The West continues to take note from the East as turmeric popped up across tea brands showcasing at Natural Products Expo West earlier this month in Anaheim, California. Much has been written about the benefits of turmeric, which could explain its surge in popularity among tea producers.
Ayurvedic documentation from India shows the usage of curcumin in Indian medicine going back more than 6,000 years. Though turmeric has been used in India and China for thousands of years for its pharmacopoeial properties, its popularity has skyrocketed only in recent years in the United States. A horizontal root, turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin is the functional ingredient derived from turmeric.
Many studies have been conducted surrounding curcumin. “Evidence has also been presented to suggest that curcumin can suppress tumor initiation, promotion and metastasis,” according to an Anticancer Research article by researchers from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center titled Anticancer Potential of Curcumin: Preclinical and Clinical Studies. Additionally, the Alternative Medicine Review states clinical trials have also shown curcumin to possibly be a therapeutic agent with regard to arthritis.
This is not to suggest that a cup of turmeric tea is a cure-all, but turmeric’s qualities have made it popular in the health-conscious natural foods industry. New Hope Network’s NEXT Trend analysis reveals that the number of products containing turmeric at Natural Products Expo West grew 34 percent between 2014 and 2016, spreading across aisles from category to category.
Here are six tea companies at Expo West 2017 that offered turmeric blends:
Traditional Medicinals’ newest tea blend is Turmeric with Meadowsweet & Ginger, which it created to aid digestion and “address post-exercise inflammation,” according to the company’s website.
Rishi Tea formulated a line of three blends of turmeric and herbal tea: Turmeric Mango, Turmeric Chai and Turmeric Ginger.
Numi Organic Tea has a collection of four turmeric blends: Amber Sun, Three Roots, Golden Tonic and Fields of Gold. It also features Turmeric Chai and Turmeric Cocoa.
Pukka Tea made a blend called Turmeric Gold, which is a blend of green tea, cardamom and turmeric.
Choice Organic Teas created a tea blend called Easy Digest, which contains ginger and turmeric. They also have a Shitake Turmeric tea.
Teeccino offers a Dandelion Turmeric chicory herbal tea.
Ergo, there are many options for consumers’ varied flavor preferences so they can enjoy the taste of wellness.