Refreshing Summer Tea Is More Than the Coolest Iced Bev

NEW YORK, June 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- What's a hot summer day without a tall glass of freshly brewed, icy-cold tea? On any given day, more than one half of the American population drinks tea, with 75 – 80% opting for iced over hot. In honor of National Iced Tea Month this June, the Tea Council of the USA is celebrating tea lovers across America. Simply share your favorite iced tea recipe on Instagram or Twitter, tag and follow @TeaCouncil and hashtag #NationalIcedTeaMonth and #SummerNecessiTEA for a chance to win a beauTEAful teapot and other tea-related essentials.

Approximately four in five consumers sip on the world's most widely consumed beverage next to water, with Millennials being the most likely to reach for a "cuppa." And for 24 million Americans, drinking a cup of their favorite brew is just as good as a Netflix and Chill session.

Here's the tea on how and why America is embracing iced tea as their go-to summer sip and healthiest summer staple.

Tea is as Good as it Gets. According to a survey commissioned by the Tea Council of the USA, 24 million Americans think that drinking a cup of their favorite brew is as good as sex. In a surprising twist, more men than women (13% vs. 8%) and more Millennials than older generations (16% vs. 7%) feel this way.

No Sunday Scaries Here. Counting down the days until your Summer Friday? The survey also showed that nearly one-quarter (22%) of Americans could not survive Monday morning without their daily fuel – tea. Fewer say this about pressing the snooze button on their alarm (17%), reading their favorite blog (14%) or using their Outlook calendar (12%).

More Than a Just a Sip. In 2018, Americans consumed more than 84 billion servings of tea. But Millennial tea lovers get more than a tasty beverage when reaching for a brew. Consuming black, green, white, oolong or dark teas, which originate from the Camellia sinensis plant, has been linked to countless seasonal health benefits.

• Drinking green tea polyphenols has been linked to increased skin protection from UV rays and improved elasticity. In a 12-week trial, where women were randomized to drinking extracted green tea polyphenols, they saw improvements in skin elasticity, roughness and scaling thought to be a result of increased blood flow and oxygen delivery to the skin.¹
• Early research in animal models suggests that both black tea and green tea polyphenols may impact the gut microbiome to promote weight loss. Research on mice also suggests that when given a green or black tea polyphenol supplement, after being fed a high-fat, high-sugar diet, weight loss was triggered due to changes in the gut microbiome.² Researchers concluded that tea polyphenols had an impact on the gut microbiome to increase weight loss.
• Research using data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis demonstrated that tea drinkers have slowed progression of calcification and fewer cardiovascular events.³ Specifically, black tea consumption has been linked to decreased risk for a heart attack and improved cardiovascular health.^4,5

"As the popularity of tea surges, we've learned that tea is much more than just a healthy, refreshing beverage. Millennials truly have an emotional connection with tea," says Peter Goggi, President of the Tea Council of the USA. "We are pleased to honor National Iced Tea Month and inspire consumers to share their favorite way to enjoy tea– iced!"

Stay Refreshed with the Tea Council of the USA's Guide to Brewing the Perfect Batch of Iced Tea
For large quantities, prepare as follows:

• Bring one quart of cold water to a rolling boil.
• Remove from heat and add 8-10 teabags per quart of brewed tea, as desired.
• Steep 3-5 minutes and pour over ice cubes or into additional cold water.
• To serve, pour into tall glasses filled with ice, garnish or sweeten as desired.

About the Tea Council of the USA:
The Tea Council of the USA is a non-profit association that was formed in 1950 as a partnership between tea packers, importers and allied industries within the United States, and the major tea producing countries. It functions as the promotional arm of the tea industry with a primary goal of increasing overall awareness of tea by providing information about its many positive attributes. One of the Council's primary objectives is the dissemination of key scientific findings about tea to the public. The Tea Council does this in several ways including: funding scientific meetings to bring tea researchers from around the world together to share key information and identify next steps for future research projects; and working with health organizations and international scientists to disseminate information about potential positive health effects of tea consumption on a public level.

About the Survey:
The Tea Council of the USA Survey was conducted by Kelton Global online between April 14th and April 23^rd, 2015 among 1,012 nationally representative Americans ages 18 and over with a +/-3.1 percent margin of error. Quotas are set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the entire U.S. population ages 18 and over.

¹ Heinrich U, Moore CE, De Spirt S, Tronnier H, Stahl W. Green tea polyphenols provide photoprotection, increase microcirculation, and modulate skin properties of women. J Nutr 2011; 141:1202-8.
² Henning SM, Yang J, Hsu, M, Lee RP, Grojean EM, Ly A, Tseng CH, Heber D, Li Z. Decaffeinated green and black tea polyphenols decrease weight gain and alter microbiome populations and function in diet-induced obese mice. Eur J Nutr 2018; 57(8):2759-69.
³ Miller PE, Zhao D, Frazier-Wood AC, Michos ED, Averill M, Sandfort V, Burke GL, et al. Associations of coffee, tea and caffeine intake with coronary artery calcification and cardiovascular events. Am J Med. 2017;130 (2): 188-97.
⁴ Sesso HD, Gaziano JM, Buring JE, Hennekens CH.  Coffee and tea intake and the risk of myocardial infarction.  Am J Epidemiol. 1999;149:162-7.
⁵ Geleijnse JM, Launer LJ, Hofman A, Pols HAP, Witteman JCM.  Tea flavonoids may protect against atherosclerosis: the Rotterdam Study.  Arch Intern Med. 1999;159:2170-4.

Contact: Christina Deecken, [email protected]

SOURCE The Tea Council of the USA

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