The Rise of the Flavored Tea Market
Tea is the most popular drink in the world after water, and people have been drinking it for centuries as a refreshing anytime beverage with many health benefits. Nowadays, consumers are turning to tea as a healthier alternative to sugary soft drinks, coffee, and alcohol. As the interest in tea resurges, many brands have started offering flavored teas that appeal to young consumers looking for tasty new convenience drinks.
The Health Benefits of Tea
Tea has the most health benefits of all the popular household drinks, making it an attractive choice for health-conscious consumers. Although each variety of tea, such as green tea, oolong, or chai, has a slightly different chemical composition, they all contain healthy antioxidants.
Research has shown that drinking tea regularly may have many health benefits, such as:
- Lowering the risk of various types of cancer
- Reducing blood pressure, lowering the risk of hypertension
- Boosting heart health
- Supporting a healthy gut
- Lowering and managing LDL cholesterol
Tea that contains caffeine has also been shown to heighten mental alertness and help people concentrate during work or study. Herbal teas, such as peppermint and chamomile, contain other plant extracts with different uses, such as stress relief or weight loss.
What is Tea Extract?
Tea extract is a concentrated form of green or black tea containing the same plant compounds (polyphenols) as the tea leaves. Green tea extract is often decaffeinated, preserving all the healthful ingredients without high caffeine levels.
You can use black tea extract as the base for chai and flavored teas, while green tea extract is a common ingredient in anti-inflammatory cosmetics and functional beverages.
How Are Flavored Teas Made?
Flavored teas are tea-based drinks with extra ingredients that change their flavor and scent profiles. Manufacturers typically use green or black tea as a base for flavored teas and add whole fruit pieces, blossoms, or spices to enhance their taste, visual appeal, and aroma. These additions are called inclusions and are not usually strong enough to change the flavor of the tea on their own.
That’s where extracts and flavorings come in. To enhance the flavor, manufacturers often coat dry tea leaves with liquid plant extracts or blend dry flavorings into the final product. The most common extracts and flavorings for tea are peppermint, cinnamon, cloves, peach, lemon, and ginger.
Flavored Tea Trends for 2023
The flavored tea market is growing as more people search for healthy coffee alternatives and bases for low-alcohol seltzers. Here are some of the most popular flavors for tea and iced tea to look out for in 2023:
- Hibiscus infusions. Hibiscus has a fruity, floral taste comparable to cranberries. It also gives tea-based drinks a rich, red color and adds plenty of antioxidants.
- Blueberry tea. This blend has a fresh, fruity taste that works well in cold brews. Blueberries are packed with Vitamin C and K, giving your tea-based drink immune-boosting properties.
- Yuzu blends. Yuzu gives the tea a bright, citrussy taste that pairs well with spicy flavors and honey. It’s also packed with antioxidants and vitamin C.
- Acai berry tea. These berries have an earthy, bitter taste that complements richer flavor profiles. Adding them to tea may increase its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
People worldwide have been enjoying tea as a healthy drink for centuries. Today, many companies use tea and its extracts to make delicious yet healthful hard seltzers, hot beverages, sports drinks, cocktails, energy drinks, and more. Advanced Biotech supplies a range of natural and certified-organic tea extracts for the food and beverage industry. Please contact us for more information.