What is Purple Tea and How to Brew It

Purple tea is a rare tea variety that is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, the same plant used to make other true teas such as black tea, green tea, white tea, and oolong tea. What makes this a unique tea is the genetic mutation in the tea plant that causes the leaves to develop a purple color.

The purple color is due to high levels of anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid also found in blueberries, blackberries, acai berries, grapes, and other purple foods. These anthocyanins give the tea leaves a distinctive reddish-purple hue, and also contribute to the teas’ potential health benefits.

Purple tea is primarily grown in the Yunnan province of China and the Nandi Hills of Kenya, where the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya has developed varieties of purple tea that would thrive in the country’s high-altitude growing regions.

Health Benefits of Purple Tea

Some of the numerous health benefits of purple tea include high levels of antioxidants, potential anti-inflammatory properties, and potential benefits for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. There is also some evidence that purple tea and purple tea extracts can enhance weight loss. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4502735/

Caffeine Content

Purple tea is a true type of tea and will therefore have some caffeine although the caffeine levels will vary according to where it is grown and how it is cultivated and processed. In general, purple-leaf tea has slightly less caffeine than green tea.

Brewing this tea is similar to brewing the familiar black or green tea.

Here’s How to Make Purple Tea

• Heat water. Start by heating the water in a kettle or pot on the stove. The ideal water temperature for brewing purple tea is 185°F (85°C).
• Measure the tea. Once the water has reached the correct temperature, measure the amount of purple tea leaves you want to use. A good starting point is one to two teaspoons of loose tea leaves per cup of water, but you can adjust the amount to taste.
• Brew the tea. Place the tea leaves in a teapot or infuser, and pour the hot water over the leaves. Let the tea steep for 3 – 5 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. 
• Strain and serve. After the tea has steeped, strain it into a cup and enjoy.

Note: This tea can have a slightly earthy or vegetal taste. If you aren’t used to the taste you may want to start with a weaker tea and work up to a stronger brew.

Because of its high anthocyanin content and low caffeine content, purple tea is an excellent choice for a cup of tea any time of the day.