Ross and David's grandfather, former banker Robert Thompson, established the business in 1896, after falling in love with tea, and distributed to grocers on every street corner, who sold on quarts in brown paper bags. Assam tea provides caffeine, which could be a detractor for anyone avoiding or limiting their intake of this stimulant.

This process stimulates chemical changes in the leaves, resulting in the unique flavors, color, and plant compounds that are characteristic of Assam tea. Summary Because of its naturally high caffeine content, Assam tea is frequently marketed as a breakfast tea. Many Irish and English breakfast teas use Assam or a blend that includes it. The iconic jingle, by former local ad man Rex McCaine, has been resurrected to celebrate the company's 120 years in business in Belfast - yes, Belfast.Prebiotics are compounds found in various foods that support the growth and maintenance of healthy bacteria in your gut ( 10). Like many others, I had no idea that Punjana is blended in a factory close to the city centre, and owned locally by cousins Ross and David Thompson. Yet the company produces tea for over a third of the country's tea drinkers, equating to more than one million tea bags every day, in Northern Ireland alone. However, tea consumption is not generally associated with aluminum toxicity. It remains unclear precisely how much aluminum is absorbed when you drink tea ( 17). Tea frequently contains heavy metals, such as aluminum, although the amount present in any given tea is highly variable. The Thompson family founded their company in 1896, at a time when tea was delivered in chests to grocers’ shops using public transport.

Belfast-born Ross is in awe of his father and uncle's courage in taking out that famous ad on the night of the launch of Ulster Television, and for their ability to have their business up and running again only eight weeks after an IRA bomb destroyed their original premises in Ann Street at the height of the Troubles, in 1975.I don't like Earl Grey - the bergamot distorts the taste of the tea. "Fruit and herbal teas have become popular - ours have won 10 gold stars - but I prefer plain Punjana. I drink gallons of it." It's one of the most recognisable jingles in television history, straight from the cheery 1960s advertising style depicted in the American series inspired by the industry Mad Men. His sons, James (Ross's father) and Tony (David's father), both of whom have now passed on, developed the brand and introduced tea-bags in the 1950s. It was Ross's beautiful mother Lillias who came up with the name Punjana after her husband James Thompson, when passing the Gillespie statue in Comber Square, Co Down, noticed an inscription relating to the Punjab. You have to develop a palate. David and I usually agree but we're not afraid to disagree - which makes the process more interesting. It keeps us competitive, to find the best. We're a wee bit fussy, I'm afraid.

Assam may be sold in loose-leaf form or pre-portioned tea bags. If you buy loose-leaf, you’ll want to aim for about 1 teaspoon (around 2 grams) of tea per 8 ounces (240 ml) of water.The brand also has a following in the east coast of the US, where it supplies hotels with its premium line Thompson’s Irish breakfast blend. The Punjana brand has won more Great Taste Awards gold gongs than any other blended tea bag in the UK and Ireland over the last 10 years. On a recent trip to India, a herd of wild elephants appeared on one of the plantations, nibbling at the shade trees that are planted to protect the tea bushes from the sun. Your body naturally produces highly reactive chemicals called free radicals. When too many accumulate, they can damage your tissues and contribute to disease and accelerated aging ( 5). Some research indicates that tannins bind with iron in your food, potentially rendering it unavailable for digestion. This reaction affects your absorption of plant-based iron sources much more than it does animal sources ( 15).

As a precaution, it’s best to practice moderation and avoid excessive consumption of Assam tea. SummaryAfter fresh Assam tea leaves are harvested and withered, they undergo an oxidation process — also referred to as fermentation — that exposes them to oxygen in a controlled-temperature environment for a designated period of time ( 3).