International Tea Day

In recognition of International Tea Day, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations is organizing a high-level event on the theme " Tea for Livelihoods, Tea for SDGs ". This event will highlight how the global tea industry supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , particularly in promoting economic and livelihood opportunities, fostering sustainable agriculture, and ensuring environmental sustainability. The event will bring together relevant stakeholders of this sector for discussions aimed at: Highlighting the role of the tea industry in eradicating poverty (SDG 1) and ensuring decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) by providing employment and income to millions, especially women and small-scale farmers. Promoting sustainable agricultural practices contributing to zero hunger (SDG 2) and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). Showcasing the tea sector's role in climate action (SDG 13) through sustainable farming practices that mitigat...

Amy and Hannah Little, the Millennial co-founders of Tour de Tea in Brisbane, Australia, are actively trying to promote tea culture to their peers and the next generation of tea drinkers.  Welcome to explore what the younger generation is drinking though a global lens , to learn how they're learning about the tea industry , the role social media plays, and more!  To start things off, we begin with a look at what's driving young people to embrace tea . As someone who grew up watching the TV show, Friends, I recall Central Perk, the coffee shop featured in the show, as epitomizing the gravitational pull of coffee among social circles when much of Gen X was still in college and the older of the generation had started their first jobs. Mug in hand, the six friends would complain about their love lives, their bosses, and quip about living in Manhattan, often exchanging giant coffee mugs as their friend and waitress, Rachel played by Jennifer Aniston, would get their orders wrong. T...

On Wednesday, 21 May 2025 from 9.30 to 16.00 (CEST); Join us to mark the World Bee Day and International Tea Day  at FAO headquarters (Atrium) . Tea for Better Lives. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has the pleasure to inform Members that the celebration of the International Tea Day 2025 will be held on Wednesday, 21 May 2025 at 9:30 (CEST) at FAO headquarters (Atrium), through a joint observance with World Bee Day, which is officially celebrated on Tuesday, 20 May. The event will be inaugurated by the FAO Director-General, Mr QU Dongyu, and will highlight tea’s significant contributions to livelihoods, sustainability, and well-being. The inauguration will be followed by an exclusive tea tasting experience, as well as a special edition of Markets and Trade Talks—a series of short, speaker’s corner-style sessions where participants will share insights about their tea heritage, culture, and tradition. Get the provisional programme of the event !...

  Tea for Better Lives EVENT, Master of ceremonies (MC): Ms Yasmina Bouziane, OCCD. Inauguration Ceremony. 9:30 Inauguration of International Tea Day 2025 by FAO Director-General. 9:45 FAO Director-General opens the tea tasting and visits the exhibiting tables.  Tea Talks - Speaker’s Corner  10:30-10:45 Markets and Trade Talks – Speaker’s Corner Tea Landscapes and Living Heritage A brief talk highlighting tea-producing communities recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), with the announcement of a new tea-producing site in China.  11:30 -onwards Markets and Trade Talks – Speaker’s Corner Teas from Around the World A series of informal 15-minute talks featuring participants sharing insights into their country’s tea heritage, production, and cultural traditions.  12:00-onwards Tea tastings will continue  16:00 Celebration closes Download the agenda programme!

 Tea ( Camellia sinensis ) originate from Southern China and is consumed by over two thirds of the world population. The benefits of tea drinking in both aspects of mental and physical health have been discussed for thousands years in China and many other countries where the tea is consumed. The book of “Tea sutra:Cha-Kyou （茶経）”, a sample of which is shown on the right, is one instance.  In 1211, a Zen priest, Eisai（栄西）, in his book“Kissayojoki （喫茶養生記）”explained about the effectiveness of green tea for maintaining good health and prolonging life. With the advance of modern chemistry, components of tea have been analyzed and the health benefits argued in the past have been attributed to the tea elements. (see the table on the Physiological functions of green tea components below).

  Tea catechins are responsible for the astringent taste of green tea. Catechins of green tea leaves are account for about 10 % of dry w eight, including （-）- epigallocatechin gallate（ EGCg）50 %,（-）- epigallocatechin（ EGC）30 %,（-）- epicatechin gallate （ECg）10 % and（-）- epicatechin（EC）10 %. Crystals of catechins are sampled in the photographs on the right. A variety of biological activities are attributed to anti-oxidative, radioprotective, ant-mutagenic, antitumor, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hypercholesterolemic, fat reducing, anti-ulcer, anti-bacterial, bowel modulating, anti-viral, anti-carious, anti-hypertensive actions and the inhibitory activity of some enzymes. ■  Cancer Chemoprevention : Recently, some review articles have reported the relationship between the tea consumption and the human cancer risk. A general overview of the pertinent epidemiological studies on tea consumption and cancer prevention in different organs such as bladder and urinary tract, breast, colon a...

