A cup of green tea

HEALTHY BEVERAGE

Coffee and tea have always been popular beverages in India but now, green tea is catching up. While it was previously considered a healthy drink and consumed occasionally, many youngsters are now choosing to have green tea on a daily basis.

Catering to the increasing number of green tea lovers are hotels and tea joints that are experimenting with different flavours. While the bitterness of the brownish liquid may not appeal to everyone at first, once you get hooked to it, it’s addictive, say green tea lovers.

Jaanu Rajendran, who used to be a coffee-addict, says, “I just loved coffee and when I was asked to switch to green tea for health reasons, I was initially apprehensive if I would be able to have it everyday. I must admit that I found it bitter when I first started having it. But once I acquired the taste, I didn’t even realise the number of cups I was having.” She adds, “Since I am someone who doesn’t drink enough water, having green tea helps me stay hydrated as well.”

Ramya Naveen, who runs Societea, says, “The trend has picked up in the last one year. Previously, people used to drink it once in a while but now, they consume it regularly. In fact, a majority of them ask for multiple cups.” She adds, “Actually, one gets the complete benefits only on drinking the whole leaf green tea. That’s when the goodness of green tea is retained.”

According to Ramya, youngsters who are opting for the drink are doing so due to the health benefits. “Since it is considered a drink that hastens the weight loss process, those in the age group of 25 to 32 prefer it,” she says, adding, “Many older people opt for it as well as it cures ailments like arthritis and cancer.”

Cashing in on its increasing popularity, Pritika Agarwal, who runs Tea Brew, says that they are also experimenting with different flavours. Pointing out that one-fourth of her sales is from green tea, Pritika says, “Although most of those who like green tea are women, the drink is picking up with men as well.”

Pointing out that green ice tea is fast-moving, Chirag Yadav, owner of Chaipatty, says, “Once people get used to the taste of green tea, they get hooked to it. For those who are looking for a non-alcoholic drink or are allergic to lactose, green tea is ideal.”