Aside from water, tea is the most highly consumed beverage in the world and black tea is the most popular, in fact, 80 percent of the tea consumed in the world is of the black tea variety.

Black tea, like white, green and oolong tea, is derived from the same plant, the Camellia Sinensis, which is a flowering tree native to China but now is cultivated across the globe. The difference between the types of tea is in the process in which the leaves are cured. Black tea goes through the most stages in the curing process. Once the leaves are picked, they are left to wither for several hours. After the leaves are rolled, oils from the leaves are brought to the surface. These aromatic oils aid in the oxidation process, which last for several hours. The last step consists of placing the leaves in an oven with temperatures reaching up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. When the leaves are 80 percent dry, the leaves complete their drying process over wood fires. The leaves are then sorted by grade; the fannings (tea dust) that is left over is reserved for use in tea bags.

Black tea is produced in many countries and offers a broad spectrum of flavors and characteristics. The profile of black tea include its infusion color, body, strength, aroma and flavor which depend on the tea bush varietal, the season of harvest and the elevation in which its grown. CaryTown Teas offers a wide variety of Organic and Fair Trade Certified black teas from the world's top tea producing regions.

Black tea is beneficial in reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, as it helps to expand the arteries increasing blood flow to the heart, it helps to speed up the metabolism in regular drinkers, lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, strengthens bones, decreases glucose levels, which can reduce the risk of cataracts, and other conditions brought about by diabetes amongst many other things.

Take a look at all the Black Tea's we have available in our store.