Tea drinking is, of course, a central part of the social fabric here in the UK. Whether we use it to relax, to comfort or to motivate ourselves, it's hard to imagine a situation that isn't improved by a nice cuppa.

But it took several hundred years to evolve into a widespread national habit.

Shipments of tea from its Asian homeland began in the UK from around 1610 onwards, and for some time remained a luxury that only the rich could afford. By the mid 1700s, it had filtered through to become the favoured drink of the working classes - but ale and gin sellers were unhappy at the dip in sales, meaning tea was subject to huge tax levies. At one point, medical experts even referred to it as a "hot liquor", with warnings that it could cause blood clots.

Nowadays, the health benefits of tea are well-documented; we know tea of all varieties to be bursting with antioxidants. So three cheers for tea drinking - as long as you get the method right!

Fancy a cuppa? How to make the perfect cup of tea (and why most Brits are getting it wrong)