An Even Fairer Cup of Tea

Next time you make a brew spare a thought for tea farmers across the developing world. Most are poverty stricken because the price they receive on the world markets doesn’t bear any resemblance to what it actually costs them to produce it.

So thank goodness for Teadirect’s unique minimum pricing scheme: it means growers are always protected from the extreme lows of the commodity market. Cafédirect, the company behind Teadirect, has recently increased its minimum price to ensure that all growers supplying Teadirect are rewarded for the quality of the tea that they produce.

This way they can make a decent living from their crop and you can enjoy a decent cuppa!Teadirect is available in packs of 40, 80 and 160 tea bags and for those who wish to cut down on caffeine there is also a decaffeinated version.

Expect to pay around £2 for a box of 80 Teadirect tea bags. Cafédirect’s range of teas, coffees and drinking chocolate is 100% Fairtrade and is available from most supermarkets, Oxfam shops, Traidcraft mail order and independent wholefood retailers.

You can also enjoy Cafédirect and Teadirect away from home, as more and more offices and public places stock the range.

The Bag Tea, Facts and Fiction, conversation with Master Wu.

Are teas bags the same as loose teas?
No

Why not?
Teas are a generic name that is given to any form of herbs, or leaves in multiple forms, and processing conditions. The key element is which are the, really good leaves? Which ones can deliver the especial flavour, aroma? Which one can provide the nutrients and natural elements that will benefit the health and well-being?

So how can one go about and choose the best tea?
Easy, follow the three steps;
1. Buy Teas that are closer to its natural form as possible
2. Buy Teas which have no manufactured or industrial process involved.
3. Buy teas, which are pure, with no added flavours or gimmicks to look or taste different from its original form.

Its like eating an apple from the tree ; the purest, the fresher and without any additives , it’s the best one as far as taste and nutrition. Teas are no different.

So how Tea bags and Loose Teas compare to the three steps to a good cup?
Bag teas, are cooked, crushed, and mixed with all sorts of additives and most of the time through an industrial process, which really means that this drink is really far from what I would consider, real Tea. If one just give it a try, anyone will notice that one is aromatised processed herbs, while loose teas, you can see, smell and taste what you are drinking; Not to mention the wealth of great nutritional health benefits that only Tea, in its pure form can provide.

When we go to the shop, how can we find the good organic pure Tea?
The word organic is rather confusing since the definition has now been so much altered that leaves the consumer at loss as far as the quality of the Tea is concern. The best way is to try to find the simpler and the most natural leaves that one can find. Labels can be highly deceiving so one must look to what it is inside the box not in what it’s written outside. Let the Tea speak to your mind and body, and then you will know.

Master Wu

www.innteas.com

New study shows black tea helps with stress relief (Sorry, Mormons!)

Drinking tea can help you recover more quickly from the stresses of everyday life, according to a new study by UCL (University College London) researchers. New scientific evidence shows that black tea has an effect on stress hormone levels in the body.

The study, published in the journal Psychopharmacology, found that people who drank tea were able to de-stress more quickly than those who drank a fake tea substitute. The study participants - who drank a black tea concoction four times a day for six weeks - were found to have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood after a stressful event, compared with a control group who drank the placebo tea for the same period of time.

In the six week study, particpants gave up their normal tea, coffee and caffeinated beverages, then one group was given a fruit-flavoured caffeinated tea mixture made up of the constituents of an average cup of black tea whilst the control group was given a caffeinated placebo identical in taste. Both groups were subjected to challenging tasks, while their levels of stress were measured.

When measured both groups showed evidence of similar stress levels, however, 50 minutes after the task, cortisol levels had dropped by an average of 47 per cent in the tea drinking group compared with 27 per cent in the placebo tea group.

Bill Gorman of The UK Tea Council said; "This new research adds to the evidence that drinking tea is good for you. Not only does tea hydrate and offer some protection against heart disease and some cancers, it's now proven to de-stress too. It's great to know that a cuppa, one of life's great comforts, can be enjoyed not just for the taste but also for its health benefits."

Celebrate the ' Year of the Pig ' with Tetley Green Tea!

On 18 February, 1.3 billion people in China and around 160,000 Chinese residents in the UK begin a 15-day celebration of Chinese New Year.

A truly global celebration, Chinese NewYear includes many centuries-old customs. Red envelopes containing money are given to unmarried adults and children and there is the ritualistic serving of green tea on the ninth day to pay respect to an honoured person.

But there is also more widespread drinking of green tea throughout the celebrations (and, of course, throughout the year), making New Year's drinks a rather healthier option in China than they tend to be in the UK!

And now you can join in the celebrations and welcome the 'Year of the Pig 'with a cup of authentic Tetley Green Tea. With leaves gently steamed to preserve the delicate flavour of the Camellia Sinensis plant it comes from,Tetley Green Tea gives a great taste of this ancient Chinese tradition.

Tetley green teas are naturally rich in antioxidants, hydrating like waterand without any calories or fat whatsoever. If you want to extend your New Year celebrations, remember there are fourdifferent varieties from Tetley to try.

As well as Green Tea Pure, thereis Tetley Green Lemon which is a perfect pick me up, Tetley Green Mint with extra zest thanks to its real mint and even a Decaffeinated Green tea. Whichever one you choose, you'll open a treasure-trove of flavour and benefits to your health.

So go out, wish your friends and family good health, good fortune and prosperity - and share with them a cup of Tetley Green Tea.

Overview of Britain's favourite tea maker: Tetley is the biggest manufacturer and distributor of tea in the UK. It has exactly one quarter of the country’s £530m-a-year tea market, and its main brand tea bags are regularly bought by over eight million UK households.

The four popular varieties of Tetley Green Tea make it a strong contender in the UK’s fast-growing green tea market, currently worth £14.8m.

Tetley are experts in tea, and have a huge range of other brands of teas and infusions, and these are becoming an increasingly important part of its business. Some, such as luxury teas Earl Grey and English Breakfast or old favourites Quick Brew and Lyons Red Label, are aimed at more traditional markets.

Others address the growing demand for alternative, overtly healthy hot drinks. Tetley already has a strong range of herbal and fruit infusions, and it is expanding its offering still further with new brand like Tetley Redbush and Tetley Organic.

Combining tradition with innovation in this way, Tetley is well placed to consolidate its place as Britain's favourite tea maker. Tetley really is ‘Everyone’s cup of tea!'

www.tetley.co.uk

www.tetley.com

www.teaexperts.co.uk

Just think! All those poor faith Mormons missing out on the benefits of green tea. It is quite sad, isn't it?