Healthy tea: Purple tea

Health experts and scientists have been talking about the health benefits of tea, especially green tea for a long time now. The focus is now shifting from green tea to purple tea, a new variety bursting with antioxidants.  The rare tea that is currently being grown in Kenya is sweet tasting with a pleasant aroma.

Purple tea has been found to have a host of medicinal properties. It is rich in anthocyanins and is low on catechins. High in antioxidants and lower in caffeine content, purple tea aids in improving vision, lowering cholesterol and blood sugar metabolism and also provides anti-cancer benefits.

The purple pigment comes from anthocyanins which makes the tea more astringent. The flavour is brisk, earthy and rustic compared to regular black tea. The unique thirst quenching quality is known to reduce the risk of cardiac arrest and hypertension.

Tocklai Tea Research Institute (TTRI)'s senior advisory officer (principal scientist) Pradip Barua said, "Assam has tremendous potential to produce purple tea, as it is the tea of the future as far as health benefits are concerned. Besides, such tea bushes are still found in the state".

Cha Bazaar that has tea estates in Assam and runs the online tea store The Tea Shelf, has growing purple tea in its tea estates. You can Read more about Purple tea.