As part of
their fi rst
introduction
to herbal
teas, people
see this
tea for
detoxifi cation
and slimming
aware of the enormous health benefits
associated with ancient Indian ayurvedic
herbs. Also, they understand that most
of the common herbs have no or little
side effects, and any little side effects
are far outweighed in relation to the
potential health benefits. These herbs
go deeper than green teas in addressing
specific health aspects. Additionally,
with warm/hot water as the media,
the absorption of herbs in the form of
herbal tea is better in the body. Based
on their mode of action herbal teas
can be categorised into two segments:
Wellness Segment: It covers basic
health themes like detoxification,
immunity system, slimming, relaxation,
refreshing, digestion, metabolism etc.
Illness Segment: It covers chronic
issues like diabetes, high BP, Uric acid,
Joint Pain, Acidity, Blood purification,
Thyroid, Cancer etc.
Green Tea is Good,
but Herbs do Better!
Green tea provides a good base to
health needs, but there are popular
Indian herbs available for specific
health issues. Thanks to the internet
and various social media platforms, a
large segment of society is reasonably
As part of their first introduction
to herbal teas, people see this tea
for detoxification and slimming.
There are different herbs present for
detoxification of different body organs.
There are many formulations available
in the market for Detox teas. As people
are getting more aware about their
Drink Asia
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July-August 2019
benefits, they look for teas for their
specific health needs. This segment is
in its grooming phase.
Herbal Tea Formulation Process
The tea industry is also experimenting
with herbs by blending green tea
with one or two basic herbs like tulsi,
mint, lemongrass, chamomile, ginger,
etc. The researchers work on the
established ayurvedic formulations
and modify the same to replace bitter
tasting ingredients by additional suitable
herbs. Also, consumers tend to get
more convinced about the efficacy of
the blend if more herbs are used in
making the formulation. Nowadays,
blending 10-20 herbs in a formulation
has become a common practice.
Herbal Teas are Superior Option
to Premixes and Herbal Extracts
Premixes are blends of extracts of tea,
spices, fruit and herbs in solid powder
form that get dissolved in hot or cold
water. These offer convenience and
taste to make a hot or cold drink,
and therefore, have gained a lot of
popularity in offices. From the quality
and health perspective, natural herbal
teas are far superior to premixes as
the extraction process results in loss of
natural aroma and original properties
of tea/herbs.
Quality Aspects of Herbal Tea
As this is a relatively new product
segment, the customers are not able
to understand and appreciate inherent
quality aspects! They accept herbal teas
as long as teas have aesthetic appeal and
acceptable taste.
The origin of herbs, production
practices, and the process of drying,
storage, cutting and sterilization play
an important role in determining the
quality of herbs. Organically produced
herbs in the pollution-free and dust-
free Himalayan region are far better