Jasmine tea first appears in records in the Song Dynasty which
ended in the 13th Century and at this time is was mostly drunk by royalty. It
is thought that Jasmine tea originated in Persia (Iran),and was exported along
the ancient Silk Road together with Buddhism. The Hengduan mountains in
Sichuan, one of the last mountain ranges of the Himalaya’s, on the border
with the rich lowlands of China are very lush and are some of the richest tea
producing mountains in the world. The tea growers in this area produced mainly
green and Jasmine tea which were traded along the ancient Tea Horse routes to
Tibet in exchange for horses and silver.
Today Jasmine tea production is widespread, but the tea made
with Da Bai (big white) leaves from Fujian is generally considered to be of the
highest quality. And it is from this region that Abbey Tea have sourced their
Jasmine Dragon Pearls and Jasmine Silver Needle tea. Jasmine Dragon Pearls are
made from green tea where two tea buds and one leaf are rolled into pea-sized
balls. Hand rolling the pearls is a tradition that began over 1300 years ago
when a Chinese Emperor wanted to give an original gift of love. Silver Needle
is made from the buds of white tea. The resulting tea has a tight fat needle
shape, full of silver hair.
All the various types and shapes, need to be scented with fresh
jasmine flowers before becoming Jasmine tea. The spring buds and leaves are
picked in the spring, sun dried and then layered with fresh jasmine flowers for
several nights to absorb the fragrance of jasmine.
The resulting tea tastes sweet and soft with a fresh and
pleasing jasmine aroma, delicate, light and ethereal.
And because it is lightly processed it comes with amazing health
benefits.
Green and white tea contain very high levels of polyphenols
which are powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants attack the free radicals which
can tamper with DNA and alter cells contributing to ageing, heart disease and
cancer. So drinking Jasmine tea regularly can provide a natural defence to help
to prevent such diseases. Drinking white
and green tea can boost the immune system and may help to lower cholesterol and
blood pressure thus decreasing the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Chinese
medical practitioners claim that the tea is good for the teeth, hair and skin.
And in fact, in ancient times Jasmine tea was served in China after a meal to
cleanse the mouth and palate. Jasmine tea has been used for centuries in
Chinese medicine as a relaxant, sedative and even as an aphrodisiac.
Today, one does not have to be royalty to enjoy this charming
tea. With its exotic scent, drinking Jasmine tea can have an almost tranquillising
effect that can calm the nerves, soothe the spirit and reduce stress, the
perfect antidote to modern life.
