Word "tea" - Indian Laws - General

Word tea The New Encyclopaedia Britannica (15th edition, volume 11, page 596) states that tea is a beverage produced by steeping top leaves and buds of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis of the family Theaceae) in freshly boiled water. Tea is consumed as either a hot or a cold beverage by about one-half of the world s population. Tea contains only four calories per cup when consumed without added ingredients but is a source of several B-complex vitamins, including B2 and nicotinic acid. Caffeine is responsible for tea s stimulating effect. Flavour is produced by volatile oils, and astringency and colour by tannin. Astringency and flavour development increase with length of the steeping period. Although some varieties produce colour quickly, satisfactory flavour development requires three to five minutes of steeping to achieve the desired maximum caffeine extraction and moderate amount of tannin. S SAMUEL, MD, HARRISONS MALAYALAM AND ANOTHER VERSUS UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS - 2003 (11) TMI 328 - SUPREME COURT