In order to assist coffee drinkers everywhere to "Get off the Bean and on the Leaf!" Pacifica Tea is committed to sharing with others the ancient knowledge of Tea. We feel privileged and blessed that this knowledge has been shared and continues to be shared with us.

We are forever grateful to our mentors, Roy Fong of Imperial Tea Court and Mike Spillane of GS Haly; these gentlemen are true Tea Masters. We hope we are able to pass along this knowledge to our customers in a direct, simple and sometimes humorous approach.

This section is dedicated to educating consumers about The Art of Tea, the many health benefits, and how the simple act of enjoying a cup of tea can teach one to slow down, take a deep breath, and become more present in each moment.


The History

Legends of the origins of tea are intriguing. According to the Chinese, tea was accidentally discovered by Emperor Shen Nong around 2737 B.C. The Emperor, a very wise man who only drank his water hot, was sitting in his garden when a leaf from a nearby tea bush blew into his bowl. He tasted the drink and was so enlivened by the brew that he never consumed plain water again!

Another favorite myth of tea's beginning involves the Indian monk, Dharuma, who, on a pilgrimage to bring Buddhism to China, vowed not to sleep during a seven-year meditation. Not surprisingly, after 5 years, he dozed off and was so furious at his display of weakness that he cut off his eyelids and threw them to the ground. Where his eyelids landed, a tea bush sprouted, and the monk found that the leaves of this new plant helped reduce his drowsiness. So, he began the cultivation of tea.


Teas, Tisanes and Herbal Infusions---What's the Difference?

These three terms you'll hear over and over with respect to all things infused. We thought some clarity on the subject would be helpful to those new to the art of tea.

Teas:   All true tea originates from the leaves of the Camella Sinsenis plant, a bush that only grows in the geographic regions of China, Japan, Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka, and some parts of Africa. Attempts to grow and cultivate the Camella Sinensis crop in the U.S have failed for the most part. In addition, the cost of labor and the resources necessary to produce quality tea here in the states makes it cost prohibitive. Thus, it remains a most sought after delicacy, similar to the times of ancient Babylon when the silk route was all part of the endless pursuit of tea.

The major difference between Green, Black, Oolong and White tea is the amount of processing each variety goes through. Blacks are processed the most and Whites the least. This results in the Blacks having the strongest and bolder tastes, while the Greens and Whites are much lighter tasting. In addition, Green, Black and Oolong tea come from the upper leaves of the Camellia Sinesis, while White tea is derived only from the tips of the leaves. All tea contains some caffeine, unless it goes through a de-caffeination process. Even then, trace amounts do remain. Only Herbal Infusions or Tisanes can make the claim of being truly caffeine free.

Tisanes and Herbal Infusions:   Tisane is French for herbal infusion and is simply an infusion of dried herbs and fruit. According to purists, tisanes and herbal infusions are not true teas since the Camellia plant is not used. However, they are generally referred to as teas since the preparation, enjoyment, and health benefits are similar. They are sometimes consumed for medicinal reasons and are naturally caffeine free.


Loose Leaf verses Tea Bags:

For one to simply stop, slow down and enjoy the beauty of tea, we feel there is no contest between loose leaf tea and tea bags. While tea bags, first introduced in 1956, provide the convenience demanded by the American market, they leave many people unaware of what has been lost in the name of fast and convenient.

Fine tea is an art and thus, the preparation and ceremony should not be hastened. This is why you won't find our tea in bags. Gourmet tea brings a calm and stillness to the preparation, which is centered on the tea leaves as the treasure and the delicacy. We call it The Stillness of Tea™.

Moreover, the tea inside of tea bags, known as tea dust or fannings, is typically the cheapest and lowest grade available. We invite you to open up the tea bags of any major brand you'll find on supermarket shelves and compare them with fresh, high quality, whole leaf tea. You can see, smell, taste, and experience the absolute difference.


Health Benefits

We could write a novel (and many already have) about the health benefits of tea, but for brevity's sake we'll try and keep this concise and to the point. Scientific and non-scientific research alike has overwhelmingly demonstrated the health benefits of drinking tea. What we have done is break down, by each category of tea, the respective (and collective) health benefits of each. In the future, we plan on presenting and linking to more scientific research as it becomes available.

South African Red Teas:   Research has shown that traditional South African teas, which usually contain Rooibos and/or Honeybush, are the healthiest of all the available teas. Only found in the mountains outside Capetown, South Africa, Rooibos and Honeybush are truly caffeine free, low in tannins, contain no oxalic acid, and are loaded with Vitamin C. In addition, they contain valuable minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, sodium, copper, manganese, and fluoride. Most people are very surprised to discover that Rooibos and Honeybush both have more anti-oxidants than green tea. More details on the health benefits of these wonderful herbs can be found at http://www.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/articleview.asp?a=2550&p=Y.

Across Europe and Africa, Rooibos and Honeybush are used to treat skin ailments and are recommended for pregnant women and prescribed for colicky infants. In addition, it is delicious and can be used as a wonderful marinade for cooking.

Green Teas:   Many people begin to drink green tea in an attempt to be tragically hip, then soon discover they really like it. We think that's fine; at least people are consuming something with health benefits. Green tea is not only for the physical body. A cup of high grade green tea calms the spirit and stills the mind. There's a level of clearness one feels after beginning the morning with a pot of freshly brewed organic green tea. This is something the first Buddhist monks figured out soon after the 4am wake- up calls started for morning meditation. For a feeling of clarity and stillness we recommend any of our green teas. A single cup of green tea has an estimated 12 mg of caffeine, depending on the amount of tea used and the time infused. Green tea has gotten quite a bit of attention because of its disease fighting flavonoids, the antioxidant compounds that are found in tea. Research suggests that these flavonoids may play a role in reducing the risk of several types of cancer such as oral, stomach, lung and colorectal. In addition, these flavonoids may also play a role in supporting cardiovascular health and improving fat metabolism. Additional research also suggests that drinking green tea inhibits the growth of bacteria associated with dental cavities.

Black Teas:   The darkest and most robust of all the teas, the various types of black tea are usually named after the region or district in which they are harvested; Assam (India), Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Yunnan (China). Black tea also contains disease-fighting flavonoids and recent findings like the one listed below highlight some of the cardiovascular benefits of drinking black tea. Black tea can be enjoyed straight or complemented by milk and/or honey. Black tea also has the highest caffeine content. Infused for 5 minutes a cup yields between 40 - 100 mg, whereas a 3-minute infusion produces 20 - 40 mg of caffeine. More info on the benefits of black tea can be found at http://www.preparedfoods.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/PF_Newsletter_Item/0,8364,131025,00.html.

Herbal Infusions:   Herbal Infusions or Tisanes are caffeine free and depending on the infusion can be blended for medicinal properties. Since they typically do not contain the Camellia Sinsensis plant, they are not considered a true tea. There are as many infusions available as there are herbs and dried fruits. Herbal infusions can be sold commercially by companies such as ours for those looking for a flowery taste and can be prescribed and prepared by herbalists, acupuncturists, or other holistic health practitioners.