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China Xiamen International Tea Industry Fair 2024Autumn Edition）

China Xiamen International Tea Industry Fair 2024（Autumn Edition）We, Prestige Ceylon Teas (Pvt) Ltd will be participating at the China Xiamen International Tea Industry Fair 2024 (Autumn Edition) from October 10th – 14th, 2024. Please Visit our Stall No. A6082 under the Sri Lanka Tea Board Main Stall.

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The Health Benefits of Tea

Nearly half of the U.S. population enjoys a tea beverage every day. The most common types of caffeinated teas are black, green and oolong and the popularity of each type varies geographically. In the U.S., black tea consumption far outweighs the other two types of tea. In contrast, in Asia, green tea is the more common variety; in Southern China, oolong tea tops the charts.

Black, green and oolong tea are made from the same plant. The unique flavor profiles for each of these teas are due to differences in how the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant are processed. Herbal teas, however, are not made from the same plant. These teas are products of the roots, leaves, flowers and other components of a variety of plants. Chamomile and peppermint are two popular herbal teas. Chamomile is made from the plant’s flowers and peppermint tea is produced with the leaves of a mint plant.

Loose Leaf or Bagged?
If you’re a regular tea drinker, you may have debated whether to use loose leaf tea or tea bags. While tea bags offer the convenience of being pre-portioned and require little cleanup, some tea enthusiasts believe loose leaf offers a stronger flavor and allows for multiple cups. There’s currently a lack of research to suggest that one brewing method offers nutritional advantages over the other.

Caffeine and Nutrients in Tea
Black, green and oolong tea all contain caffeine. Black tea has more caffeine than green tea. However, the caffeine content also relates to the brewing process. The longer tea steeps, the greater the caffeine content. Caffeinated teas typically have less caffeine than coffee:

One 8-ounce cup of coffee contains about 95 milligrams of caffeine.
An equal amount of black tea has around 48 milligrams.
In a cup of green tea, there are only about 29 milligrams of caffeine.
Oolong provides about 38 milligrams of caffeine per cup.
Decaffeinated black, green and oolong teas contain very small amounts of caffeine.
Many herbal teas are caffeine-free.
Both caffeinated and herbal teas may provide very small amounts of minerals such as potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, copper and zinc. The actual amount varies depending upon the age and growing conditions of the tea plant. For instance, there are only about 5 milligrams of calcium in one cup of herbal tea, such as chamomile. Tea also is a source of fluoride, but the amount can vary depending on the type and the amount of water used to make it.

Purported Health Benefits of Tea
Natural substances called polyphenols are found in both caffeinated and herbal teas. These substances are antioxidants, compounds that may help reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases.

During processing, some polyphenols in tea are destroyed. Thus, tea powders, decaffeinated teas and bottled tea drinks may not offer the same health benefits. Additionally, research suggests that green teas offer a greater antioxidant punch compared to most other varieties.

Weight Management
The research on drinking tea and weight loss is conflicting. Some studies suggest that the caffeine and catechins, a type of polyphenol, in tea may support weight loss. Decaffeinated green teas did not appear to produce the same results. Other lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, also may have played a role. Also of note, research is lacking to support the wide range of herbal tea products advertised for weight loss, and these can be harmful depending on their ingredients.

Heart Health
Tea drinkers may be helping to keep their hearts healthy. Some research has shown a reduced risk of heart disease in people who drink green tea regularly with some studies showing small decreases in low density lipoproteins (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, levels. Findings have been mixed in terms of tea’s effect on lowering blood pressure.

Diabetes
Research relating to diabetes is less clear. Researchers are evaluating if spearmint and chamomile herbal teas can play a role in preventing diabetes. More research is needed on the amount and type of tea, especially since some of the results have involved tea in supplement form rather than a beverage.

Cancer
Although there is a lot of information online about tea as a cancer-fighting beverage, research has not proven that consuming tea helps to reduce the risk of cancer. Some studies suggest tea drinkers have a lower risk for certain types of cancer, but other studies do not support these findings. At this time, it is unknown if tea drinking can reduce your risk of cancer.

Too Much of a Good Thing: Health Risks of Tea
While there are lots of good things about consuming tea, overdoing it can put your health at risk.
One risk is caffeine overload. Large amounts of caffeine may lead to nervousness, restlessness and may disturb your sleep. Some people may experience loose stools and other gastrointestinal issues. Nausea, abdominal pain, heartburn, dizziness and muscle pain are other possible side effects of consuming too much caffeine. Also, tea may interact with certain medications and increase the effects of caffeine in the body. Total daily intake of caffeine from all sources should not exceed 400 milligrams.

A Nice Cup of Tea
Although more research is needed to pin down all of its benefits, tea can be part of a healthy eating pattern. For the most powerful punch, brew your own tea and be mindful of how it is sweetened to limit sources of added sugars. Adding a little mint to green tea, for example, is a great way to amp up the flavor. Chai tea uses a variety of spices, milk and a small amount of honey or sugar to enhance black tea. Lots of options!

Contributors: Barbara Gordon, RDN, LD

Reviewers: Academy Nutrition Information Services Team

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Challenges in global black tea production and consumption

Last week (27-29 September), the North American Tea Conference (NATC) was held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Organized by the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada (THAC), it was the first time the three-day event took place in person since 2019 (organized then by the Tea Association of the USA). The NATC is attended by major global tea brands and suppliers, and offers a multitude of insightful, thought-provoking sessions, and strong networking opportunities.

World tea production (Camellia sinensis, not botanical/herbal teas) has more than doubled in the last 20 years (2001-2021), with black tea production growing at a faster rate than green tea. Most of the growth is coming from Asia and from rising consumption in producing countries. While this should be good news, Ian Gibbs, chairman of the International Tea Committee, shared that while production surged, exports are flat.

