8 MYTHS ABOUT CHAI THAT NEED TO BE BUSTED

Is green tea good for you? Is milky tea that bad? We know our tea well. So should you

GREEN TEA IS BETTER FOR YOU

Green tea is offered as a healthy alternative to black, but they both have health merits. It's all the rage and claims to do so many things that you'd think it was a super tea. But actually, both varieties come from the plant Camellia sinensis and both have similar amounts of antioxidants and minerals.

HERBAL 'TEA' IS TEA

It isn't. If you're a herbal tea drinker, it means you like what is known as 'infusions' — beverages made from the infusion of herbs, spices or other plant material in hot water, and usually does not contain caffeine. In many countries, the word 'tea' may only be used for leaves of Camellia sinensis and therefore the phrase 'herbal tea' is an oxymoron and cannot be used. These beverages are therefore labelled infusion or 'tisane'.

BRITS INVENTED THE TEA BAG

Teabags were not an invention Brits came up with. It was the Americans, a race more associated with coffee. Although there are some records of loose-leaf bags being used in ancient China, the first labour-saving teabag was created by US tea merchant Thomas Sullivan — but it was sort of an accident. Around 1908, he started to send samples of tea to customers in small silken bags. Some assumed that these were supposed to be used in the same way as the metal infusers, by putting the entire bag into the pot, rather than emptying out the contents, according to The UK Tea and Infusions Association.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEA COME FROM DIFFERENT PLANTS

Black, green — there are so many other varieties these days beside good old English breakfast. But it turns out that they're all from the same plant. It's known by its botanical name Camellia sinensis.

ADDING MILK MAKES IT WORSE FOR YOU

Milky tea is no worse for you according to studies — so get adding that dairy. Some studies have suggested adding milk to tea undoes the heart-healthy benefits — but actually, the same amount of catechins — antioxidants said to reduce risk of some cancers — were absorbed from milky tea as from plain black tea, according to a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Which is a good thing too, as 98% of us take milk in our tea — with 30% taking sugar.

INDIA CONSUMES THE MOST TEA IN THE WORLD

It's part truth, part cliche. Yes, we consume it by the gallons. And so does the UK. But fact is that, per capita, it is the Republic of Ireland that consumes more cups a year. And don't forget the Chinese!

TEA BREAKS WERE INVENTED BY MODERN OFFICE WORKERS

Tea breaks are actually tradition which has been part of the industrialised and developing world for approximately 200 years. Initially, when workers commenced their day at around 5 or 6 am, employers allowed a break in the morning when food and tea were served. However, between 1741 and 1820 industrialists, landowners and clerics tried to put a stop to the tea break maintaining that tea drinking and rest made working people slothful.

TEA DOESN'T GO OFF

Newsflash — if you're crazy enough to leave your tea for a time, those little leaves won't be as fresh after six months. The flavour may not suffer, but the brew will lose its antioxidants. Make the most of the antioxidants by storing tea in a sealed container in a dark, cool place.