Belfast-born Ross is in awe of his father and uncle's courage in taking out that famous ad on the night of the launch of Ulster Television, and for their ability to have their business up and running again only eight weeks after an IRA bomb destroyed their original premises in Ann Street at the height of the Troubles, in 1975. Some research indicates that tannins bind with iron in your food, potentially rendering it unavailable for digestion. This reaction affects your absorption of plant-based iron sources much more than it does animal sources ( 15). Your body naturally produces highly reactive chemicals called free radicals. When too many accumulate, they can damage your tissues and contribute to disease and accelerated aging ( 5). If you’re pregnant, it’s suggested to limit caffeine consumption to no more than 200 mg per day ( 14). No one believes that we're a Northern Ireland company, not international," says Ross, a tall, lean man, who resembles the actor Ian McIlhenny. "We only recently came out as the family behind Punjana - people wanted to know the provenance behind the brand. Everyone knows the jingle."

We can detect the slightest difference between gardens and the sunlight they receive. You can't eat or drink anything strong before tasting and you can't be a smoker. Even David's desperately strong aftershave would put me off." Ross and David's grandfather, former banker Robert Thompson, established the business in 1896, after falling in love with tea, and distributed to grocers on every street corner, who sold on quarts in brown paper bags.

We are Thompson’s Tea, we're from Northern Ireland and we make great tasting tea.

It's one of the most recognisable jingles in television history, straight from the cheery 1960s advertising style depicted in the American series inspired by the industry Mad Men. Tea frequently contains heavy metals, such as aluminum, although the amount present in any given tea is highly variable. However, tea consumption is not generally associated with aluminum toxicity. It remains unclear precisely how much aluminum is absorbed when you drink tea ( 17).

The brand also has a following in the east coast of the US, where it supplies hotels with its premium line Thompson’s Irish breakfast blend. The Punjana brand has won more Great Taste Awards gold gongs than any other blended tea bag in the UK and Ireland over the last 10 years. If you’re unsure whether caffeine is appropriate for your lifestyle, talk to your medical practitioner before adding Assam tea to your routine. Reduced iron absorption As a precaution, it’s best to practice moderation and avoid excessive consumption of Assam tea. Summary After fresh Assam tea leaves are harvested and withered, they undergo an oxidation process — also referred to as fermentation — that exposes them to oxygen in a controlled-temperature environment for a designated period of time ( 3). And their fussiness has paid off. In this year alone, the family-owned business amassed a record-breaking total of 23 star awards in the Great Taste Awards 2016, with Punjana, Northern Ireland's best-selling tea, and Thompson's Irish Breakfast tea-bags achieving top honours with the maximum three stars.For most people, consuming up to 400 mg of caffeine per day is not associated with adverse health effects. That said, excessive intake could lead to negative symptoms, such as rapid heartbeat, anxiety, and insomnia ( 14).

Assam may be sold in loose-leaf form or pre-portioned tea bags. If you buy loose-leaf, you’ll want to aim for about 1 teaspoon (around 2 grams) of tea per 8 ounces (240 ml) of water. Research suggests that Assam tea’s rich supply of plant compounds may promote health in a number of ways. Boasts many antioxidants It was the introduction of the second generation of the Thompson family to the tea industry that brought with it the birth of the Punjana brand in the early 1950s. The name Punjana, was dreamed up by second generation James Thompson and his wife, Lillias, the inspiration coming from an inscription of the word " Punjab" etched on the famous Gillespie statue in Comber. [1] Trivia [ edit ] Like many others, I had no idea that Punjana is blended in a factory close to the city centre, and owned locally by cousins Ross and David Thompson. Yet the company produces tea for over a third of the country's tea drinkers, equating to more than one million tea bags every day, in Northern Ireland alone.The kids there are amazing - they smile at anything. They'll see me, this big tall white man and they might think, 'He looks nasty', but they look for a reason to be happy, when they've little to be happy about. They're full of joy. It does make you think about the difference in young ones here, with all their gadgets." The father-of-two is in huge demand by the Women's Institute and various clubs for his tea talks. (He opts for one of his "endless" cups of Punjana, with semi-skimmed milk, when I visit his spacious office in the factory; I have Thompson's Green Tea with Lemon - they use the rind for enhanced flavour.) Prebiotics are compounds found in various foods that support the growth and maintenance of healthy bacteria in your gut ( 10). I'd be awake all night if I drank that much tea and any decaffeinated brands I've tried so far (not including Thompson's) are vile. Ross works in his factory office five days a week. Don't his frequent cuppas affect his sleep? Plus, it’s relatively inexpensive and widely available. You can find it in tea shops, your local grocery store, or online. Make sure to choose a high-quality brand, as these usually boast a greater concentration of beneficial compounds ( 18).