Both Gibbs and Jem McDowall, vice president, Universal Commodities Tea Trading, gave valuable, yet alarming presentations on global black tea production and consumption, noting that over the last 10 years, production and consumption have diverged with production continuing to exceed consumption.

“As the gap widens,” said Gibbs, “the pressure on tea grows and prices drop.”

“The balance between supply and demand has become problematic,” said McDowall. “Overall market imports have been flat for 10 years, even showing signs of decline. Globally, supply is increasing but consumption decreasing. Surplus results in supply chains filling up and logistics slowing down,” he shared, adding that there has been sustained pressures on depressed markets for a decade.

Gibbs said that Kenya, China and Uganda are the only countries to have increased their share of the export market, pointing out that 38% of Kenyan tea exports go to Pakistan and 85% of Pakistan’s tea imports come from Kenya.

The supply and demand problems have been spurred by factors such as production in East Africa rising sharply, while black tea imports in Russia and the United Kingdom have fallen. Furthermore, McDowall explained that there is product commoditization and a quality/variety imbalance that is also impacting consumption.

However, I believe a significant problem contributing to the decline black tea consumption, and one that was not discussed during any of the NATC sessions, is the surge in consumption of botanical/herbal teas. Younger consumers like the flavours fruity, floral and spiced teas (botanical/herbal) offer. Tea sales spiked during Covid as consumers actively searched for and purchased functional and wellness teas, especially those that were ‘immune-boosting’, ‘stress-relieving’ and ‘rest-inducing/calming’. The issue here is that many of those ‘teas’, particularly the stress-relieving and rest-inducing/calming varieties, contain no actual Camellia sinensis. So, while global market research firms have touted the global increase in ‘tea consumption’ (tea is the second-most consumed beverage in the world after water), the growth seems to be in botanical/herbal teas, which does not benefit black or green tea production.

If the tea producers were also growing many of the fruits and plants (for florals and spices) it was offset the decrease in demand for black tea, thus they would benefit from the rise in botanical/herbal tea consumption, but this does not seem to be the case (I have no data evidencing this presently but will be investigating further). Add the decline in black tea consumption to problems producers are already facing such as input costs rising and labour shortages, the outlook is far from positive for black tea production moving forward.

Furthermore, McDowall explained that mechanization is growing fast where possible but it is being used for lower quality tea and it aids in putting workers – tea pickers – out of work. “Large-scale producers will likely continue to invest in mechanization, while small-scale [ones] cannot afford to do so, thus squeezing more producers, which will likely result in producers abandoning tea for more profitable crops (avocado, eucalyptus, etc.).

But how to reverse the black tea production and consumption trends, remains to be seen.

Reference: Click Here

Is Black Tea Good For Colds

Does Black Tea Aid In Getting Through A Nasty Cold?

It is one of the worst feelings to have a runny nose that is often followed by a sore throat. This would often lead to fever if not attended to and taken care of. Bacteria would build up near the tonsils causing added problems. Consuming a hot beverage is very effective and simple, to say the least. A hot cup of Black Tea possesses many more benefits in addition to the warming and soothing effects.

Anti-Inflammation
Black Tea has anti-inflammation properties from the polyphenols present in them. This aids in the treatment to relieve the dryness and itchiness of the throat which often follows a runny nose. One would often try, and clear the nose and throat making slight bruises to the inner parts of the throat. A steaming cuppa of Black Tea will soothe and treat it. The 3 cups a day routine often does the trick. After meals have a cup of Black Tea 3 times a day for a shorter downtime.

Anti-Viral
Black Tea has very potent levels of anti-viral properties. Consuming Black Tea with lemon amplifies the antiviral properties even more. Remember to add a squeeze or two of lemon juice to your next cuppa of Black Tea. This will help aid in the destruction of the total virus population in your body. Furthermore, toxins in your system will also be eliminated by cleansing the gut which is an area in which large amounts of toxins accumulate over time.

Anti-Oxidants
Black Tea possesses high levels of antioxidants that help our body’s system. Poisonous and undesirable elements, that have entered the body, are eliminated.

Vitamin B
Black Tea is a very good source of Vitamin B, which helps with the body’s immunity. If you are down with a cold, flu or even fever keep in mind to drink Black Tea regularly to assist your body with recovery.

How to Amplify Black Teas’ Ability to Fight Colds!

Lemon
Add a few squeezes of Lemon into a steaming cuppa of Black Tea and increase the active compounds that aid in the fight against colds coughs and sore throats to balance it out without adding any type of refined sugars make it a point to add nature’s Honey bounty.

The Worlds’ Largest Tea Bush

Back in the early ’60s, there was something truly magical about a certain bush on an estate located in the rolling hills of Haputale in the Uva region of Sri Lanka (Formally Ceylon) called Pitaratmali Estate. This garden was owned by 2 plantation companies in Ceylon named Ceylon Tea plantation Company Ltd. and The Ceylon Proprietary Tea Estates Company Ltd.

It stood there, proud and majestic, amid a field of bushes; each seemingly competing for space, but this one was different. It was around 100 feet in diameter, a giant in its own right. When the time came for its annual pruning ritual in 1962 or ’63, it underwent a remarkable transformation, with 294 pruning cuts carefully executed.

This bush was a real showstopper, and the workers on the estate affectionately referred to it as “high jat” or “vella thaylay” in Tamil, which means “one can’t beat” – a when translated into English which is a testament to its towering stature.

It had a single, massive trunk from which sprawling branches reached out, starting from about a foot above the ground. For about half their length, these branches stood at roughly a foot in height and, if you looked at them from the side, they had a graceful elliptical shape. Can you imagine that? A bush with elliptical branches! This was because Tea plants do not normally grow to be this size and the sheer weight of the branch would make it bend.