Chanoyu in Japan, afternoon tea in the UK, tea is recognised all over the world as a relaxing and beneficial moment during the day especially this year.
by Francesca Mazzola
Brits are some of the biggest tea drinkers in the world with almost five pounds used per person but they are also becoming more aware of other types of teas, Mintel reports.
People between the age of 25 and 34 drink five or even six different type of brews in the UK, but black tea is always on the top of the shelf, in fact it represents 70% of the varieties consumed daily.
Next to it are herbal and spice teas (36%) and green tea (34%).
“In the last years people started to realize their interest in health and they are attracted in tea because it has health benefits,” says Lydie Lee, 40, tea specialist.
Lee, originally from South Korea, works at the Tea House in Covent Garden but she travelled from Asia to Europe to share her passion with the world.
“The Western people are more attracted to green tea, white tea and oolong tea while the Asian people are more attracted to black tea because of the English influence and it’s exotic for them, the cultures are switching,” says Lee while is displaying some of the bestselling items.
In 2014 almost 40% of the tea imports destined for the European Union went to the UK but it’s “paradoxical seeing them putting milk or sugar in black tea,” says Lee.
Green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea are all derived from the Camelia sinesis plant, native to China and India, which contains antioxidants called flavonoids.
“Pur-eh tea is also beneficial lowering cholesterol levels,” the tea specialist says.
This new positive trend is because of people looking at the healthy side of drinking exotic teas impacting instead the sales of black tea which have fallen by 13%.
“I don’t like the taste but I believe they can be used as medicine but I would rather use conventional products like paracetamol because I want the faster and stronger cure, but drinking tea is also a way to take less medicines,” says Maria Alvarez, 25, pr.