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Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

Researchers in China [arstechnica.com] have positively identified a block of ancient vegetable matter as tiny tea buds that were lovingly tucked away in Han Yangling Mausoleum, a sumptuous tomb north of Xi'an. The city Xi'an was once known as Chang'an, seat of power for the Han Dynasty, and stood as the easternmost stop on the vast trade routes known today as the Silk Road. Previously, the oldest physical evidence of tea came from roughly 1,000 years ago. Coupled with another ancient block of tea found in western Tibet's Gurgyam Cemetery, this new discovery reveals that the Han Chinese were already trading with Tibetans in 200 BCE, trekking across the Tibetan Plateau to deliver the luxurious, tasty drink.

Tea has been found to have many health benefits [harvard.edu], and it's also been documented to be the source of the strength of the British [wikipedia.org].

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