There are several topics that spring to mind when discussing what we consider to be stereotypically considered ‘British’. The default topics being tea-drinking, cricket and Stephen Fry to begin with. But there have been some troublesome murmurs through media outlets in recent years that something terrible could be afoot for Britishness as a concept. It seems that in this world gone mad, British people are allegedly drinking less tea than we used to.
If this is true, what or who is to blame for this spine-tingling horror? IPhones? Millennials? Brexit?
Luckily, the rumours of Britain undergoing a tea-based national emergency is not actually true. While research shows traditional tea consumption was down by 870 million cups in 2017, the value of tea rose 0.6%. The market is far from floundering; so, what is happening to the British cup of tea?
Well, it is in fact becoming increasingly more varied and colourful! And with this new rainbow range of teas available, we’re tapping into a wealth of potential health benefits!
What kind of tea do you prefer?
With the 21st of April not only being Her Majesty’s birthday, but also National Tea day, it’s almost obliged you to have a brew or two on this day. So, now is a great time to ask yourself: what type of tea-drinker are you?
As stated by the Modern Tea Trends 2019 study, the 24-35 year old sub-category where shown to have the biggest growing demographic for the 50% of Tea brands that were identified. Perhaps because of this, the view of tea has changed. It’s no longer a milky, warm beverage that sits on a table while people discuss problems, though it is still the go-to makeshift remedy for everything from a bad day at work to a broken leg. Now, tea has a swathe of health benefits to its name. It’s more than murky brown leaf-water; it’s a bright and colourful variety of health and wellness beverages, best brewed in an antique silver teapot. Unsurprisingly then, 80 per cent of brands are watching the wellness trend as a key asset for tea.
In relation to this, there are two main groups of tea drinkers that National Tea day have identified. This tea quiz below will help find out which type you are…
1. You would consider the perfect cup of tea to be…
- Creamy or milky. Best described as a ‘hug in a mug’.
- Colourful. Whether it’s red, blue, green, or purple, it needs to be bright and beautiful.
2. Would you prefer if your tea was comforting or healthy?
- Comforting. If a good strong brew can’t fix it, it’s probably not worth fixing.
- Healthy. A good tea should give me energy, pep, and cleanse my inner being.
3. Sensory-wise, you’re expecting your tea…
- Sweet, or sweetish. If you wanted to assault your tongue with bitter tones, you’d have ordered a coffee…
- Sensual, or aromatic. The experience of my tea is not just in taste but in smell. It should pamper my nose as much as my tongue.
You are a traditionalist if you mainly answered A. You care about your tea being a healing drink, but not necessarily in the sense of it carrying antioxidants or being hydrating. It’s just about comfort for you, a means to relax and calm down with a soothing cup of milky tea.
You are a modernist if you mainly answered B. Times are changing, and so is your go-to tea. Your tea isn’t always designed to make you fall into a milk-and-sugar-wrapped blanket of cosy warmth. Sure, camomile tea will relax you when you need it, but you have tea for every occasion. For energy, for a cold, for digestion, for preserving health, for anxiety, you name it, you’ve got a type of tea to wind around all the senses and sort it right out.
The evolving of tea…
Tea is now not just a go-to beverage, rather more of an experience. This ties in with the rise of herbal teas over standard black leaf tea — herbal teas come in so many varieties, from all over the world, and often have intricate ceremonies or stories attached to them. These aspects are as much of the ‘sensual’ experience as the tea itself. Cafés and tea rooms have been using this to their benefit too, offering tea experiences for their customers, such as offering food created to complement the flavour of different herbal teas, or brewing the leaves in a beautiful teapot in order to achieve a higher brewing temperature than a normal teapot, and making use of silver’s neutrality, protecting the pure taste of the tea. The whole experience is catered for the customer’s enjoyment.
The flexibility of tea is incredible, it can be enjoyed either at home where you have full control over your personal taste preference or enjoyed out as a before mentioned experience.
The history behind tea
There are several health benefits behind the rainbow variety of tea flavours, let’s take a look at a few…
Red: hibiscus tea
Not only is this bright red beverage pleasing to the eye, it is also calorie and caffeine-free. It has a sweet and tart taste and is popular in North Africa and south east Asia. Particularly in Africa, hibiscus tea is touted as having many benefits, including helping with a sore throat and high blood pressure. Indeed, one study has noted that hibiscus tea contributed to the reduction of the systolic blood pressure of its participants.
Orange: barley tea
This is a popular choice of tea over in the likes of Japan, Korea and China. Perhaps this is to do with the health benefit claims that circulate around it. Served hot or cold depending on the season, this go-to Korean drink is made from whole grain roasted barley and has a mild nutty taste. Like hibiscus tea, it is caffeine-free.
Only a few of the health claims tied to barley tea have been scientifically proven. These range from claims to help with cold symptoms, aiding a sore stomach, clearing complexion, and even weight loss. But, if nothing else, it’s a great caffeine-free alternative to coffee and traditional tea!
Yellow: Honey and lemon tea
The uniquely smooth lemon and honey tea is renowned for being the beloved cure for many cold and flu sufferers. This golden-coloured tea has the main claim to fame for fighting cold symptoms, but it’s also been said to help with everything from weight loss to acne.
In terms of the scientific evidence behind this tea, the cough-defeating essence of the honey and Vitamin C element of the lemon has been proven to help conquer general sniffles and illness. But sadly, the claims of clearing acne and weight loss are as yet unconfirmed by scientific study. Still, it is definitely one to reach for next time cold season comes around.
Green
Is there any health benefit green tea hasn’t yet been associated with? It would probably make for a shorter list to say the least. You’d be forgiven for thinking green tea was brewed from the Fountain of Youth, for all the attention it has gained in the wellness industry. But are any of the stories true?
Yes, is the answer to the question. Green tea is packed with antioxidants and catechins, the latter of which could slow down bacterial growth. The green brew has also been claimed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and boost metabolic rate.
Blue: butterfly pea flower tea
This blue brew changes colour depending on the pH level of ingredients added to it — for example, a little lemon will turn it purple! Butterfly pea flower tea sounds fancy, looks fancy, but does it bring anything fancy to the table of health benefits?
Despite this blue brew only starting to become popular within western societies in recent years, the sapphire-hued drink has been used for centuries in Asia. The tea, like green tea, carries a lot of antioxidants, and has been tied to claims of protecting the skin. There are studies that support butterfly pea flower tea’s ability to help reduce internal inflammation.
Indigo: blackcurrant tea
Despite being misunderstood as just making hot Ribena, it does not suffice for blackcurrant tea, (although this is a tasty drink in its own way). Herbal blackcurrant tea doesn’t always brew with a purple hue, strictly speaking. But the purple berries that make this tea bring some great potential benefits to your tea cup, such as a high vitamin C level, antibacterial properties, and reducing inflammation.
Violet: purple tea
This self-effacing named ‘Purple tea’ can be identified by its subtle violet-shade tone. But its alternative name, ‘ox-blood’, sounds much more ferocious. It is claimed that purple tea could compete with green tea for the crown of most purported health benefits, such as claims to help protect against cardiovascular diseases and there are even stories of it improving vision.
Noticeably there has been a whole host of health claims connected to the aforementioned herbal teas. But if nothing else, tea does count towards your daily water needs, with the dehydrating claims of tea having been debunked. So, top up that teacup — it’s trendy and healthy!
