One or two sugars? With or without milk? Herbal or breakfast tea? There’s no doubt that Britain is a nation of tea lovers. In fact, 60% of Brits start drinking tea at primary school age.
However, according to new research from The Tea Group, over half of Brits (55%) say that they’d prefer a herbal or other leaf-based tea blend over the traditional English Breakfast tea that the nation is famed for.
However, we haven’t given up on having a little snack with our tea - over 90% of Brits still pair their tea with a biscuit, cake, or sandwich.
How Do You Like Your Brew?
22% of people prefer a green tea such as matcha, 11% choose rooibos, ginger, peppermint, chamomile or fruit tea as their blend of choice. More than half of people surveyed like to have their morning tea with milk, a quarter like it rich and malty and 15% prefer herbaceous - all made directly into a mug for 68% of people.
However, one in five people did agree that the traditional way of serving tea - loose leaves brewed in a teapot served into a china cup - still makes the ‘perfect’ brew.
Diaz Ayub, Managing Director at The Tea Group, said: “It is wonderful to see how Brits are embracing the range of artisan tea, cold brews and herbal varieties available today.
“The Traditional English Breakfast Tea has been a staple part of UK culture for centuries, and remains so for 45% of the tea lovers we surveyed. However, our findings reveal that the future of tea is much more diverse with a new generation of tea drinkers who are moving beyond the traditional brew to embrace a mixology of teas that inspire health and happiness.”
Health Benefits of Herbal Teas
While 87% of tea drinkers say that tea makes them feel ‘calm and relaxed’, there are quite a lot of health benefits associated with alternative teas:
- Green tea can boost brain function, helping with alertness and focus as well as increase in dopamine.
- Black tea has antioxidant properties, which can protect against chronic disease and benefit heart health.
- Oolong tea can lower cholesterol, improve sleep quality and reduce stress and anxiety in frequent drinkers.
A Versatile Drink Choice
If you’re looking to introduce tea to more of your day, Diaz Ayub has some advice for diversifying your tea drinking:
“Tea plays a role in so many cultures and can be enjoyed in so many ways, and we’re seeing this in the UK with more tea-lovers pairing various teas with different types of food. Try succulent scallops with Japanese Gyokuro tea served in a wine glass, or pistachio macaron with milky Oolong tea, or the traditional shepherd’s pie is great with an English Breakfast tea.
“It’s a drink that offers a world of opportunity for trying fresh delights and our study shows that Brits’ taste for tea is stronger than ever.”