Adding milk to tea has a few benefits, according to the experts. It can help counteract the tannin's astringent or bitter aspects and adds a few calories and nutrients to an otherwise nutritionally bereft beverage.
Milk binds to the tannins and also adds a little bit of natural sweetness, evening out the flavor. This also helps with black tea blends that may be low in quality and therefore even higher in tannins.
The answer is that in the 17th and 18th centuries the china cups tea was served in were so delicate they would crack from the heat of the tea. Milk was added to cool the liquid and stop the cups from cracking. This is why, even today, many English people add milk to their cups BEFORE adding the tea!
But milk contains proteins which lower the water's mineral content, making your tea taste better, according to research the scientist conducted with boiling water tap manufacturer INTU. "Flavour by and large is produced by the different compounds in tea including tannins in particular," Prof Mackie said.
In 1680 Madame de la Sabliere, served tea with milk at her famous Paris salon. She is traditionally ascribed to introducing the custom to Europe. It is also thought that the poor quality in tea had to be softened with the flavor of milk just to make it palpable.
The term "milk tea" refers to any tea drink with milk added. It can be as simple as a splash of milk in a hot cup of tea, or it can be a complex recipe including various ingredients, like the popular bubble tea.
The term milk tea is used for both hot and cold drinks that can be combined with various kinds of milks and a variety of spices. This is a popular way to serve tea in many countries, and is the default type of tea in many South Asian countries.
Tea is often thought of as Britain's national drink. But how we enjoy it varies from person to person – from no milk, three sugars, to a traditional builders' tea.
Milk tea is popular in India, Russia, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and other post-soviet union countries.
A Unique Tea Service
The Irish are noted for drinking their tea strong and with lots of milk. Traditionally milk was poured into tea cups first to prevent the hot tea from cracking fine china cups.
If you drink milk tea in moderation, it can help the body detoxify. However, excessive drinking can cause the body to overheat, which can result in a chemical imbalance and a breakout of pimples.
Clearly, the milky preference is a worldwide hit and the reason why people add milk into tea likely just comes down to taste. In fact, there's some science behind it too! Even when steeped correctly, tea can often taste bitter or dry, a sensation better known as astringency.
Traditionally, Earl Grey tea is served with a slice of lemon and sugar to taste. According to YouGov, a massive 85% of British Earl Grey and English breakfast tea drinkers enjoy their tea with milk. In the US, they like to add milk and sugar to their Earl Grey tea.
The country that drinks the most Tea in the world is Turkey, followed by Ireland, the UK, Iran, Russia, Morocco, New Zealand, Chile, Egypt and Poland. You can visit these places and find out their respective Tea cultures for yourself, or you can simply sit back, relax and enjoy a brew at home.
It stands to reason that the best milk comes from the happiest cows. The good news is that Ireland's have got to be the most contented in the world. Why? Because cows love nothing better than lush green grass and Ireland's climate provides the perfect conditions to grow it.
This beautiful blend of tea contains an antioxidant called catechin. Catechin has plenty of healing benefits including the ability to help the body fend off oral infections. Earl Grey also naturally contains fluoride, a fighter against decay and a protector against cavities.
Inferring from Dr Frank's presentation, American's “aversion to tea” is historically related and can be traced back to two key factors: taxes and fear. “Tea was a way of England enslaving America,” said Dr Frank, noting the tea-related taxes Britain forced on the colonies prior to the Revolutionary War.
The story of tea begins in China. According to legend, in 2737 BC, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung was sitting beneath a tree while his servant boiled drinking water, when some leaves from the tree blew into the water. Shen Nung, a renowned herbalist, decided to try the infusion that his servant had accidentally created.
Served. 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.
Mongolians drank tea with milk. Chinese did not. The simple fact is that China was never traditionally a country where cows grazed in vast numbers. Milk was available in England in the countryside and it was common to drink Chinese black tea with milk even before Indian tea arrived in the 1840s.
Black Boba
Also called bubbles or pearls, black boba is found in mostly milk-based bubble tea. One of the "standard boba pearls," black boba, is made from the cassava root. The black coloring is created by added brown sugar or caramel coloring.
Commonly known as the milk tea in Japan, royal milk tea differs from other milk tea flavors because of how it's prepared: the tea leaves and milk are boiled and steeped together to create that nutty and strong tea flavor.
So what exactly is it made of? Boba pearls are made of tapioca starch that comes from the cassava root, so compassionate customers can rest easy knowing that gelatin is not used in the making of these tiny balls of deliciousness.
Americans typically drink their Earl Grey with milk and sugar, but Chatterton prefers it the British way — with lemon and sugar. "Milk has a tendency to do strange things to black tea," he says. "It dulls the flavor a bit. It's not as crisp and sharp.