Today, we mark International Tea Day and emphasize the increasing demand of tea and its benefits. It is observed on May 21 every year. While the traditional method of preparing milk tea involves the addition of sugar and is not that healthy for you, herbal teas are sugar-free, organic, and absolutely healthy. Herbs used to make these teas have medicinal properties which can be beneficial.
May 21 was designated as International Tea Day by the United Nations General Assembly in 2019, after the Food and Agricultural Organization’s Intergovernmental Group emphasised on making more efforts to expand tea demand in tea-producing countries, where per capita consumption is relatively low.
The group had also called for measures to address falling per capita consumption in countries importing tea.
“The tea industry is a main source of income and exports revenus for some of the poorest countries and, as a labour-intensive sector, provides jobs, especially in remote and economically disadvantaged areas,” the United Nations said. “Tea can play a significant role in rural development, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries, being one of the most important cash crops.”
The UN also highlighted the health-related and cultural significance of tea.
Tea production is inextricably linked to climate change and the UN called on nations around the world to integrate climate challenges with their tea development strategies.
“Changes in temperature and rainfall patterns, with more floods and droughts, are already affecting yields, tea product quality and prices, lowering incomes and threatening rural livelihoods,” the UN said. “These climate changes are expected to intensify, calling for urgent adaptation measures”.
It added: “In parallel, there is a growing recognition of the need to contribute to climate change mitigation, by reducing carbon emissions from tea production and processing.”
