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Purple tea: the Kenyan novelty

In the world of tea, dominated by green, black, white and oolong, a fascinating novelty has appeared: purple tea. It is not an artificially coloured curiosity, but a real variety of the tea plant with purple leaves, developed in Kenya after years of research. It owes its remarkable colour to anthocyanins - the same antioxidants that colour blueberries and red cabbage. Purple tea is a promise of health, a remarkable flavour and a new chapter in the world of tea. In this post you will get to know where purple tea comes from, where its colour comes from, how it is processed, why it has little caffeine and what properties it has. It is a journey to one of the most interesting innovations of modern tea. Let us start with what purple tea actually is.

What purple tea is

Purple tea is a new variety of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) with characteristic purple leaves, developed in Kenya. It is not coloured or flavoured tea, but a real, natural variety of the plant. The tea research institute in Kenya spent 25 years developing the purple variety, officially named TRFK 306. It is the fruit of a quarter-century of breeding work. The leaves of the TRFK 306 variety range in colour from deep burgundy to reddish-purple, and the brewed tea, depending on the processing, produces a remarkable brew from blue to purple. Purple tea is a fascinating combination of science and nature: a deliberately bred variety of unique properties. Kenya, known mainly for mass black CTC tea, in this way created something completely new and distinctive. Purple tea is a novelty that attracts attention with colour, health and flavour. Understanding what it is is the key to this post. So let us get to know where its remarkable colour comes from.

Where the colour comes from - anthocyanins

The purple colour of the tea comes from anthocyanins - natural plant pigments. Purple tea owes its colour to a high content of anthocyanins, the same family of pigments that makes red cabbage red and blueberries blue. It is a key element of its identity. Anthocyanins are an important class of flavonoids (antioxidants), responsible for the colour of the brew and the market appeal of processed tea from the anthocyanin-rich TRFK 306 variety. Astonishingly, the content of anthocyanins in purple tea is about 1.5 percent, which is very high - for comparison, blueberries have about 0.1 percent. In other words, purple tea contains many times more of these antioxidants than the blueberries famed for them. It is precisely the anthocyanins that give the tea not only the purple colour of the leaves and the remarkable, blue-purple brew, but also potential health properties. The colour is thus a visible sign of the richness of antioxidants. Where does the colour of purple tea come from? From anthocyanins, the same as in blueberries, but in a much greater amount. It is a pigment that is at once a health treasure. So let us get to know these properties more closely.

Properties and anthocyanins

Purple tea attracts attention not only with colour, but also with potential health properties, linked to the high content of anthocyanins. Numerous scientific studies conducted in Kenya and beyond suggest that the anthocyanins of purple tea may help protect against neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. These are promising, though requiring further research, directions. Anthocyanins are strong antioxidants, and purple tea contains exceptionally many of them - about 1.5 percent, far more than blueberries (0.1 percent), which are considered a superfood. Thanks to this purple tea is sometimes promoted as a health tea, a rich source of antioxidants. It is worth, however, approaching such promises with moderation: research is ongoing, and no tea is a miracle cure. Nonetheless the high content of anthocyanins is a real, measurable trait of purple tea, distinguishing it from others. Properties and anthocyanins are one of the main reasons for the interest in purple tea. It is a tea that combines a remarkable appearance with health potential. It is a promise worth getting to know with an open, but sober mind. We write more about antioxidants in tea in our post on antioxidants in tea.

How it is processed

The processing of purple tea is of key importance for preserving its valuable anthocyanins. To preserve the maximum health benefits of the finished tea, the processing must involve minimal heat and exposure to water, using methods like for white tea or pan-fired green. Why? Because anthocyanins are sensitive to high temperature and oxidation - intensive processing could destroy them, robbing the tea of both colour and properties. Therefore purple tea is often processed gently, similarly to white or green tea, to preserve as many anthocyanins as possible and keep the characteristic colour. The way of processing also affects the colour of the brew: depending on the method, purple tea produces a brew from blue to purple. Interestingly, the colour of the brew can be changed by adding acid (like lemon juice), which shifts the hue - an effect known from anthocyanins. The processing of purple tea is a balance between preserving the anthocyanins and bringing out the flavour. It is a delicate process, key for quality. How is it processed? Gently, with minimal heat, to protect the anthocyanins. It is the condition of preserving its unique traits.

