Is tea healthy? US FDA gives approval to India's favourite beverage

Indian Tea Association praises FDA's decision to recoganise Camellia sinensis tea as a healthy beverage.

From tea stalls on bustling streets to sophisticated tea ceremonies, tea is not just a beverage for Indians, it’s an emotion. Now, even the US’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recoganised Camellia sinensis tea as a healthy beverage.

FDA recoganises tea as healthy beverage

On December 19, the FDA added a final regulation revising the ‘healthy’ nutritional content claim to help the consumers in identifying items that comply with dietary recommendations. With this, tea manufactured from Camellia sinensis is now eligible for the "healthy" label.

However, the FDA stated that the ‘healthy’ claim does not apply to herbal teas made from other plants, such as chamomile, peppermint, ginger, lavender, hibiscus, butterfly pea flower, or masala tea.

The Indian Tea Association, country’s oldest group of tea producers hailed FDA’s decision and stated, “The Indian Tea Association is pleased that the FDA has officially recognized tea as a 'healthy' beverage under its updated criteria. This allows manufacturers to voluntarily label tea products with the 'healthy' claim, provided they meet the specified standards.”

ITA further added, “this decision validates the nutritional value of tea and enables consumers to make informed choices, Tea's richness in antioxidants and its association with numerous health benefits make this recognition especially significant."

Peter F. Goggi, President of the Tea Association of the United States, termed FDA’s new update as ‘fantastic news’ for the worldwide tea industry. Bidyananda Borkakoty, NETA advisor and former Vice-Chairman of the Tea Board of India, also shared his excitement and said, “We are delighted with the FDA's recognition. Research worldwide underscores the health benefits of tea. We urge the Indian government to promote tea as a wellness and lifestyle beverage.”

What is Camellia sinensis tea?

It is a species of evergreen shrub or small tree in the flowering plant family Theaceae. Its leaves, leaf buds, and stems can be used to produce tea. Several varieties of tea including green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea, and yellow tea are made from this plant.