea trade to India and black tea. This punch took on regional names from Regent’s Punch (New England) to Chatham Artillery Punch (Savannah, Georgia).

Cookbooks in the later-half of the 1800’s started to talk about iced tea in the forms most American’s think of today – tea, ice, lemon and sugar. This is not a surprise given that ice boxes, the first form of the refrigerator, had become more prevalent in American homes at the same time. Sugar was present in all recipes but not in the quantities that are typically associated with sweet tea, until 1879.

Photo of Housekeeping in Old Virginia which housed one of the first recipes for ice tea.

Housekeeping in Old Virginia by miz_genevra, CC BY 2.0

Ice Tea Recipes and Varieties

The oldest known recipe in print for sweet tea was published in 1879 in Housekeeping in Old Virginia by Marion Cabell Tyree. It called for 2 teaspoons of sugar for roughly 6 ounces of tea over ice, followed by a squeeze of lemon.  Sweet tea is such a staple in the Southern United States that when visiting restaurants it is advised to ask for unsweet tea when ordering iced tea if sweet tea is not wanted. In other parts of the US, you will have to make your own sweet tea at the table with the available sugar packets.

Thai Iced Tea Photo

Thai Iced Tea by Mark Guim, CC BY 2.0

Thai iced tea has become a more frequent fixture in the US as Asian culture has become part of main stream America. This tea is very close to the early American recipes for iced tea in that it includes tea, cream and sugar – no alcohol though.

Today, much like soda, iced tea is readily available in many flavors, sweetened or unsweetened in bottles. While convenient, they still don’t hold a candle to the fresh brewed taste of homemade iced tea.

What do you put in your homemade iced tea?

Teas of Nilgiri, India

Map of India with Nilgiri Tea Region highlighted.

Nilgiri Tea Producing Region of India (Highlighted) based on India Map by Umesh NiRai, CC BY 2.5

The best known tea regions in India are certainly Assam and Darjeeling in the northeast of the country.  However, these are certainly not the only tea growing regions.  The next well known region for tea production in India is the Nilgiri Hills region of southeast India.  Nilgiri teas feature a strong, bold, taste which makes them ideal for blending with other teas.

In the Nilgiri growing region, most manufacturing facilities are located within the grounds of the tea plantations meaning the fresh leaves don’t have to travel very far before processing.  This helps ensure high quality, fresh tea, due to the quick processing and manufacturing.

Nilgiri Tea History

Tea has been grown in the Nilgiri region for centuries with some estimates going back as far as 800 years when the Nilgiri Hills were seized by Hoysala King Vishnu Vardhana.  More recently the East India Company held the land for tea production beginning in 1799 and lasting through to 1947 when the region won independence from Britain.  Today the regions plantations and growers are represented by the Nilgiri Planters’ Association covering the areas of Ooty, Coonoor, Kotagiri and Kundah (The Nilgiri Panters’ Association, 2014).

Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Hills India

Nilgiri Tahr by Anish live, CC-BY-SA-3.0

Unique Nilgiri Region

The Niligiri Geographical Indication (GI) region is part of the Ghat mountain range and is home to the Nilgiri Tahr, or ibex, an endangered sheep of the region.  The mountains feature heights up to 6500 ft above sea level.  Like the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia, which are also called the Blue Ridge Mountains because of the bluish tint they have from a distance, the name Nilgiri means Blue Mountains, and is named for the blue haze that often settles over the range.  Unlike some other tea regions of the world, the Nilgiri region receives regular amounts of rain throughout the year allowing nearly year round tea production.

Nilgiri Tea Production and Use

Nilgiri Tea produced by estates in the Nilgiri region include both CTC and Orthodox teas for markets around the world including Russia and the Middle East but also Europe and the United States.  Like teas from Argentina, Nilgiri tea tends to be quite clear when iced, a trait which makes these teas a popular base for iced tea blends.  These teas also are considered to be very fragrant with a brisk yet creamy mouth feel and full body.  While tea is produced year round in the Nilgiri Hills, it is the frost tea, produced from December through February which is one of the more notable, due to the slow growth of the leaves, concentrating the aromatic compounds in the leaves.  While black tea is the primary product of the region it also produces some green and white teas.

Photo of Nilgiri Tea by Dominion Tea

Nilgiri Tea – Dry Leaf and Liquor

Like many other teas from India and Kenya, Nilgiri tea forms the base for a broad swath of flavored and blended teas.  However, it is an excellent tea in its own right which is why it was one of the teas we selected for Dominion Tea and experimented with in making home-made ice cream.  Enjoy!

Nilgiri Tea Ice Cream (Vegan Friendly)

There is no better way to celebrate summer than to combine two of my favorite things, tea and ice cream. This would seem easy; there is green tea ice cream already. So why aren’t there black tea ice cream recipes all over the place?

The short answer is that green tea ice cream is made with matcha powder, so the tea is blended in with the cream allowing for a nice flavor, texture, and neon green color. When you are eating green tea ice cream, you are literally eating the tea. Black tea is not made into a powder like matcha, so to make black tea ice cream we have to borrow from the coffee ice cream recipes.

Photo of Nilgiri flavored ice cream being poured into churn.

Pouring Nilgiri Flavored Ice Cream into Churn

The trick behind good ice cream, thank you Alton Brown for this bit of information, is to find a nice balance of fat and sugar. If you want less fat, you need more sugar to help keep a smooth texture on the ice cream. It is also handy to note that the human tongue is not very good at picking up flavors in frozen items, so concentration of flavor is key. Keeping that in mind, I set out to find a simple ice cream base that could hold a strong cup of tea. Below is the recipe I came up with for Nilgiri Tea Ice Cream.

Why Nilgiri? It is the usual base to most iced teas in the USA. Its flavor holds up to ice, so it seemed like the easiest place to start.

1 quart Nilgiri Tea Ice Cream Recipe:

Ingredients

6 grams Nilgiri tea
8 oz of water
1 15oz. can of coconut milk (low fat coconut milk is fine, but double the arrowroot)
12 oz. of SILKEN tofu
¾ cup Brown Rice Syrup*
2 Tbsp of Vanilla Extract
½ Tbsp of Arrowroot powder (can use corn or potato starch here)

*Since I am not heating this mixture, it is safer to use a syrup than granulated sugar in this recipe. I am not a fan of high fructose corn syrup, which is why the brown rice syrup is here. Feel free to substitute the corn syrup, but the brown rice syrup adds a slight nutty flavor that compliments the tea in this recipe.

Directions:

Nilgiri flavored iced cream churning away.

Churning Nilgiri Flavored Ice Cream

Brew 6 grams of Nilgiri tea in the 8 oz of water for the typical 5 minute steeping time and set aside to cool slightly. Combine the rest of the ingredients and the tea in a blender and run the blender until the ingredients are combined and smooth. If you are like me and not very patient, the tea will have raised the temperature of the rest of the ingredients too high to immediately pour this into your ice cream machine. So put the contents of the blender in the refrigerator. It will probably need to sit there between 4-6 hours to drop it down to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Then follow your manufacturer’s instructions for pouring the mixture into your ice cream machine and churning it. It will come out a soft-serve consistency but will harden into more solid ice cream after about 4 hours in the freezer.

A hungry family is ready for dessert.

Nilgiri Tea Is Served

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family did. Have you tried using tea to flavor your homemade ice cream?