Little caffeine

One of the interesting traits of purple tea is its low caffeine content. The caffeine content in purple tea is much lower than in green and black - for those looking for this, few teas have less. This makes purple tea attractive for people sensitive to caffeine or wanting to limit it, for example in the evening. Combined with the high content of antioxidants, low caffeine makes purple tea an interesting option for those seeking a healthy drink without excess stimulation. It is a rare combination: a tea from a real tea plant, yet of low caffeine - something most green or black teas do not offer. Low caffeine is another asset of purple tea, alongside colour, anthocyanins and flavour. For many people it is an argument to try it. Little caffeine makes purple tea mild and versatile - it can be drunk at any time. It is a tea for those who want the benefits of tea without intense stimulation. It is its practical advantage, valued in everyday drinking.

The flavour of purple tea

How does purple tea taste? Its profile depends on the way of processing, but it has its own characteristic style. Purple tea, processed gently (often like white or green), usually has a mild, slightly sweetish and delicately fruity or woody flavour, less astringent and bitter than strong black tea. Characteristic is its lightness and smoothness. Some versions have vegetal notes, others slightly fruity or mineral. Fascinatingly, besides flavour, purple tea offers a visual experience: a remarkable, blue-purple brew, which can additionally be changed by adding acid (like lemon), which creates a striking, colour-changing drink - hence its popularity in striking mocktails and cocktails. The flavour of purple tea is mild and approachable, although not as intense as classic teas - it is a tea for those valuing subtlety and novelty. The flavour of purple tea is delicacy combined with a visual spectacle of colour. It is a tea that delights the palate and the eye at once. It is a new flavour and aesthetic experience. It is a tea of the future, which is already available.

Purple tea in a table

Let us set the key facts about purple tea side by side:

The table shows what makes purple tea unique. It comes from Kenya, from the TRFK 306 variety developed over 25 years. It owes its colour and properties to anthocyanins, of which it has about 1.5 percent (many times more than blueberries). It is processed gently to preserve them. It has low caffeine and a mild, slightly fruity flavour and a remarkable, blue-purple brew. It is a novelty combining science, health, flavour and visual spectacle. Purple tea is a fascinating new chapter in the world of tea.

Why it is worth getting to know purple tea

Getting to know purple tea broadens the horizons of every tea lover. First, it is a fascinating novelty: a real variety of the tea plant with purple leaves, the fruit of a quarter-century of research - proof that the world of tea is still developing. Second, it offers a unique colour, flavour and visual experiences, not found in other teas. Third, its high content of anthocyanins and low caffeine make it interesting for the health-conscious and those sensitive to caffeine. Fourth, it is an example of innovation in a country (Kenya) associated with mass production - it shows how new regions create value. Fifth, it is simply an interesting, new flavour and aesthetic experience. A conscious tea lover knows that purple tea is one of the most interesting novelties of modern tea. Next time, having the chance, it is worth trying it and seeing the remarkable, purple brew. It is knowledge that broadens horizons and opens up to novelties in the world of tea. Purple tea is a future that combines nature, science and beauty. It is a tea worth discovering.

The key points in a nutshell

Purple tea is a novelty from Kenya - a real variety of the tea plant with purple leaves, officially named TRFK 306, developed over 25 years of research. It owes its colour and properties to anthocyanins, the same antioxidants as in blueberries and red cabbage, of which it has exceptionally many - about 1.5 percent, many times more than blueberries (0.1 percent). It is processed gently (like white or green tea) to preserve the anthocyanins. It has low caffeine, a mild, slightly fruity flavour and a remarkable, blue-purple brew, changing colour after adding acid. Research suggests potential health properties. Want to get to know novelties in the world of tea and record your impressions? Keep tasting notes in the GustoNote app. See also our posts on antioxidants in tea and on tea beyond the classics.