They Drank Tea in ... Egypt?

Okay, not really, but I had to come up with something after my last post title. For the most part it has been determined that Ancient Egyptians mostly preferred a form of beer called "Hqt". In fact, the modern way we brew beer may have originated there. Apparently pretty much everyone drank it, from adults to children, poor to wealthy... even the workers who built the ancient pyramids were fed beer three times daily as part of their rations.

But there is also evidence that Ancient Egyptians did prepare drinks in the way that we prepare tea today, in the form of the herb chamomile (still popular today amongst the world of tea) and also from a plant known as Catha edulis. Apparently, "the ancient Egyptians considered Catha edulis to be a most sacred plant, a "divine food" like royal jelly to bees, capable of releasing humanities nascent divinity."

With common names such as Abyssinian tea, African tea, Arabian tea and Bushman's tea, there can be no doubt that one of the ways the Egyptians prefer(red) to prepare the leaf is as we would a true tea. That said, it appears to have quite a different effect, including "excitation and increased motor activity, being wakeful, talkative, energized and cheerful are some of the feelings that users describe. A sense of exaltation, of being outside the sphere of space and time. Approximately 30 % of the people who use Khat (Catha edulis) experience sleepiness as opposed to excitation. Larger doses can lead to boisterousness and aggressiveness. Initial effects of ingestion can be a little disconcerting, including dizziness, increased heart rate and possibly mild stomach pain. The less pleasant feeling soon subside, and gently merge into a sense of bliss and euphoria, boundless energy and clarity of mind."

I think I'll just stick with the Chamomile.

Comments

[tam]

khat is no legal in egpt