Drink to your Health this January, National Hot Tea Month

Tea Council of the USA Celebrates with Second Annual IndividualiTEA Sweepstakes

New York, NY, - January 4, 2018

The holidays may be over but there’s still much to celebrate this January with National Hot Tea Month and the third annual National Hot Tea Day on January 12, 2018. The Tea Council of the USA encourages tea-lovers across the nation to take this opportuniTEA to share the unique ways they like to enjoy their cuppa. Whether you prefer tea steeped in tradition, brewed to perfection or with the spice just right, the Tea Council wants you to express your #IndividualiTEA through the second annual photo sharing sweepstakes. Entering is easy as 1-2-tea! Share your photo or video on Twitter using the hashtag #IndividualiTEA and tag @TeaCouncil for a chance to win $500 and a year's supply of tea.

Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world next to water. An ancient beverage nearly 5,000 years old, tea has become an American staple, with over 158 million Americans drinking tea every day. 

As you reach for a hot beverage this winter to warm you up, take tea to heart this January, National Hot Tea Month. This annual holiday is the perfect way to start the New Year, from its health benefits and cultural origins, to its diverse flavors and calming qualities.

Black, Green, Oolong and White teas all stem from the same plant, a warm-weather evergreen named Camellia sinensis. So grab your favorite cup and enjoy the many health benefits of true teas in honor of National Hot Tea Day on January 12th:

·      Tea is a refreshing beverage that contains no sodium, fat, carbonation, or sugar. It is virtually calorie-free, and helps maintain hydration.

·      Tea flavonoids may help increase metabolism and fat oxidation and improve blood sugar control. Tea catechins (a type of flavonoid) may also provide modest shifts in metabolism that may promote weight loss and maintenance.

·      Drinking tea may strengthen the immune system. Tea contains a component called theanine that can help the body ward off infection and disease.

·      Tea drinking is associated with improved cardiovascular health. Research has associated tea drinking with a reduced risk for hypertension, stroke and hardening of the arteries.

·      Studies have shown that drinking tea may improve mental clarity, mood and work performance.

·      Tea may provide protection against several types of cancers, including digestive, skin, lung, prostate, breast and ovarian cancers.

 “With increased research studies, we’re finding even more ways drinking tea contributes to our health, says Peter Goggi, president of the Tea Council of the U.S.A. “National Hot Tea Day and month are the perfect time for everyone to enjoy tea, reap the health benefits and enter the IndividualiTEA sweepstakes for a chance to win.”

If you enjoy brewing tea to perfection, and want to take it to another level, don’t be afraid to cook with tea and liven up your plate with something new. Every blend of tea provides a unique flavor and personality. Tea can enhance your favorite meals and desserts. Think of tea as a spice that can open up a new world of culinary possibiliTEAs.

And don’t forget to enter the Tea Council of the USA's IndividualiTEA Photo Sharing Sweepstakes for a chance to win $500 and a year’s supply of tea. Learn more about the rules here.

About the Tea Council of the USA:

The Tea Council of the USA is a non-profit association that was formed in 1950 as a joint partnership between tea packers, importers and allied industries within the United States, and the major tea producing countries. It functions as the promotional arm of the tea industry with a primary goal of increasing overall awareness of tea by providing information about its many positive attributes. One of the Council's primary objectives is the dissemination of key scientific findings about tea to the public. The Tea Council does this in several ways including: funding scientific meetings to bring tea researchers from around the world together to share key information and identify next steps for future research projects; and working with health organizations and international scientists to disseminate information about potential positive health effects of tea consumption on a public level.