Tea Cozy

As a bona fide coffee addict who relies on the caffeine content in each cup for a morning or afternoon boost, I haven't often considered the rejuvenating properties of tea. I occasionally drink it when I feel a cold coming on and in the past have enjoyed a cup of Korean brown rice green tea, which has such body it's like drinking a meal. But, a new tea vista opened up to me last week when a co-worker brought in a chrysanthemum blossom tea called "Let It Snow" from teaposy.com. The first few cups had a distinctive jasmine scent; the mild white tea was flavorful but not overly sweet. Sipping it imparted a sense of well-being. An interesting fact that emerged in conversation during our social tea time at work, was how the body metabolizes the caffeine in tea differently than that of coffee: coffee caffeine is absorbed by the nerves and works quickly to awaken the senses but wares off quickly also; tea caffeine is absorbed by the muscles and gives a slower, but more sustained lift.

Apparently, a person can get "tea drunk"--a mellow feeling that is almost euphoric. You can get more chatty, more sociable, similar to being buzzed by an alcoholic beverage. I have never heard of this phenomenon before, but it seems to be a pretty well-known fact. Anyone familiar with this term or experience?