4 ms·
I wonder about the relationship between caffeine and the near-universal spread of tea and coffee as hot beverages. I love tisanes, what are informally called h
by gabemart 12y ago
I wonder about the relationship between caffeine and the near-universal spread of tea and coffee as hot beverages.
I love tisanes, what are informally called herbal teas. I find it striking that there are literally hundreds of plants used to make herbal teas with an incredibly long history - mint, chamomile, dandelion, jasmine, red clover, elderflower, passion flower, hibiscus, etc. etc. But none of them have a tenth of one percent of the popularity of coffee or true tea.
Many people who enjoy tea and coffee enjoy the effects of the caffeine. But I'm surprised at the scale of the difference between the popularity of caffeinated and non-caffeinated drinks.
- backlava 12y agoBut what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?
- taejo 12y agoTea and tisanes are to some extent substitute goods, so increased demand for tisanes lowers the price of tea in China ;)
- JacobAldridge 12y agoI have few pleasures in life greater than finding a way to answer that question no matter what situation. Sadly, as a result, no-one ever asks me anymore. Thanks for the memories.
- vertex-four 12y agoCatnip herbal tea is also delicious, and extremely calming to a point that nothing else I've tried is, personally.
- rdtsc 12y agoNo doubt. Caffeine in tea, especially green though, produces a wakefulness and alertness more than jitters that coffee produce. Tisanes are and were popular before coffee and teas spread. A lot of was part of the popular medicines. "Put in these plants in hot water and drink it" was very common. Not to forget about yerba mate, a caffeineted South American beverage. Very popular (check), not tea and not coffee (check), caffeinated (check). So yes it seems caffeine has a considerable effect in the spread of popularity.