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Arabic tea

Topic: Engineering

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 7 min

Short description: Hot drinks popular throughout the Arab world
Arabic tea
Two glasses of Arabic tea
Alternative namesšāy ʿarabiyy
TypeTea
CourseDrink
Place of originArab world
Region or stateArab World
Associated national cuisineArab cuisine
Serving temperatureHot
  • Cookbook: Arabic tea
Arabic teapot in Morocco

Arabic tea (Arabic: شَايْ عَرَبي, romanized: šhāy ʿarabiyy, pronounced shay ar) is a variety of hot teas popular throughout the Arab world. It is commonly served to guests and business partners at meetings and social events, and has been drunk by Arab people for centuries.[1][2]

History of Arabic tea

Tea was first cultivated in ancient China during the Shang Dynasty (1766–1050 BC). Preferred for its medicinal properties, tea made its way to the Middle East as soon as Arab merchants started travelling the Silk Road who brought tea back to their own nations. Tea developed from a basic beverage to an essential part of the regional way of life as it became more popular across the Middle East.[3][4]

Arab society

Tea is an important drink in the Arab world and is usually served with breakfast, after lunch, and with dinner. For Arabs, tea denotes hospitality, and is typically served to guests. Tea owes its popularity to its social nature; it is an important aspect of hospitality and business etiquette in Arab culture. Rejecting a cup of tea may sometimes be considered rude.[5][6][7]

Varieties

There are many different types of Arabic tea:

Arabic tea in Libya with peanuts
Maghrebi mint tea in Morocco
Black tea in Tunisia
  • Sage (Arabic: مريمية, romanized: maramia) tea is typically served after a meal to aid in digestion and eliminate gas or heartburn.[8][9][self-published source]
  • Anise (Arabic: يانسون, romanized: yānsūn) tea has been well known for hundreds of years.[10]
  • Thyme (Arabic: زعتر, romanized: zaʿtar) tea helps improve memory and cleans out the stomach. Rich in antioxidants, this tea is also useful in preventing aging from within.[11]
  • Cardamom (Arabic: هال, romanized: hāl) tea is very common in the Arab world, and is known for its strong aroma. It is sometimes mixed with coffee, and is said to help digestion and increase saliva flow. It is drunk before meals to prepare digestive enzymes. Although one of the most expensive spices in the world, cardamom is still largely harvested by hand for many Arab customers.[citation needed]
  • Maghrebi mint tea (at-tāy): (Arabic: الشاي, romanized: aš-šāy; Maghrebi Arabic: التاي at-tāy) is a green tea prepared with spearmint leaves and sugar, traditional to the Maghreb region (the northwest African countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania). The tea originally arrived thanks to English traders and has spread in popularity throughout Africa, France, and other neighboring countries. Known for its flavor and vitality, the fresh mint used to prepare at-tāy helps to clear the palate after meals.[12]
  • Mint tea (Arabic: شاي بالنعناع, romanized: šāy bi-l-naʿnāʿ) is especially popular in parts of the Arab world.[13] It is commonly used to get over colds, a sore throat, sinus congestion, and stomach ulcers.[citation needed]
  • Black tea (Arabic: شاي أحمر, romanized: šāy ʾaḥmar, lit. 'red tea') is the most common.[1]
  • Cinnamon tea or Kuwaiti tea (Arabic: شاي بالقرفة, romanized: šāy bi-l-qirfah) is created by putting water in a boiler together with cinnamon sticks and sugar.[14]

Herbal tea

  • Hibiscus (Arabic: كركديه, romanized: karkadayya) tea is drunk hot in the winter and cold in the summer.[citation needed]
  • Dried lime tea (Arabic: شاي لومي, romanized: šāy lūmiyy) also known as chai noomi basra, noomi basra tea or loomi tea, is a type of herbal tea made from dried limes that is traditional to Iraq, Kuwait, Oman and United Arab Emirates.[citation needed]
  • Chamomile (Arabic: بابونج, romanized: bābūnaj) tea is made by brewing dried chamomile flowers for medicinal use.[15]
  • Qurniyya (قرنية, Micromeria fruticosa) medicinal tea, made to treat a variety of ailments.[16]

