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Let's be
honest, we could all stand to learn a little more about
everything out there. By separating the facts from the myths
we are able to overcome ignorance. Ever wonder about the
saying "Ignorance is Bliss"? Ignorance is bliss because when
we are ignorant we have no responsibility to the truth and
truth requires positive action. It is only through positive
action however that we can make positive changes that will
benefit our lives and the lives of generations to come.
Truth vs.
Myth
Good Vs. Bad
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Remember when your choice of coffee ranged from Folgers to
Sanka? And then Starbucks came along to show how much better
it can be. The same is true of Green Tea. The varieties
offered in your supermarket are the bottom of the barrel:
low-quality bags containing tea dust - the tiny leaf
particles that break off when tea leaves are processed.
They'll add color to your cup, but not much flavor. A far
cry from the abundance of flavor and intoxicating aroma
found in a cup of full-leaf AI3. Chances are, you
are no longer drinking Sanka. Once you try our AI3,
you will not wish to drink anything sold in the supermarket
either.
Climate Effects
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Similar to wine, Green Tea is affected greatly by the
climate in which it grows. Differences in soil and weather
conditions give us a rich mosaic of tea's many varieties and
flavors. Altitude also plays an important role. Tea plants
grow slower at higher altitudes, producing leaves with
concentrated flavor. VitaliTea is exclusively made from
these high-grown leaves. The more common low-growth
varieties typically end up on your supermarket shelf.
Young Vs. Old
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VitaliTea is made exclusively from the plant's most tender
young leaves. Tea pickers, usually working by hand, select
the plant's two youngest leaves and a yet-to-open bud. These
tender new leaves produce a tea that is more gentle and
flavorful than the older varieties. The more common older
leaves typically end up on your supermarket shelf.
Varieties of Tea
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How the leaves are processed will determine their final
classification as black, green, and oolong teas. The main
difference between the many tea varieties is how much oxygen
the leaves are allowed to absorb during processing. Much
oxygen produces dark-colored black teas. Little oxygen
results in green tea. Our VitaliTea goes through no
oxidation process, so it retains all the wonderful nutrients
and health benefits.
black tea
undergoes a full fermentation process composed of four basic
steps - withering, rolling, fermenting, and firing (or
drying). First, the plucked leaves are spread out to wither.
The withered leaves are then rolled, in order to release the
chemicals within the leaf that are essential to its final
color and flavor. The rolled leaves are spread out once more
to absorb oxygen (oxidize), causing the leaves to turn from
green to coppery red. Finally, the oxidized leaves are fired
in order to arrest fermentation, turning the leaf black and
giving it the recognizable tea scent.
green tea
is often referred to as "unfermented" tea. The freshly
picked leaves are allowed to dry, then are heat-treated to
stop any fermentation (also referred to as oxidation). In
Vietnam, traditional hand-making methods are still employed
in many places, particularly in the manufacture of our
VitaliTea you find here.
oolong tea
is generally referred to as "semi-fermented" tea and is
principally manufactured in China and Taiwan (often called
Formosa, its old Dutch name). For the manufacture of
oolongs, the leaves are wilted in direct sunlight, then
shaken in bamboo baskets to lightly bruise the edges. Next,
the leaves are spread out to dry until the surface of the
leaf turns slightly yellow. Oolongs are always whole leaf
teas, never broken by rolling.
Origins
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Tea is produced in over thirty countries around the world,
though the finest comes from just six: Vietnam, India, Sri
Lanka, China, Taiwan and Japan. Vietnam produces the highest
quality of the six. Home to most of the world's tea
drinkers, these countries continue to pay much attention to
how tea is grown and processed. In many, tea continues to be
produced by hand in accordance with age-old traditions.
Green Tea can be traced back almost 5,000 years.
According to the ancient Chinese legend, in 2732 B.C.,
Emperor Shen Nung discovered tea when leaves from a wild
tree blew into his pot of boiling water. As a scientist, he
was immediately intrigued by the pleasant scent from the
resulting brew, and drank some. He described warmth passing
through him as he drank the newly-discovered brew, as if the
liquid was investigating every part of his body. He named
the brew "ch'a", the Chinese character meaning to check or
investigate.
Green Tea was quickly identified to have healing
properties and was used as a medicine to treat a variety of
ailments and to increase concentration and alertness. In 200
B.C., an emperor of the Han Dynasty ruled that when
referring to tea, a unique written character must be used.
This new character, also pronounced "ch'a" illustrates
wooden branches, flowers and grass, and a man between the
two. This written character symbolizes that tea brings
humankind into balance with nature.
The Emperor’s Green Tea
has been specially formulated to contain the highest
concentrations of unique beneficial properties available in
any health supplement.
Today we have taken the discoveries of the past and
combined them with the technology of the future. We call it
AI3 and it is our patent pending technology that
has been developed for over 10 years using the most
futuristic technology available.
