Arabic tea

Tea was first cultivated in ancient China during the Shang Dynasty (1766–1050 BC). Preferred for its medicinal properties, tea made its way to the Middle East as soon as Arab merchants started travelling the Silk Road who brought tea back to their own nations. Tea developed from a basic beverage to an essential part of the regional way of life as it became more popular across the Middle East.^[3][4]

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 an important aspect of hospitality and business etiquette in Arab culture. Rejecting a cup of tea may sometimes be considered rude.^[5][6][7]

There are many different types of Arabic tea:

• Sage (Arabic: مريمية, romanized: maramia) tea is typically served after a meal to aid in digestion and eliminate gas or heartburn.^{[8][9][self-published source]}
• Anise (Arabic: يانسون, romanized: yānsūn) tea has been well known for hundreds of years.^[10][11][12]
• 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.^[13]
• 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.^{[citation needed]}
• Maghrebi mint tea (at-tāy): (Arabic: الشاي, romanized: aš-šāy; Maghrebi Arabic: التاي at-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.^[14]
• Mint tea (Arabic: شاي بالنعناع, romanized: šāy bi-l-naʿnāʿ) is especially popular in parts of the Arab world.^[15] It is commonly used to get over colds, a sore throat, sinus congestion, and stomach ulcers.^{[citation needed]}
• Black tea (Arabic: شاي أحمر, romanized: šāy ʾaḥmar, lit. 'red tea') is the most common.^[1]
• 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.^[16][12]

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.^[19]

• Arab culture
• Arab cuisine
• Arabic coffee
• Libyan tea
• Shahi haleeb
• Tea culture
• Turkish tea