The history behind Britain's obsession with tea

After students from Leicester University unveiled a formula for the 'perfect' builder's tea today, after accepting a challenge from a local construction firm, here are some little-known facts about the popularity of tea in the UK:

• The British have been drinking tea for nearly 400 years

• The UK imports and consumes 140 thousand tonnes of tea per year

• The UK drinks 165 million cups per day - 62 billion cups per year

• Tea outsells coffee in the UK by two-to-one

Tea has a 'rich' history worldwide, as these interesting facts surrounding the origin of the tea-leaf demonstrate:

• Tea bags were invented in America in the early 1800s, and were initially used to hold samples of teas brought from India.

• Today, 96% of all cups of tea served around the world were made using teabags.

• After tourism, the cultivation of tea is India’s second largest industry.

• Indian tea, is the most popular in the world, despite the fact that it originates from China.

• There are now estimated to be about 1,500 different varieties of tea

Further facts to suggest why tea is so popular, whatever the formula:

• Tea is a natural antioxidant, rich in vitamins

• Theanine is a stimulant found in tea leaves

• There is less than half the amount of another stimulant, caffeine, which is found in coffee

And finally:

• 'The Tea Party' is a political movement which calls for less state intervention in the USA.

• 'The Tea Party' name harks back to the Boston Tea Party - which protested in the 1700s.

• Americans destroyed cases of tea which had arrived from India as a way of rebelling against the British government.

Facts and figures courtesy of The Beverage Association and Fine Dining Lovers.