The history of Middle Eastern Arabic tea began thousands of years ago in ancient China during the Shang Dynasty (1766–1050 BC) when it was first cultivated and discovered. Preferred for its medicinal properties, tea made its way to the Middle East as soon as Arab merchants started travelling the Silk Road. These ambitious traders brought tea back to their own nations as soon as they saw its advantages and appeal. Tea developed from a basic beverage to an essential part of the regional way of life as it became more and more popular across the Middle East.[3]
Arab society
Tea is an important drink in the Arab world and is usually served with breakfast, after lunch, and with dinner. For Arabs, tea denotes hospitality, and is typically served to guests. Tea owes its popularity to its social nature; it is one of the most important aspects of hospitality and business etiquette in Arab culture. Importantly, one should not reject tea when offered, because it may be considered rude.
Sage (Arabic: مريمية, romanized: maramia) tea is typically served after a meal to aid in digestion and eliminate gas or heartburn. It has a distinct flavor, and, if brewed without black tea, is non-caffeinated. Homegrown, dried sage leaves are considered best for making sage Arabic tea.[4]
Chamomile (Arabic: بابونج, romanized: bābūnaj) tea is made by brewing dried chamomile flowers and has many health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, alleviating pain and discomfort, and also improving sleep and insomnia.[5]
Thyme (Arabic: زعتر, romanized: zaʿtar) tea helps improve memory and cleans out the stomach. Rich in antioxidants, this tea is also useful in preventing aging from within.[7]
Cardamom (Arabic: هال, romanized: hāl) tea is very common in the Arab world, and is known for its strong aroma. It is sometimes mixed with coffee, and is said to help digestion and increase saliva flow. It is drunk before meals to prepare digestive enzymes. Although one of the most expensive spices in the world, cardamom is still largely harvested by hand for many Arab customers.
Maghrebi mint tea (at-tāy): (Arabic: الشاي, romanized: aš-šāy; Maghrebi Arabic: التايat-tāy) is a green tea prepared with spearmint leaves and sugar, traditional to the Maghreb region (the northwest African countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania). The tea originally arrived thanks to English traders and has spread in popularity throughout Africa, France, and other neighboring countries. Known for its flavor and vitality, the fresh mint used to prepare at-tāy helps to clear the palate after meals.[8]
Mint tea (Arabic: شاي بالنعناع, romanized: šāy bi-l-naʿnāʿ) is commonly used to get over colds, a sore throat, sinus congestion, and stomach ulcers. Seasonal allergies can also be treated by drinking cups of tea containing rosmarinic acid: an anti-inflammatory agent found in mint.
Hibiscus (Arabic: كركديه, romanized: karkadayya) tea is drunk hot in the winter and cold in the summer. Hibiscus tea has a large amount of vitamin C.
Cinnamon tea or Kuwaiti tea (Arabic: شاي بالقرفة, romanized: šāy bi-l-qirfah) is created by putting water in a boiler together with cinnamon sticks and sugar. Cinnamon tea contains many health benefits such as bacterial resistance, diabetes treatment, protection against heart disease, and prevention of colon disorders, as well as containing many antioxidant compounds.[10]
Tea in the Arab world is usually a strong dark mix, similar to the so-called "breakfast tea" served in other parts of the world. Often brewed with sugar and served in long glasses, it can also be made with mint or cardamom, or with a dash of milk. In Yemen, black tea is brewed in water and milk.[11]
