Tea is loved over the world not only because of its great aroma and invigorating taste but also because of the ease of preparing it.

In recent times, tea has taken on many forms beyond the traditional cup of hot, black tea, with perhaps some milk and/or honey added. Bottled cold and ready to drink, infused with fruit, flavours, and herbal medicines, and certified organic, new incarnations of tea give the modern tea drinker a variety of tasty tea options.

Second only to water in worldwide beverage consumption, tea is drunk by half the population on any given day.

• Fruit flavoured and scented teas, also referred to as “fruit teas,” are black teas or green teas (Camellia Sinensis) flavoured with a fruit essence, fruit oil/zest, dried fruit or both.
• Juiced teas contain actual fruit juice/concentrate.
• Tisanes are made from herbs or herb blends and are flavoured with fruit essence and pieces of dried fruit
• Flower teas blend flowers with fruit flavours and/or dried fruit. Popular teas include Hibiscus and Jasmine and Chamomile.
• Dried fruit blend teas contain various blends of dried berries and other fruits.

2. Juiced Teas

Teas containing fruit juices are gaining ground, mainly in Italy.

3. Functional/Medicinal

With news reports praising and supporting teas’ health benefits, functional/medicinal teas seem a natural beverage. Rich in antioxidants, tea may help protect against oral, digestive, lung and colon cancers and may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Tea contains one-third to one half the caffeine of an equivalent serving of coffee, but even among decaffeinated tea, the antioxidants level remains high. Tea is a major source of flavonoids. Armed with such information, consumers are more open to teas that promote healthful benefits. Teas including herbs and fruits with medicinal value are growing.

4. Masala Tea

An aromatic spiced tea, has been the Indian drink of choice for hundreds of years. It is the perfect blend of freshly ground spices (masala) like cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and pepper, added to a boiling pot of loose leaf tea and milk to make a delicious, satisfying and healthy beverage.

5. Spiced Citrus Tea

Makes 10-12 drinks. 1 cup sugar, 2 cups cold water, 1 teaspoon masala tea, 6 cups boiling water, 2 tablespoons loose tea leaves, juice of 2 lemons, juice of 2 oranges, 1 cup unsweetened pineapple, fresh orange or lemon slices for garnishing. Combine sugar, cold water, masala tea & bring to simmer. In a separate pot, pour boiling water over tea and let steep for 3 minutes. Strain tea & combine with fruit juices. Add to spice mixture & simmer for 5-10 min. Serve hot or let cool and serve iced.

6. Packet Tea

Packet tea means tea packed in unit packs or container of types as are ordinarily to put up for the purpose of retail sale under brand names. The net weight of tea in packets varies between 125g and 500g.

7. Tea Bag

Tea bag means packets containing blended or processed tea in bags made of filter paper or nylone for brewing of tea liquor by direct immersion of such bags in hot or cold water and commercially known as tea bag.

8. Instant Tea

Instant tea, soluble tea or tea extract means a water soluble tea powder derived by dehydration of the aqueous extraction of tea.

9. Flavoured Tea

Flavoured tea means tea added with permissible flavours where tea used in the manufacture of flavoured tea conforms to the standard of tea indicated in the Food Act. Some of the flavours used in the manufacture of flavoured teas are: Vanillin, Cardamom, Ginger, Bergamot and Lemon.

10. Scented Tea

Scented tea is tea to which has been added one or more aromatic substance that is harmless and natural, including jasmine flowers and rose petals.