By Rajeev Baid,
India is a paradise for tea lovers. Despite ranking second in tea production, Indian tea is one of the finest in the world due to solid geographical conditions, massive investment in tea processing units, constant innovation, strategic market expansion, and a complemented product mix. According to the Tea Board of India, India is among the top 5 tea exporters in the world, making about 10% of the total exports. In the year 2021, the total value of tea exports from India was around US$ 687.9 million.
Tea is undoubtedly the national drink of India, as no Indian starts or ends his day without a cup of ‘Chai’. With the outburst of social media, tea has accumulated a relative push and gained more popularity. Studies have proved that caffeine helps to enhance attention, alertness, and reaction time. As it is a good source of polyphenols, it can also aid in lowering the risk of conceiving chronic diseases, and they are very beneficial for bacteria that generate the group of microbiomes found inside the guts. Clinical trials have shown that daily consumption of tea, especially green tea, helps a little to enhance blood pressure and control cholesterol.
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New flavours are incorporated through nuts, flowers, flavour extracts, and spices, enabling tea lovers to explore different combinations, leading to the fast-growing market in India. Each part of the country has its own version of tea. From rich malty tea with milk to a cup of delicate Darjeeling black, each version has a lover. From classic to premium luxury blends, today’s tea lovers have a variety to choose from. According to the reports, last year during the festive season, demand surged by 83%, of which 22% rose in just one week.
Let’s talk about a few floral and orthodox blends to choose from this festive season:
Floral Teas
The vibrant ingredients in floral teas are a statement in itself. Lavender is best known for its calming effects, and it offers a mild aromatic fragrance that possesses comprehensive health benefits. The major benefits of lavender include better sleep, reduced inflammation, improved immune system, supporting the digestive system, and detoxifying the body from unwanted toxins, making it perfect for bedtime while blue tea makes it great for weight loss and serves as a refreshing drink to cool the body. It is naturally free of caffeine and is filled with antioxidants.
Floral teas have a considerable quantity of epigallocatechin gallate, a host of anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting components. It goes best with butter toast, sandwiches, sweet cheese, and smoked chicken. As a gift, they are trendy and healthy simultaneously.
Orthodox Teas
Orthodox teas are a topper in their own right. Often handcrafted, they have plenty of whole-leaf with intact buds that steep a cup with unmatched fragrance and flavours. Moonlight teas for instance is a variety of orthodox tea plucked at midnight and processed before the break of dawn to harvest the natural healthy elements and flavours. It is one of the least processed teas, hence it has maximum antioxidants and is well-known for immunity and overall wellness. These antioxidants protect the body against free radicals, which cause oxidative damage.
With a pale creamish colour, White Elixir is another orthodox tea with rich aromatic layers of sweetness, a delight to the tea connoisseur. White Elixir tea efficiently guards against many forms of ailments as it is naturally anti-oxidative. They are hand-plucked and hand-processed, making them the most delicate tea varieties. It helps to retain skin elasticity and glow, hence it is used in various cosmetic products. Though green tea is more popular, white elixir has a higher degree of health advantages.
Named after British Prime Minister Charles Grey, Earl Grey is one of the most sophisticated blends. Black tea blended meticulously with the citrusy bergamot oil, Earl Grey is full of polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals. For the sophistry and citrusy tinge to it, Earl Grey was the favourite of Queen Elizabeth herself.
Other than these blends and orthodox teas, many tea companies have come up with an assortment of tea gift sets that are thoughtfully curated. Tea is a timeless beverage and was considered a royal gift in ancient times. The opulent blends and luxurious tea gift sets still got the aura of bygone times and can make a marvellous gift for your friends, family, loved ones, and even for yourself. It is a gift that will have a lasting impressing. This Diwali, surprise them with teas that are the epitome of lusciousness, luxury and vigour.
(The author is Founder of ChaiChun & Director of Okayti Tea Estate. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)