Growing Consumer Interest in Tea Due to Rising Awareness of Health Benefits

There’s National Chocolate Day, National Beer Day and pretty much a time of year dedicated to every popular food or beverage item you can think of. But did you know January is deemed National Hot Tea Month?

There’s National Chocolate Day, National Beer Day and pretty much a time of year dedicated to every popular food or beverage item you can think of.

But did you know January is deemed National Hot Tea Month? That’s right, even tea lovers get to be in the lime light one time of year.

While the holiday season is about giving to others, the New Year is quite the opposite; with a time to focus on taking care of yourself. It presents a perfect opportunity to start new and focus on personal health and happiness.

For me, rejuvenating with a cup of tea is the perfect way to promote relaxation and provide my body with many health benefits. So in honor of National Hot Tea Month, let’s drink in some statistics about the beverage.

According to a release by the Tea Council of the USA, approximately four out of five consumers (or 80 percent) drink tea. The American Botanical Council attributes the growing consumer interest in tea to the rising awareness of health and wellness benefits of the beverage.

Peter Goggi, President of the Tea Council of the USA, said in a release that while 84 percent of all tea consumed in the U.S. is black tea, there are many other flavors, including green, oolong or white.

“There is a large and growing body of research backing it [tea] as a healthy, good-for-you beverage,” Goggi said.

Steeping in the Health Benefits

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published 12 studies in its December 2013 issue about tea’s role in cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, metabolism and brain function. Here are just a few:

Weight: According to the release, in one review researchers concluded that consumers who drank green tea with caffeine lost on average 2.9 pounds in a 12 week period. While studies on the benefits of weight loss from tea vary on many factors, in my opinion you really can’t go wrong drinking a few cups of this stuff a day.

Mood, Mental Alertness: The release also mentioned a study that found drinking tea improved attention span and allowed consumers to be more focused on the task at hand. These results were found for those who drank two to three cups of tea on average.

And while some may not be quick to trust a random study, I can attest to feeling more alert after having a couple of cups of tea. I prefer green tea as my choice of beverage, but I am sure with the many varieties and flavors out there, there is something that works for everyone.

Heart Health: A study published by Claudio Ferri, MD, University L’Aquila, Italy found that black tea actually reduced blood pressure. Among hypertensive individuals, it also helped counteract the negative effects of a high-fat meal on blood pressure and arterial blood flow. And according to the release, drinking just one cup of tea a day may reduce the incidence of stroke and heart attacks by 10 percent.

So what’s your favorite kind of tea? Do you agree with the studies that it is one of the healthiest beverage choices on the market? Comment below!

More in Operations