Serving

Tea in the Arab world is usually a strong dark mix, similar to the so-called "breakfast tea" served in other parts of the world. Often brewed with sugar and served in long glasses, it can also be made with mint or cardamom, or with a dash of milk. In Yemen, black tea is brewed in water and milk.[17]

See also

  • Arab culture
  • Arab cuisine
  • Arabic coffee
  • Libyan tea
  • Shahi haleeb
  • Tea culture
  • Turkish tea

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Syrian Drinks - Syrian Tea - Arab Culture and Hospitality -" (in en-US). The Official Globe Trekker Website. http://www.pilotguides.com/articles/syrian-drinks-repast-in-a-teacup/. 
  2. ↑ "Arabian Tea" (in en). https://prezi.com/r-upyncstrij/famous-arabic-tea/. 
  3. ↑ "Food History & Culture" (in en). https://www.munchery.com/blog/the-history-and-importance-of-tea-in-middle-eastern-culture/. 
  4. ↑ Marks, Gil (17 November 2010). "Tea" (in en). Encyclopedia of Jewish Food. HMH. ISBN 978-0-544-18631-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=gFK_yx7Ps7cC&pg=PT1807. Retrieved 31 December 2025. 
  5. ↑ Marsh, Donna (11 May 2015) (in en). Doing Business in the Middle East: A cultural and practical guide for all business professionals. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 978-1-4721-3567-4. https://books.google.com/books?id=N6mkBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT179. Retrieved 31 December 2025. 
  6. ↑ Riolo, Amy (2008). "Arabian Tea Party" (in en). Arabian Delights: Recipes & Princely Entertaining Ideas from the Arabian Peninsula. Capital Books. pp. 44–54. ISBN 978-1-933102-55-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=7IoaOFcJYAAC&pg=PA45. Retrieved 31 December 2025. 
  7. ↑ "Tea is brewing a comeback in Saudi society" (in en). Arab News. 15 August 2025. https://www.arabnews.com/node/2611948/saudi-arabia. 
  8. ↑ "الميرمية.. فوائدها للجسم وأضرارها المحتملة على الحامل والمرضع" (in ar). Al Jazeera. 2024. https://www.aljazeera.net/health/2022/10/5/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A9. 
  9. ↑ "Maramia- Sage Tea | Rooted In Salt" (in en-US). Rooted In Salt. 2014-07-31. http://www.rootedinsalt.com/2014/07/maramia-sage-tea/. 
  10. ↑ "Anise Tea (Yansoon) - Taste of Beirut" (in en-US). Taste of Beirut. 2009-10-24. https://www.tasteofbeirut.com/anise-tea-yansoon/. 
  11. ↑ "Health Benefits of Za'atar | Organic Facts" (in en-US). Organic Facts. 2016-02-02. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/zaatar.html. 
  12. ↑ "The Art of Moroccan Mint Tea and How to Brew It". http://www.organicauthority.com/eco-chic-table/the-art-of-moroccan-mint-tea-and-how-to-brew-it.html. 
  13. ↑ Marks, Gil (17 November 2010). "Tea" (in en). Encyclopedia of Jewish Food. HMH. ISBN 978-0-544-18631-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=gFK_yx7Ps7cC. Retrieved 9 October 2025. 
  14. ↑ "9 فوائد مدهشة ومثيرة للقرفة عليك أن تعرفها" (in ar-AR). FoodKum│فوودكُم. 2016-02-10. https://foodkum.com/herbs/cinnamon-health-benefits-and-side-effects. 
  15. ↑ "Chai Babooneh - Chamomile Tea". 25 November 2012. http://turmericsaffron.blogspot.ch/2012/11/chai-babooneh-chamomile-tea.html. 
  16. ↑ Shehab, Naglaa Gamil; Abu-Gharbieh, Eman (July 2012). "Constituents and biological activity of the essential oil and the aqueous extract of Micromeria fruticosa (L.) Druce subsp. serpyllifolia". Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 25 (3): 687–692. ISSN 1011-601X. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22713962/. Retrieved 12 January 2026. 
  17. ↑ Yemeni Tea. shebayemenifood.com. 05.30.2012.

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