The earliest historical records related to tea ware were in “Tong Yue” written by Wang Bao in Chinese West Han Dynasty.

So you’ve decided to get serious about your tea. You’ve ditched cheap, bland teabags for some premium, full-flavored loose leaves and you’re ready to start brewing. (If not, here’s why it’s worth going loose.) But what to brew with?

Tea is derived from a particular plant (Camellia sinensis) and includes only four varieties: green, black, white, and oolong. Anything else (like herbal “tea”) is an infusion of a different plant. But what real tea lacks in variety, it makes up for with some serious health benefits.