Tea Trends

Hot tea is the most consumed drink in the world, second only to water.

In the world of tea, there exists enumerable flavors and blends that all come from the same evergreen plant, the Camellia Sinensis. Climate, elevation and soil conditions produce slight variations, but the processing method is the primary differentiation between varieties.

Herbal tea, though it dons the “tea” label, is technically a misnomer. True tea contains processed leaves from the Camellia Sinensis, thus Herbal tea which contains herbs, stems and flowers is not tea at all. 

Tea drinking is on a roll in the U.S. There are some 2,000 tea houses nationwide, up from 200 a decade ago.

Tea sales reached $6.2 billion last year, more than quadruple their level in the early 1990s, according to the Tea Association of the USA. One big reason: recent research has shown that tea, particularly Green tea, is loaded with antioxidants that supposedly can help ward off ailments such as heart disease and cancer.

The amount of caffeine in tea is a common point of contention, and is often said to have content equal to that of coffee. In fact, a steeped cup of tea contains 40mg of caffeine, whereas a brewed cup of coffee contains 100mg or more.

Purchasing tea in large quantities results in a vast price reduction that makes premium teas more affordable. When storing tea, it’s important to use a cool, dark, dry place to prevent spoilage over extended periods of time.

Hot tea is a low-cost beverage – over 200 cups can be brewed from a single pound of loose tea leaves.

55 million households in the United States consume hot tea.

Hotels and restaurants have added different varieties of high-quality teas such as White and Red to their menus in response to the growing demand for specialty brews.

Two cups of Hot tea, particularly Black and Green, deliver the same antioxidant power as one serving of fruit or vegetables.

The caffeine in Hot tea is released into the central nervous system gradually, prolonging its effects and eliminating the “crash” feeling that’s experienced while drinking coffee.