B1 Educational & Informative Books
further information

Tea for Health:

As tea seems to be applied to almost any herbal or fruit based drink these days it is vital to define what TEA we are talking about with regard to the research findings suggesting that tea is very good in supporting human health. The only tea that these researches in this book apply to is the tea that comes from the bush called CAMELLIA SINENSIS. Therefore these findings do not apply to Rooibos or Red tea as it is sometimes termed, nor herbal tisanes such as Chamomile which has it own particular properties. Neither does it apply to beverages such as Mate or fruit teas.

This is an excellent little booklet written by Dr. Tissa Amarakoon who is the senior research officer in the Biochemistry Division at the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka, which is regarded as one of the best if not the best research centre for tea in the world. His Ph.D thesis was on the anti-oxidant activity and imuno-modulatory properties of black tea. Green tea was the first tea which was exhaustively tested by several research centres around the world in order to find out what properties it possessed. The result of these researches showed that green tea had high levels of anti-oxidants in the form of catechins. The main chemical compounds in tea are termed polyphenols and within these polyphenols there is a sub group called flavonoids which also contain Flavonols which are termed Catechins.
In black tea these catechins are converted to theaflavins and thearubigins which are responsible for the taste and character of black teas. Therefore teas with concentrated flavour and pungency contain high levels of these flavonols. The theaflavin element contains very high levels of anti-oxidant whereas the thearubigin element which is present in considerable quantities contains a lower level of anti-oxidants and these two elements combined give black teas equality with green teas in their importance to human health.

Important Conditions that Determine the amount of the Health Supporting Chemicals:

However as always the levels of such chemicals is directly proportional to the quality of the tea, whether it has been packed in correct materials that keep the tea airtight and also away from light which degrades tea. The ideal situation for consumers is that the tea should be packed at source in a totally airtight packaging. The sort of areas that we have always highlighted for the freshness of tea is that it should be packed directly into a suitable foil material. Sometimes teas are packed loose into tin caddies and it is well known that commercial tin caddies are not 100 % airtight. Part of the reason that we have elected to go for seasonal quality teas is that they have a very high flavour level naturally produced at those two special times of the year and high flavour = high flavonol levels in the tea. Unfortunately in the U.K. there is a spreading philosophy amongst the marketing 'elite' that tea should be rested in stores before opening for repacking and in some cases I have heard the comment that opening the sack or chest and allowing some air to get to the tea will result in a lower pungency and make the tea more acceptable to consumers.

Advice to Consumers:

I would urge consumers to seek out high pungency fresh teas which are very brisk and have the highest clarity possible when brewed. This can be tested by pouring some into a white cup prior to adding any milk. If you seek out fresh high pungent flavoury teas you will be ensuring that there will be a good level of anti-oxidants present.

BOGOWANTALAWA: -------Life and Passion in the Golden Valley of Tea

This book is about one of the very special districts in the island of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). There are 6 major districts with many sub districts and Bogowantalawa or Bogo as we called it, is a sub district of the Dickoya district. Within these districts and sub districts there are some 32 different agro climates, each having a different influence on the teas produced within them.

The book has 106 pages of superb photography by Margaretha Haglind together with her comments about the area, its people and the bungalows taht were built by past generations of mainly British planters and their families when they created the industry in these beautiful central highlands.

The teas of Maskeliya (Sub district of Dimbula) next door, have a rosy red hue to them and in the dry season an amazing clarity and life to teh teas. The teas of the Golden valley next door have a more golden touch to its teas. All these differences are created by the deep valleys and their hill sides with their aspect to teh sun and an incoming cool wind in February to March from the South-West having travelled across the Indian Ocean. The strength of those winds and the areas that they touch are different each year.

THE HANDBOOK OF TEA:

This is a superb handbook of teas from around the world, with comments on the field operations, the manufacture and the ceremonies associated with preparing 'Real Tea'.

A great deal of the background has been supplied by Mr. Hoffman of Baurs Ceylon (Sri Lanka) through his connections as a friend of the author Jean-Marie Mauler. Many of the illustrations on manufacture relate to Ceylon tea. Baurs is a Swiss based firm who have been based in the Ceylon (Sri Lanka) for many years supplying fertilisers, chemicals and other materials required by the estates.

The photography is superb with many prints and copies of engravings.