The
Emperor’s Green Tea
has been scientifically developed using all natural
ingredients. You can rest assured that when you take the
emperor’s green tea you are getting the most scientifically
advanced health supplement on the planet. In fact our
technology is something that belongs only to
The
Emperor’s Tea
and truly is light years ahead of its time.
Caffeine
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In the tea world there are a number of factors applied to
how much caffeine is in the tea. Some companies actually add
caffeine to the their tea. Our VitaliTea goes through a
special process that makes certain it is caffeine free.
Compare caffeine contents in coffee: the same volume yields
at least 80 mg. In fact, most colas have tons of caffeine as
well, containing 45 mg on average.
It is the relief from fatigue that tea provides that is a
big reason for its popularity. This is do to the process we
use as well as naturally occurring polyphenols, vitamins,
minerals and other all natural, healthy compounds. This
brings a quick, tangible feeling of relief and relaxation.
On the other hand, caffeine in coffee stays in your system
longer keeping you awake well into the night, not as
effective relaxing agent.
Value
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Tea is one of the world's most economical beverages. One
pound of leaves will produce about 200 cups. This means that
VitaliTea is about 50 cents per cup. Mere pittance compared
to the wealth of aroma, flavor and especially health and
wellness found in each sip of our VitaliTea.
Packaging
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Tea tastes best when consumed within a year after
production. To shield tea against the damaging effects of
air and light, storage of tea should be in opaque and
airtight canisters. Metal tins seem to function best in this
role. All our VitaliTea is sealed in airtight containers
that block out the damaging effects of the light.
Preparation
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tastes best when prepared with water that is
cooler-than-boiling (180F) and steeped for three minutes.
Recommended ratio is one teaspoon per cup of water. Remember
to use cooler-than-boiling water. Otherwise your tea will
taste bitter. If using a kettle, water is ideal when it
begins to emit a 'rumble' sound. If using a microwave, look
for the tiny air bubbles forming. These are good signs that
your water is ready.
Good Water
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Good water will make a world of difference in the taste of
your VitaliTea. After all, even the finest of tea varieties
will taste humdrum when prepared with poor water.
Unfortunately, to call the water that emerges from your tap
poor is a mild compliment. In fact, about a fifth of
American taps dispense water containing dangerous levels of
hazardous materials. And these don't add to the flavor of
your VitaliTea. As a healthy, and great-tasting alternative,
we recommend 100% pure spring water.
Iced
Tea
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Iced tea made from real leaves tastes great. And is very
easy to make. Simply double the amount of tea leaves (making
it two teaspoons per cup of water), and steep as usual (five
minutes in most cases). Once tea is ready, dilute with an
equal amount of cold water or ice. Garnish with mint or
lemon, and enjoy its great taste.
Trivia
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How did WWII affect tea consumption in America? What gave
birth to the custom of tipping? How were early American
fortunes made? And how did Brits come to love putting milk
in their tea?
another reason to hate the war
American tea consumption prior to World War II is an
interesting bit of trivia. In those days, black tea
accounted for only about 40% of our tea intake. Another 40%
were green teas and the remainder were oolongs. However, the
war with Japan had closed off Asian tea markets, our source
of green and oolong teas. Americans were left consuming
black tea from countries unaffected by the fighting,
primarily in Argentina. Ever since the war, America's
consumption of black tea had remained close to 98%.
save the queen and tea
Tea deliveries to Britain were also affected by the fighting
in the two World Wars. The German U-boat blockade had
severely restricted supply during World War I, resulting in
rationing and price controls on tea. Rationing was less
severe during the Second World War. However, given its role
as a national morale booster, stocks of tea were dispersed
to over 500 different location all over England in order to
better protect it from air raids by the Luftwaffe.
to insure prompt service
Tipping as a response to prompt service was born in the tea
gardens of England. A small wooden box was placed on each
table in the garden. The box was inscribed "To Insure Prompt
Service" or TIPS for short. A coin dropped in the box
usually assured prompt tea service. And thus the custom of
tipping was born.
america's early millionaires
The fortunes of America's first three millionaires were made
in the China trade. T.H. Perkins of Boston, Stephen Girard
of Philadelphia, and John Jacob Astor of New York prospered
by bringing tea directly to the colonies, bypassing the
hugely wasteful and monopolistic East India Company.
the union of milk and tea
The British custom of drinking tea with milk has its roots
not in taste but economics. The long journey from the Orient
made tea prohibitively expensive. Milk, on the other hand,
was cheap and became the condiment of choice among the lower
classes. The amount of milk added became a telltale of one's
social standing. The wealthy took their tea undiluted. The
middle class poured the expensive tea and then diluted it
with milk. The lower class filled the cup with cheap milk
and then added a splash of the costly tea. You can mix milk
with your VitaliTea, but we recommend against it. Milk
blocks the absorption of nutrients. |
