Rising Tea Trends That Will Sail Into 2019

Tea is a versatile drink. It can provide an energy boost while serving an inviting and zestful aroma. Tea started as a mistaken infusion in 2737 BCE, in China, and its popularity continues to rise, making it the second largest consumed drink in the world. With new tea trends cropping up here and there, the beverage continues to climb the fame ladder.

As 2018 nears its end, it's time to put some of the famous tea trends under the microscope. So, grab your favourite cup of tea and savour the trends that shined throughout 2018, and will easily flow into 2019.

Tea Trends #1: Hot Tea is still Hot

Hot tea will forever be the top preference of the crowd. With an ever-growing fan following, hot teas can be consumed in any weather. The warm nature of the teas with an anti-oxidant rich base help fight infections and illnesses while keeping the cold away. Teas infused with flavours of ginger, tulsi and mulethi are known to boost immunity, fight against cancerous cells and soothe throat troubles. Not just this, but a warm cup of tea will help you fight against cavities, which is great for your oral health. Though winters are always the preferred season for a warm cup of tea, summers are no strangers to a refreshing cup as well. Hot tea in the brimming season of summer is considered to be beneficial for your body. It cools your body better than a glass of iced tea. A research concludes that the caffeine in tea along with its general hot nature causes the body to sweat more. The sweating triggers the body's inbuilt cooling mechanism. When we speak of tea trends, hot tea flavours like chamomile, peppermint, jasmine and lemon are the best flavours for the warm season.

Tea Trends #2: Wellness Teas

For over a thousand years, people have trusted a variety of herbs for their specific medicinal properties. Botanical herbs combined with the goodness of green tea is what gives birth to wellness teas. For those with busy schedules, wellness teas work as quick and easy health trades. Their consumption provides relief from mental as well as physical ailments like stress, indigestion, skin problems, bloating, anxiety, insomnia etc. They are rich in anti-oxidants and help boost the body's immunity while getting rid of free radicals. People are always on the lookout for new ways to revamp their daily routines to boost their health. With ever-changing lifestyles, it is difficult to find ways to stay healthy. While there are a variety of teas out there, wellness teas are specially curated to deliver solutions for specific humane problems. Teafloor's ChaiSpa is one such wellness tea that provides a solution for mundane problems. It's seven variants target the everyday well-being of people- Urja for morning energy, Nidra for a good night's sleep, Shuddhi for detoxifying the body, Ananda for stress, Arogya for immunity, Spoorti for weight loss and Trupti for digestion. Out of all the tea trends, wellness tea is an actual spa for your mind, body & soul.

Tea Trends # 3: RTD Tea

There was a time when RTD or Ready-To-Drink Teas suffered from a bad image, labelled as an unhealthy alternative to traditional tea. However, it has undergone a complete makeover. Brands have begun emphasising the importance of their all natural ingredients, trendy super-food formulations and use specific types of teas. The RTD tea market has expanded exponentially, growing faster than that of sodas all the while reforming the tea landscape. They range from unsweetened herbal blends to chai lattes and flavoured teas. Promoted as super-foods in the market, RTDs are known to be mostly cold brewed, low on preservatives and high in antioxidants. Though RTD's have been around for a long time, they have recently made the tea trends list because its market has grown by 40% from 2011 to 2016, with an increasing average annual growth rate of 7%. With the inclination of millennials towards an improved lifestyle, ready-to-drink teas have become a healthier alternative for aerated beverages. While the most famous flavours in the market are mint and lemon, other blends include various spices, flowers and fruits.

Dessert Tea Trends

Tea Trends #4: Dessert Teas:

One of the most prominent tea trends to hit the market, dessert teas fall in the category of gourmet food and beverages. These are naturally sweet teas, served hot or cold. While some are teas with added fruits and flowers for flavour, some are tisanes which have no tea leaves but are made with flowers, fruits and herbs. Dessert teas are an excellent after-dinner hot drink option that is both decadent and low-calorie. You can easily enjoy a chocolate or vanilla flavoured tea at any time of the day without worrying about the calories. Recently, dessert teas have gained a lot of popularity in India, especially in cafes and restaurants that offer a range of beverages. They work an excellent replacement for those who do not want added sugar or milk in their teas. Naturally sweet teas are incredibly beneficial for people with high blood sugar, diabetes, and acne. They are helpful in decreasing the risk of heart diseases and early ageing. They aid in the prevention of weight gain and depression, as well as cavities. All in all, dessert teas help a person maintain a healthier lifestyle. Replacing dessert teas for heavy desserts works as a healthier alternative. Few of the favourite flavours in dessert teas include- strawberry, chocolate, apple cinnamon, cranberry apple, pineapple ginger, pomegranate, vanilla, orange zest, etc.

Tea Trends #5: Insta Trendy Teas

It's an age of 'insta tea trends', where what hits the online influencer market, impacts the population in general. One such thing is the innovation in tea brews. While tea remains to be a popular beverage, its flexible nature allows brewmasters to play with it to create new and exciting drinks. Besides the regular English breakfast, cafes around the world are now seeing creative teas that leave its drinkers baffled but asking for more.

Cold Brew Tea: Tea steeped in cold or room temperature water for an extended period is known as cold brew tea. This method of brewing gently extracts the flavour from tea leaves, not allowing the tea to turn bitter. The brew achieved from this method is high in quality. Primarily, this tea is brewed for about 16- 24 hours. It has higher amounts of anti-oxidants, with a sweet, sugar-free flavour. One of the best things about this tea is that it is very hydrating.
Bubble Tea: Originated from Taiwan during the 1980s, Bubble tea, or Boba, is what everyone is talking about right now. Originally called Pearl Tea, bubble tea is a sweet beverage made with tapioca pearls. This tea comes in two categories- with milk and without milk and is served both hot and cold. There are over 250 varieties of bubble tea, which are famous all over South East Asia. However, this trendy new drink has hit the shelves of the entire world's market and has become the talk of everyone's Instagram.
Nitro Tea: While a lot of us are familiar with Nitrogen Ice cream, the idea of Nirto Tea only sparks curiosity amongst those who hear about it. This silky and creamy tea is made without any dairy and sugar. It isn't bitter or heavy, but rather light to consume. Stored in kegs, it is poured into large glasses from taps, almost resembling beer. Its looks and taste has given it quite the fame amongst regular beer drinkers who are looking for a detox.
Cheese Tea: While the name itself might make a few people scrunch up their noses or shake their heads, the popularity of cheese tea is no joke. Though it owes its origins to Taiwanese vendors, it was commercialised by the Chinese who used cream cheese mixed with milk, whipping cream and a pinch of salt, creating a foamy top for the liquid tea underneath. A rising star in the latest tea trends, some tea houses sell up to 1000 cups of cheese tea every day. Tea selling stores have begun offering customised milk cream toppings such as cheesecake cream, creme brulee, white chocolate cream, and tiramisu etc.
While the market of tea trends is volatile, it will keep shifting to add a few new things or subtract a few others. However, the one thing that we are sure of is that tea itself is such a privileged form of beverage, which has evolved into a complete form of lifestyle for many drinkers.