ABSTRACT
INFUSING leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis in water produces a fragrant beverage that is mildly astringent and bitter in the mouth called tea. People began enjoying tea over 2,000 years ago when in the year 2737 BC the Chinese emperor Sheng Nung discovered the drink when leaves fell into a pot of boiling water (Ukers, 1994). Today, tea is a truly global drink enjoyed hot and iced for its ability to revive, refresh and relax the body and mind. Tea was originally valued for its medicinal qualities that were first reported by Chinese scholars in a medical text, the Pen T'sao, about 20 centuries ago, and it is the potential healthful properties of tea that are gaining scientific merit today (Table 9.1) (Blofeld, 1985; Segal, 1996).
