The story of the teen

At Nordic Tea, we love tea , and with over 270 types of tea on the shelves, we enjoy being surrounded by tea from all over the world every day. If you share our enthusiasm for the aromatic drink, you've probably always stocked up on the shelves at home. But do you ever wonder where tea actually comes from and how its popularity spread from China to the rest of the world? If so, you will find the answer in this article.

Where does tea come from?

The tea originates from the bush Camellia sinensis – also known as the tea plant. This shrub grows naturally in Southeast Asia, primarily in China, India, Sri Lanka and other nearby countries. The leaves of the Camellia sinensis shrub are oval and dark green with a shiny surface. The shrub also produces small white flowers that have a sweet scent. There are two primary subspecies of the Camellia sinensis shrub, known as Camellia sinensis var. sinensis and Camellia sinensis var. assamese. The varieties differ in size and shape of leaves, but both can be used to produce tea.

The tea industry usually uses only the top two leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis bushes to make tea, as they contain the highest concentrations of flavor and nutrients. After harvesting the leaves, they are processed by rolling, oxidizing and drying, depending on the type of tea desired. The result is a variety of different types of tea, including green tea , black tea , white tea , and oolong tea , each with its own unique flavor and aroma.

The history of tea

Tea originally originated in China, where it was cultivated and drunk for millennia. According to legends, the Chinese Emperor Shennong discovered the tea back in the 27th century BC when he was sitting under a tree and boiling water. A leaf from the tree fell into the water and the emperor noticed that it had a pleasant taste and aroma. He began researching the leaf and discovered its medicinal properties. In China, tea was initially used as medicine, not as a beverage for daily consumption.

Tea later spread to other parts of Asia and reached Japan in the 8th century AD. It was Japanese monks who introduced the idea of ​​drinking tea to meditate and achieve inner peace and tranquility. In Japan, the tea was also used in the tradition of chanoyu, also known as the Japanese tea ceremony, which focuses on simplicity and aesthetics.

In the 16th century, tea was brought to Europe by Portuguese traders, and it quickly became popular among the nobility in France and England. Indeed, in England, tea became so popular that it became an important part of daily culture, and a social convention known as "tea time" was born.

The tea comes to Denmark

The tea was first introduced to Denmark in the 18th century, primarily through trade links with England and the Netherlands. It was mainly the nobility who drank tea at this time, as it was still a relatively expensive luxury item. In 1759, the Royal Tea Company was founded in Copenhagen by Danish merchants who wanted to import and distribute tea in Denmark. The Tea Company was a success and contributed to increasing the popularity of tea in Denmark.

At the beginning of the 19th century, tea became more common for the general population in Denmark. This is partly due to falling prices of tea, but also a growing interest in tea as an exotic drink. Tea also became more accessible to the general population through imports from India and Ceylon, which were British colonies at this time.

The dangerous and addictive drug

Adam Oehlenschläger, one of Denmark's best-known poets, was a great admirer of tea and wrote several poems and texts that mention tea and its importance in his life. Although Oehlenschläger's poems and lyrics about tea were popular, there were still many Danes at this time who considered tea a dangerous and addictive drink.

Part of this attitude may be related to the way tea was imported and marketed in Denmark in the early 18th century. At this time, tea was primarily sold through pharmacies, where it was marketed as a medicinal drink with healing properties. This led to a perception that tea should only be drunk in limited quantities and only by those who had a specific illness that the tea could help cure.

There was also a perception that tea was an addictive drug that could lead to addiction and harmful effects on health. This attitude was largely based on a lack of knowledge about tea and its effects, and it was gradually challenged by an increasing interest and knowledge about tea during the 19th century.

Today, tea is a common and well-known drink in Denmark, and many Danes enjoy it as part of their daily routine.