"Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
t...
> Dear Leo -
> .........................
........................................
> No sugar is used because sugar is currency in such places, not a tea
> sweetener.
>
> Sasha.
>
>

Actually I was wrong - sugar is not used because adding even small amount of
sugar can get you in trouble - from vomiting to even bigger problems with
stomack pains, etc. Also eating both before and after drinking this potion
is a dangerous proposition. Apparently the prison folklore believes that tea
is very high in vitamins and minerals and has a very high ability to lift
person's energy levels. I do not mean coffeine here during actual chifir
consumtion, but rather the prolonged, metabolic effect.
Many medical professionals expressed surprise observing the levels of energy
of Russian prisoners compared to the caloric value of their regular diet.
Most of Russian prisoners spending the majority of their incarceration doing
physical work, while apparently their diet does not appear to be in sync
with it.


Sasha.