Rare things in life are always treasured. Or rather sipped to health! Purple tea is one such rare variety of tea that’s finding its place in the tea lounges and gossip discussions. What’s so unique about this form of tea that’s making it privileged and not-to-miss product?
For knowledge sake, Purple tea is a rare variety of tea that’s grown in Mount Kenya region. And they are selective gardens, mind you, not run of the mill. A green alternative for tea drinkers, tea farmers in Kenya are favouring this new tea due to its health benefits. History however shows the destination origin of Purple tea as Tocklai in the Assam state.
As for the taste, it would certainly cheer your senses. This beverage has sweet notes with a pleasant lingering aroma. Interestingly, Purple tea is claimed to have similar health benefits as those of the green tea.
Health Benefits of Purple Tea
Some of the rare and exotic things in life know how to impress. That’s the same with Purple tea. This breed of tea is known to have exceptionally high grades of anthocyanins and catechins that are known to bring excellent health benefits to humans. In fact, the purple colour of this tea is due to the presence of anthocyanins.
Due to the presence of these pigments, this beverage has more earthly, brisk and rustic flavour to it than the conventional black tea. It also has unique thirst quenching ability. In the international market, this type of tea fetches three to four times the price of black tea.
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Care for a deeper insight? Well, catechin is the epigallocatechin gallate (EPCG). During fermentation, when EPCG is oxidised, flavins are formed that are responsible for bringing the briskness in the cup. The more gallated the flavins, better the cup quality.
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When steamed to produce green purple tea, the high levels of EPCG retained are highly anti-oxidant in nature. This helps fight free radicals in the body, thereby reducing hypertension and cardiac arrests.
To sum it up, Purple tea is a rare type of herbal tea that offers superb briskness and flavor in oxidized form. A few salient points about it that would interest every tea drinker and experimenter:
1. High levels of theaflavins that make this tea a good thirst quencher.
2. Helps fight constipation.
3. Helps in bringing regularity in menstruation.
4. Lowers heat in the body.
India – the new venue to grow Purple Tea
There is a different joy that comes when imported goods come to the Indian consumer. That’s the same with Purple tea as well. According to sources and in all likelihood, Assam is the Indian state where Purple tea shall be cultivated. A fact that was disclosed by a senior research and principal scientist at Tocklai Tea Research Institute Pradip Barua who 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”. The clone TRFK 306/1 for purple tea of Kenya originally belonged to Assam. In fact, wild bushes of this tea have been found in the hilly forest areas of Karbi Anglong district and Longai area of Cachar district in Barak Valley, he added.
Presently, Kenya is the only country in the world to produce this tea variant.
Purple tea responds better to frost, disease and pests. Whatever might be the benefits, the tea of the future Purple Tea shall kiss our lips and heart to good health in the near future.
