NPR had a segment on that discusses the long argued claims that tea cools you down in hot weather. The idea behind this particular theory, is that the the TRPV1 receptor in your tongue send's signals to your brain, which will help you perspire and, in turn, cool you down.
This is something that will probably rage on for years to come, but this piece by Joe Palca certainly gives us more food for thought.
BEIJING: A type of tea called Longjing or Dragon Well in China hit a record presale price of 360,000 yuan ($57,024) per kilogram this year, higher than the price of gold, which is currently about $53,000 per kg. The Longjing tea is one of China's best green teas. It has been a favourite among wealthy buyers. The tea is harvested prior to Qingming festival, usually in the first week of April, in Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, the Shanghai Daily reported Friday. It is produced from the first spring shoots. Skilled workers pick every leaf by hand. Zhu Baichang, a dealer who sold the tea at the record price in the presale, said this year it will cost 80,000 yuan per kg on the market, up 10,000 yuan from last year."The 360,000 yuan per kg for the pre-Qingming tea was just a single case for presale promotion and we will donate the money to a local art group for deaf people," Zhu said.
Tea is very commonly stored incorrectly. Here’s why:
Do not leave it in the open - Tea picks up odors from surrounding items that have a strong (and even not too strong!) scent. Tea will very easily absorb the surrounding smells and scents, giving the tea a generally undesirable taint. Making sure that tea is kept in an air-tight container is very important.
Do not refrigerate your tea - Despite what might feel like a good idea to refrigerate — or even freeze — tea, don’t. It’s common knowledge that the delicate nuances of a fine loose leaf tea will be ruined when you refrigerate or freeze the tea.
Do not store tea in plastic - Rubbermaid or similar containers might seem convinient to store tea in, as well — but don’t. Tupperwear and things of this nature will give the tea a overwhelming plastic taste that makes your great loose leaf tea taste like, well… plastic. Don’t do it.
Tea Grades can be confusing. Each region of a tea growing nation adds their own vernacular to the list of existing tea grades. We've started what we think is the most comprehensive (at time of writing) list of tea grades and grading going.
If you were impressed by the fact that a cup of coffee contains around 1,500 chemicals , you will not be surprised to find out that a cup of tea contains almost 2,000 chemical compounds! Many of these chemicals possess antioxidant properties and health benefits, just like in coffee.
Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water, and can be found in almost 80% of all U.S. households. It is the only beverage commonly served hot or iced, anytime, anywhere, for any occasion. On any given day, nearly 127 million people, or half of all Americans are drinking tea.
Currently, the aspect of tea of most interest to researchers is the antioxidant effect of tea plants polyphenol compounds. A growing body of research indicates that tea polyphenols have very potent antioxidant activities and the tea may have the potential to prevent certain cancers and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
(Graphic: Volume calculated in coffee cup sized vessles.)
In general, a tea has caffeine levels of 2.5–4.5%. Since caffeine is a water-soluble compound, approximately 80% of it is extracted during normal brewing. While the concentration of caffeine in tea can vary considerably depending on type and strength of brew a 170 mL (a regular teacup size—about 6oz) serving of tea contains on average 34 mg of caffeine.
Top quality tea is hand plucked, and the best tea comes from the new “shoots”—the top two leaves and the bud of this shoot (it takes 4.5 pounds of Green leaf produce one pound of black tea). After transport from the fields, the Green leaf is placed upon the wire screen on large beds. (The beds are raised off the floor by about 2-3 feet and the bottom of the bed is enclosed). At the end of the enclosures are large fans, which push or pull ambient temperature and humid air through the evenly distributed tea on the bed.
BEIJING: A type of tea called Longjing or Dragon Well in China hit a record presale price of 360,000 yuan ($57,024) per kilogram this year, higher than the price of gold, which is currently about $53,000 per kg. The Longjing tea is one of China's best green teas. It has been a favourite among wealthy buyers. The tea is harvested prior to Qingming festival, usually in the first week of April, in Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, the Shanghai Daily reported Friday. It is produced from the first spring shoots. Skilled workers pick every leaf by hand. Zhu Baichang, a dealer who sold the tea at the record price in the presale, said this year it will cost 80,000 yuan per kg on the market, up 10,000 yuan from last year."The 360,000 yuan per kg for the pre-Qingming tea was just a single case for presale promotion and we will donate the money to a local art group for deaf people," Zhu said. 
Tea is very commonly stored incorrectly. Here’s why:
If you were impressed by the fact that a cup of coffee contains around 1,500 chemicals , you will not be surprised to find out that a cup of 
Tea
