eli5: what makes tea, tea? like what’s different than me plucking leaves off a random tree or finding dry ones off the ground and essentially making flavoured water?

Question

eli5: what makes tea, tea? like what’s different than me plucking leaves off a random tree or finding dry ones off the ground and essentially making flavoured water?

In: 20

Answer 1

A point about the “infusion” comments – some languages and cultures have no such distinction, and the word tea applies to both infusions and “real” tea.

Answer 2

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned yet is that many of those “random leaves off the ground” are said to have mild medicinal properties (think: herbal medicines before modern science and much more effective medicines).

Chamomile, linden, peppermint, elderflower etc. infusions (“herbal teas”) are still popular-ish today. Even if you aren’t into folk medicine, they’re worth trying for their taste.