Tea (Chay)
Also known as
Latin : Camellia thea
English : Tea plant
Sanskrit : Syamaparni, caha
Hindi : Chay
Marathi : Chaha
Tami : Teyilai
Telugu : Teyaku
Malayalam : Teyila
Kannada : Teyaku
How it looks�It is an evergreen shrub or tree, about 9-15m in height with leathery, oily leaves and white fragrant flowers. The fruits are 3 cornered and 3 seeded.
What we use�Leaves
What it does�It is digestive, carminative, diuretic and a nervine tonic
How we use it�
How to prepare a healthy tea infusion�Contrary to general prevalence, tea leaves should never be boiled in water. Put some tea leaves in a kettle and pour hot water into it. After
a few minutes, filter this water and add milk and sugar according to preference before drinking.
Origin of Tea�
Mythology from China
One day, the Buddha was trying to focus his thoughts to meditate when sleep kept overwhelming him. After repeated efforts in vain, the Buddha, stood up decisively cut off both
lids from his eyes and flung them on the ground. Lo! A sapling sprung up from the very place. Intrigued, he plucked a few leaves from the young plant and ate them. To his surprise,
he felt invigorated immediately and could easily concentrate on his objective. This young sapling came to be known, later, as tea, which is why the Chinese hold tea to be a divine
drink and even allot a special room in the house for tea drinking [Source : Camphor]
How we use it�
In
fatigue and listlessness�Possibly the most popular use of tea is to banish sleep and infuse freshness in the mind and activity of the drinker. The method of preparation is given
in the box.
In
heart diseases�Drinking an infusion of tea leaves everyday is highly beneficial to the heart and has recently been medically proved to be a cardiac tonic.
In
cold and throat irritation�Drinking ginger tea is quite prevalent in India at the first sign of cold or sore throat. Add a few crushed pieces of fresh ginger to water roiling for
tea, and then make the tea.
In
dysentery accompanied by pain�The decoction of tea with a tsp of ghee works wonderfully to heal inflammation of intestines in case of blood and mucous in stool.
In
tonsilitis�A gargle of tannin-rich tea is effective in healing sore throat and tonsillitis. This treatment is especially followed in hilly regions.
In
fevers�Caffeine in tea acts as a diuretic and brings down temperature.
In
eye inflammation�A brew of tea leaves, can be used as an eye wash, after filtration, and brings down irritation and swelling quickly.
In
eczema�Wash the lesions twice a day with a solution of tea and rock salt. This can be followed by applying a paste of fenugreek seeds and Rakta chandan (red variety of sandal wood)
To
dye hair�Tea extract serves as a good hair dye and rinsing hair with concentrated tea decoction, at least twice a week, ensures that grey hair turns brown or black.
Tea is rich source of�
1. Beta-carotene, an anti-oxidant.
2. Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2 and Vitamin B6.
3. Nicotinic acid and pantothemic acid.
4. Vitamin C, an anti-oxidant.
5. Folic acid.
6. Maganese and
7. Potassium.
