It’s Tea Time: Pirates, Polyphenols, and a Proper Cuppa

This week, Gastropod tells the story of two countries and their
shared obsession with a plant: Camellia sinensis, otherwise
known as the tea bush. The Chinese domesticated tea over thousands
of years, but they lost their near monopoly on international trade
when a Scottish botanist, disguised as a Chinese nobleman, smuggled
it out of China in the 1800s, in order to secure Britain’s favorite
beverage and prop up its empire for another century. The story
involves pirates, ponytails, and hard drugs—and, to help tell the
tale, Cynthia and Nicky visit Britain’s one and only commercial tea
plantation, tucked away in a secret garden on an aristocratic
estate on the Cornish coast. While harvesting and processing tea
leaves, we learn the difference between green and black tea, as
well as which is better for your health. Put the kettle on, and
settle in for the science and history of tea! Learn more about your
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