  Caffeine , 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine , is widely distributed in natural products, i.e, tea, coffee, cocoa and as an additive in many soft drinks. During preparation of coffee and tea, the strength of brew influences the caffeine content of the beverage . Standard average caffeine contents per cup of these beverages are listed right. As normally ingested from food sources, caffeine shows a variety of biological effects those have attracted the interest of pharmacologist and clinicians.  Caffeine is regard as follows; ･ Diuretic ･ Cardiac muscle stimulant ･ Central nervous system stimulant ■ Effect on Sleep:  Much interest also has been concerned in the possible role of caffeine intake to central nervous system. In adults, the most sensitive function modified by caffeine is going to sleep. In one experiment, caffeine or placebo was taken blindly 0.5 hr before retiring, and the time of going to sleep was assessed by questionnaires next morning. Sleep postponement in adults h...

 Japanese green tea contains γ-glutamylethylamide , named theanine, at the level from 1 to 2 % in dried leafy materials. While most amino acids are found at lower level, theanine accounts for＞50 % of total free amino acids in tea. Theanine is the source of Japanese green tea’s characteristic delicious taste  (known as“umami”). There is a scientific interest about the biological effect of theanine on central nervous system. ■ Relaxation Effect: The relaxation feeling after drinking Japanese green tea may be linked with the presence of theanine. Studies on animals and human volunteers showed that oral administration of theanine generated α- waves in the brain, suggesting that theanine could bring about a relaxation feeling, because brain α- waves are generated under relaxing condition.   ■  Effect on Blood Pressure:  When theanine was orally administered to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), their blood pressure was decreased in a dose dependent manner. Howev...

 Saponins separated from tea seed have long been utilized as an emulsifier in the manufacturing of photo film. Some major saponins from seed and fresh leaves of green tea have so far identified. Recently pharmacological studies on tea seed saponins and tea leaf saponins demonstrated antiinfluenza, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, neutrophil stimulating and anti-allergic function of these substances. All over the world, influenza is a special threat to the aged, and infants with high mortality rates. Inactivation of influenza viruses by tea-seed saponins has been considered efficient in the prevention and therapy of influenza.

Green tea contains various water soluble macromolecules. GTND (green tea non-dialysate) is one of these (molecular weight more than 12,000. GTND has anti-tumor function. GTND suppressed duodenal tumors in mice induced by ENNG（N-ethyl-N’-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.  When 0.05 % GTND was administered to mice in the drinking water, the number of mice with tumors, the number of total tumors, the number of tumors per one mouse and the weight of tumor were suppressed compared with controls. The number of total tumors was suppressed significantly. No suppression was observed when the level of GTND was reduced by 0.005 %. Hetero-polysaccharides are other water soluble macromolecules of green tea that showed antiglycemic action.

  Flavonoids , including more than 4,000 known individual compounds, are polyphenolic substances isolated from various plants. Beside catechins, Japanese green tea also contains other flavonoids, such as kaempherol, quercetin, myricetin and their glycosides derivatives. Flavonoids are found to have halitosis preventing effect, protective effects against lipid peroxidation of membranes, anti-mutagenic function, inhibition of tumor-promoting activity, inhibition of lipoxygenase and phospholipase, inhibition of histamine release, antihypertensive effects, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidative, hypocholesterolemic and diuretic functions. Therefore it appears that flavonoids can contribute significantly to the benefit of human health

  Japanese green tea leaves are rich in antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamin C, vitamin E and βcarotene. In addition to antioxidative activity, these vitamins have anti-tumor effects and suppress aging . Commercial Japanese green tea leaves contain vitamin C approximately 280 mg per 100 g dried weight. By administration of vitamin C to rats, lipid peroxidation of liver was decreased. Vitamin C has also antimutagenic effect. Japanese green tea leaves contain about 70 mg of vitamin E per 100 g dried weight. Vitamin E suppresses the peroxide lipid synthesis.β- carotene has a radical scavenging function which prevents skin cancer. Vitamin E and β-carotene are water insoluble matter. In order to ingest vitamin E and β- carotene, eating whole tea leaves as Matcha is necessary.

The origins of tea stretch back more than 5 000 years, but its contributions to health, culture and socioeconomic development are still as relevant today. Tea is currently grown in very localized areas, and supports over 13 million people, including smallholder farmers and their households, who depend on the tea sector for their livelihoods. The May 21st ,  International Tea Day is an opportunity to celebrate the cultural heritage, health benefits and economic importance of tea , while working to make its production sustainable “from field to cup” ensuring its benefits for people, cultures and the environment continue for generations.