Tea

Americans are beginning to realize what Eastern cultures have known for thousands of years: Tea is good for what ails you. But the ancients could not have imagined all the possible benefits from the leaves of Camellia sinensis—a white-flower evergreen from which black, green, and oolong teas are derived.

A growing body of evidence suggests that fresh-brewed teas can do far more than soothe a sore throat or provide "vigor of body, contentment of mind, and determination of purpose", as Chinese Emperor Shen Nung reputedly said in 2737 BC. Many studies suggest that tea may help fight heart disease and certain cancers as well as increase bone density.

The rest of the world drinks more tea than any other beverage besides water, but the typical American is a virtual tea teetotaler. Americans drink about 8 gallons of tea per person per year, usually chilled or over ice. That's a drop in the bucket compared with their consumption of coffee—26 gallons per person per year.

Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Council of the USA, an industry trade group, cites the American perception that tea is something you drink to get over a cold, not a beverage to be savored, like wine. Nor is it as ubiquitous as coffee. "There is no Starbucks of tea," Simrany points out.

But the tide may be turning, the Starbucks of coffee does sell tea, and there are about 1 000 tea bars in the US, Simrany says. Increased availability of bottled and gourmet teas has helped double annual tea sales since 1990, to nearly $5 billion.

We focused on green tea. Almost unheard of a decade ago outside Asian-American communities, green tea has generated more buzz than other types and has migrated from health-food stores to supermarkets. It ranks third in US sales, after black and herbal teas. (Herbal "teas" such as chamomile don't come from Camellia sinensis, but rather are the infusion of the leaves, roots, bark, seeds, fruit, or flowers of other plants. Tea's health benefits may not apply to them.)