In the world of tea, Kenyan purple tea is a unique tea that has a beautiful purple appearance and can also claim many health benefits.
Kenyan purple leaf tea is a type of purple tea that is native to the Nandi Hills of Kenya and is a variety of Assam tea that originates from India but is now grown commercially in Africa.
Kenyan purple leaf tea is a relative newcomer to the tea scene and can be consumed as a delicious part of your daily routine. Keep reading to learn more about Kenyan purple leaf tea and why its so healthy.
What is Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea?
What Does Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea Taste Like?
Kenyan purple leaf tea has a simple flavor profile that is similar to oolong tea. This mellow flavor is due to the high altitude and terroir where this tea is traditionally grown.
Where Does Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea Come From?
As its name would suggest, Kenyan purple tea is cultivated primarily by small scale farmers in Kenya. However, this tea variety can also be found in the Yunnan province of China.
What Does Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea Look Like?
Kenyan tea has purple tea leaves, and the entire plant has a purple tint due to the high amounts of anthocyanins that it contains. Once brewed, the tea has a deep red-purple color.
What are Anthocyanins?
Anthocyanins are chemicals found in plants found in dark red foods as well as other purple foods. Think of richly colored foods like blueberries, acai berries, and pomegranates.
The high anthocyanin content in Kenyan purple leaf tea is directly related to several of its most powerful nutritional properties.
These are some of the health benefits directly associated with ingesting anthocyanins:
- Lowered blood pressure
- Reduced risk of heart disease
- Prevention of neurological disease
- Slowed cancer growth
Ingesting foods that are high in anthocyanins such as Kenyan purple tea, dark-colored fruits and vegetables, and red wine can provide these benefits to help improve a person’s overall health.
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The History of Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea
While it originates from India, the history of purple tea began when it started cultivation in Africa roughly twenty-five years ago.
Kenyan purple tea plants were originally cultivated by tea lovers to combat climate change that negatively impacted more traditional varieties of tea.
Despite its slightly purple hue, Kenyan purple leaf tea is not an herbal tea. Instead, it is a cultivar of camellia sinensis, the same tea plant that produces oolong tea, green tea, and black tea.
The Health Benefits of Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea
Like black tea, Kenyan purple leaf tea contains many health benefits. The health benefits of purple tea are derived from its anthocyanins, and others are derived from botanical compounds in the tea itself.
Below we’ll learn about some of purple tea’s health benefits and medicinal advantages.
Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea Aids with Weight Loss
Because it contains caffeine and beneficial compounds, Kenyan purple tea can be used to speed up the body’s metabolism, aiding weight loss and contributing to reduced abdominal fat.
Kenyan purple tea contains lower caffeine levels than other varieties of tea, such as black tea. While a typical cup of black tea contains over 30 mg of caffeine, Kenyan purple tea has less caffeine, with only 8.8 mg of caffeine per serving.
The compounds in tea help to disrupt fat absorption and prevent fat accumulation in the body. Caffeine also acts as an appetite suppressant, making it easier for people to avoid overeating.
While black tea alone can’t lead to significant weight loss without proper diet and exercise, it is a useful part of an overall weight loss program.
Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea Aids Cardiovascular Health
Academic research has shown that Kenyan purple tea can help boost cardiovascular health in several ways:
- Lowers blood pressure: In double-blind lab studies, black tea like Kenyan purple leaf tea has been shown to reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
- Lowers cholesterol levels: Black tea can reduce both overall and LDL cholesterol levels, helping tea drinkers to prevent cholesterol-related heart conditions such as stroke and heart attack.
The cardiovascular benefits of drinking Kenyan purple-leaf tea regularly can contribute to greater overall cardiovascular health.
Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea Contains Protective Antioxidants
Purple tea’s health benefits aren’t limited to weight loss and cardiovascular health.
This type of tea contains high levels of antioxidants that can help prevent neurodegenerative diseases as well as colorectal cancers. These antioxidants can also protect white blood cells from oxidative damage.
Antioxidants found in black tea are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and can improve cognitive function. They also provide several anti-cancer benefits.
A reason that Kenyan purple tea is so protective is that it contains high levels of anthocyanins. These botanical compounds help eliminate free radicals and prevent the incidence of chronic diseases.
Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea Boosts Cognitive Function
Like other varieties of black tea, Kenyan purple leaf tea contains caffeine and polyphenols that are responsible for increasing memory retention, improving focus, and boosting problem-solving skills.
A source of Kenyan purple tea’s cognitive power comes from the compound L-theanine. This polyphenol has been shown to increase alpha activity in the brain, which increases focus while simultaneously allowing the body to relax.
Not only does drinking black tea varieties like Kenyan purple leaf tea lead to improved memory and focus, but drinking it also results in fewer mistakes made while completing mental tasks.
What Are the Side Effects of Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea?
Kenyan purple leaf tea is identical in its side effects to traditional uncured black tea. Because it has a very low level of psychoactive caffeine compared to other teas, it has a very low incidence of caffeine-related side effects.
The side effects you’re most likely to run into drinking Kenyan purple leaf tea are the following:
- Restlessness/irritability
- Increased energy followed by fatigue as the tea wears off
- Stomach upset/indigestion
The negative side effects of Kenyan purple leaf tea can be lessened by taking tea with food and plenty of water.
This method of drinking Kenyan purple leaf tea can reduce the strength of the caffeine in the tea and the chance of a negative reaction related to it.
Other Questions You may have about Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea
Does Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea have Caffeine?
Yes. Because this tea is a true tea from the camellia sinensis plant, it does contain caffeine. But the amount of caffeine is much lower than in a standard cup of black tea. Purple tea caffeine content is 8.8 mg compared with 47 mg for black tea. The caffeine content in this tea is even lower than that in white tea.
Is Butterfly Tea the Same as Kenyan Purple Tea?
While both teas are a lovely purple color due to the anthocyanins, and both are healthy, they are different varieties of tea. Butterfly pea flower tea is an herbal tea, while Kenyan purple tea is a true tea from the camellia sinensis plant.
Is Kenyan Purple tea Healthier than Black Tea?
Kenyan purple tea has all the same health benefits as other teas from the same family like black and green teas. In addition, because of the anthocyanins, this tea has even more antioxidants than its other tea cousins. In addition, because of its lower caffeine content, it can be considered healthier than black or green teas.
Where can you find Kenyan purple leaf tea?
Thank goodness for tea lovers, you can find both loose-leaf tea and the tea bag variety both online and in specialty tea stores. As more people find out about this healthy tea powerhouse, expect to find purple tea on the shelves of your local grocery store.
Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea Is Versatile Medicine
Kenyan purple leaf tea is a practical tea type for treating a wide range of mental and physical ailments.
Try this tea next time you brew a pot for a delicious brew that will make you feel as good as it tastes!
