Synonymous with the British across the world, tea has come to form part of our identity. Before cricket on the green and slightly after the royals - the pursuit of drinking tea lies at the very heart of our national identity. Despite accusations that our taste in food and drink are bland, it seems the British have a palate that favours the exotic. In recent years curry became our national dish, much as before it a new beverage called tea caused a stir in social circles.

Tea is derived from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant and originates in South East Asia, specifically in north Burma and the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan. Although used as a medicine in India for hundreds of years, it wasn't until the British established tea plantations that it was consumed on a wide scale as a beverage.

The importation of tea to Britain began in the 1660s, brought to our shores by the British East India Company. First appearing in pharmacies as a medicinal beverage, it was being consumed by the upper echelons of English society by the end of that century, before hitting the mass market and becoming the national beverage by 1750. The ascent of tea sales within the market was matched by those of cane sugar, as the British sweetened the drink to make it more palatable.

Tea has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a medicinal drink consumed almost exclusively in China and South East Asia, becoming the most widely consumed beverage in the world, second only to water.  In addition to the four main types of tea on the marketplace - black, green, white and oolong - countless fruit and herbal varieties can be found where the tea leaves are combined and infused with other plant, flower and fruit extracts. Put simply, there is something for everyone.

In recent years health has dominated the food and beverage market like never before, and tea has not escaped its spotlight. However, is all this caffeine really good for us? And is there any truth in the claim that tea is good for your health? One thing is for sure, the promotion of tea as a health resource has done nothing to harm its sales. The UK Tea Council notes two studies that reportedly show its benefits to the heart. A study of 1,764 Saudi Arabian women found 19% were less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease compared to those who didn't drink tea.

Clinical trials show that antioxidants, or flavanoids, can prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood that clogs up our arteries, benefit our cardiovascular system and by combating harmful free radicals let loose in our systems by stresses like pollution, help in the prevention of other diseases like cancer. Despite wide held assumptions that tea contains the same amount or more caffeine than coffee, it actually has half the amount, and can help you reach your advised intake of 1.5 litres of fluid a day to remain hydrated.

Leading tea manufacturers PG Tips and Tetley's are keen to point out the health benefits on their websites - Tetley's highlight the fact that tea contains no fat and only 0.5g of fat when combined with milk, making it a healthy option for dieters too.

In Britain we drink around 150 million cups of tea a day and many of these will be from the venders that line our work cafeterias, schools, gyms and other communal areas. Given that the brew is so in demand, it makes sense for vending machine manufacturers to vend tea, as well as tea companies benefiting from the revenue drummed up by vend sales.

Indeed, the Automatic Vending Association (AVA) says that industry experience shows that we consumers buy on average two drinks a day. Now there is no need for provisions in kitchens to make tea. A vender can whip you up a great cuppa in mere seconds. Leading vending retailers such as Brupac now use pre-dosed cups, eliminating the need for extensive cleaning of machines, and delivering great teas in an instant.

As people lead increasingly fast paced lives they want convenience and health in one product. Tea does just that, well known for its benefits to health as well as being low-cost and affordable. Its inclusion in vending means that, when the end user is stressed, tired, and in need of that vital pick-me-up to see them through the afternoon, they are just seconds away from having a great tasting little cup of hope in their hands.

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