Tea time: for health--and sheer pleasure--there's nothing like a cozy cup of this revered brew.(FOOD: OFF THE SHELF)

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For nearly 5,000 years, tea has reigned supreme throughout the world as the beverage of choice. Cutting across social barriers, it was favored by aristocrats and peasants alike, served in working-class taverns, and at the celebrations of noblemen. Tea had its origins in China and Japan, but made its way across Europe and finally to America in the 17th century. When Lipton introduced the Flo-Thru tea bag in 1954, the convenience and thus popularity of tea was dramatically enhanced, earning it a favored spot on the breakfast table.

Then came Starbucks. The first store opened in 1971, and we more or less abandoned tea as a breakfast beverage. Who knows why. Maybe preparing tea implied patience, and the slap-in-the-face caffeine content of coffee better resonated with our modern hurry-up attitude.

But once again, for whatever reason, tea is hot. Much of this shift has to do with the health benefits of tea. It is lower in caffeine, less taxing on the adrenals, and higher in antioxidant polyphenolic compounds than coffee. For those of you who still consider Lipton an acceptable black tea, we've got brews for you. I prefer loose, but have listed bags too, since they're marginally more convenient. A few of these bags are beautiful--made of silk, pyramid shaped, they're little works of art in a cup. Some to try include the following:

Basic black. It's the most versatile color for evening-wear and tea alike. But just as a little black dress comes in many cuts, so it is with tea. Varieties number in the hundreds, but all come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Growing regions account for the differences. For example, Darjeeling, a fruity, complex tea, is grown at elevations of nearly 7,000 feet in the Himalayan foothills, while Assam comes from a low-altitude region in northeastern India, and has a full-bodied, malty flavor. Differences in harvesting and processing techniques further develop individual tea flavors.

If you're a hard-core coffee drinker, try vigorous blends that have the same wake-up-fast quality (and robust caffeine content) as coffee. Three good bets: smoky Russian, a blend of Lapsang souchong and Chinese teas; Irish breakfast, a hearty, full-bodied tea that's usually a blend of Assam teas with Chinese or other blacks; or English breakfast, traditionally made by blending Assam and Ceylon teas. Black tea may also be flavored or scented with other ingredients. Earl Grey, for example, is flavored with bergamot, a citrusy flower; others may contain jasmine, lemon, even dried rosebuds.

Brews for you: Numi Chinese Breakfast Tea; Tazo Awake Tea; Stash India Darjeeling Summer Tea; Choice Organic Russian Caravan.