Tea
Camellia sinensisTea took hold in the eastern Black Sea thanks to its acidic soil and rain; the first seedlings came to Rize from Georgia.
What is Tea?
Tea (Camellia sinensis) is a plant of the Theaceae family. Traditions that use it: Asia and Siberia, Anatolia and the Mediterranean. Part used: leaves.
What is Tea used for?
Traditional use: Drunk in China for thousands of years; the Japanese tea ceremony developed as a meditation practice. Scientific evidence: limited. Contains caffeine, L-theanine and catechins.
Is Tea safe?
Safety label: generally safe. Safe as a drink. High-dose green tea extract capsules have been linked to liver damage. Drinking it very hot is a risk for the oesophagus.
Traditional use
Drunk in China for thousands of years; the Japanese tea ceremony developed as a meditation practice.
Grown in Rize and the eastern Black Sea since the 1940s. Türkiye ranks at the top of the world in tea drunk per person; tea is the symbol of hospitality.
In nature
Mix-up risk
Herbal teas such as chamomile or linden are called “tea” but are not Camellia sinensis and contain no caffeine.
Preparation
Leaves are steeped in boiled water; green tea at a lower temperature.
What science says
Contains caffeine, L-theanine and catechins. In observational studies regular tea drinking is linked to lower cardiovascular risk; the slimming effect of green tea extract is small.
Safety
Safe as a drink. High-dose green tea extract capsules have been linked to liver damage. Drinking it very hot is a risk for the oesophagus.
Similar plants
Sources
- NCCIHUS National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: use and safety summary
- ResearchYeşil çay (Camellia sinensis): fitokimya, farmakoloji ve toksikoloji (derleme)
- BookBaytop T. Türkiye’de Bitkiler ile Tedavi: Geçmişte ve Bugün. 2. baskı. İstanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri; 1999.
- Botanical recordKew Plants of the World Online: Camellia sinensis
- Titles of research sources are summarised in Turkish on the Turkish page; links open the original English publications.
Written by Edanaz Tınmazlar · Last reviewed: · Türkçe