January 12: National Hot Tea Day

3 min read

There’s always something special and soothing about the warmth and comfort of a simple cup of hot tea!
Whether it’s just a no-fuss cup of black English breakfast tea or it’s something a little bit different like an herbal tea, hot tea is enjoyed the world over.
This is the perfect time to appreciate it, because it’s National Hot Tea Day!

Originally hailing from China, hot tea has a long history that dates back almost 5000 years, and it has grown to become the second most consumed beverage in the world, after water.
In 2737 B.C., during the Tang Dynasty, legend has it that some tea leaves fell into a pot of water that was being boiled for Chinese emperor Shen Nung. He drank the brew and found it delicious and relaxing, and the rest, as they say, is history.
While no one knows if this legend is exactly how it happened, the truth is that hot tea has been appreciated and enjoyed by humans from all over the world for centuries.
Starting out as a beverage with medical purposes, tea has been made from all sorts of different herbs and leaves over the years, but the most commonly thought of version of hot tea is typically a black tea, which comes from the plant Camellia Sinensis.

Records of drinking this hot tea in Asia date back already to the 3rd century BC, but it didn’t make its way to Europe until the 16th century.
In the 1600s, people in England began to fall in love with this delicious beverage and it started to become a popular drink for the modern classes.
Tea production was introduced to British India and a worldwide industry was born.
National Hot Tea Day is here to show appreciation for this beverage that is beloved all over the world!

How to Celebrate?
Brew a cup of hot tea!
Celebrating National Hot Tea Day can be as simple as boiling some water, letting tea leaves or a tea bag steep for a few minutes, and then…drinking it!
But you can also try a new hot tea flavor!
So many different varieties and flavors of tea can be found on the market today, it’s difficult to choose which one to try. Consider something soothing like an herbal chamomile, peppermint tea or, if you enjoy spices, you can also choose a chai spice, cinnamon tea, or even a turmeric tea.
Did you know that there are 3,000 different types?
The flavor of teas depends on where they grow as well as the type of bush, and are sometimes made up of different blends.
And It’s great for your health: among other things, it contains polyphenols, which help our bodies fight off cardiovascular diseases, cancers, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, and other maladies.
But you should never use boiling water for tea, because you’ll burn the leaf!
And, about teabags, they were invented in the early 1900s.