Camellia sinensis is one of a small number of botanicals on the planet that has altered the course of history. This single precious plant—from which black, green, and white teas, among others, are made—has, for better or worse, been responsible for both the making and the fall of empires. Although it is the mother plant of a variety of teas, its power in the global marketplace is particularly potent when its leaves are fully oxidized to make black teas. Black tea is the most popular type of tea in the world, including here in the States. In 2019, the Tea Association of the U.S.A. reported that people in the U.S. consumed over 3.8 billion gallons of Camellia sinensis-based teas, 84% of which was black tea. What is it about black tea that is so alluring?
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