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Dietician Sheela Seharawat

After a hard day of work, sipping on a hot cup of tea, refreshes and rejuvenates every cell in the body. So, wouldn’t it be only appropriate to dedicate a day to the ones who slog all day in the heat to bring us the comfort of tea on cold winter mornings? To pay a tribute to the most humble beverage and the laborers who work in the tea gardens, International Tea Day is annually observed on 15th December, 2017.

Brewing health benefits of drinking tea
Apart from its soothing effect and great taste, drinking tea holds cluster of health promoting properties. There are array of tea flavors to choose from, each having distinct health benefits.

Usually, hot tea is recommended in case of cold and flu
It is also taken to heal bowel problems or diarrhea.
Tea has antimicrobial qualities that protect us from bacterium causing disease.
They are antioxidant in nature which protects the cells in our body from free radical damage that occurs due to exposure of chemicals, pollution, radiation, etc.
They promote mental alertness.
Due to high concentration of EGCG in green tea, risk of neurological disorders is reduced. They also reduce the risk of stroke and improve cholesterol levels.
Black tea protects the lungs from damage caused due to cigarette smoke or pollution.
White tea has anticancer properties.
Pu-erh tea assists in reducing LDL cholesterol.
Consuming Chamomile tea will help the complications from diabetes, kidney damage and even curb the growth of cancer cells.

With abundant goodness in a single cup, tea scores 10/10 on the health list. However, International Tea Day is not celebrated to promote the sale of tea. The mission of International Tea Day is to draw global attention to improve the condition of tea growers and laborers. Sealed in attractive packages to woo the elite group, the mega brand names of tea industry are doing it at the cost of mere workers who are paid in peanuts. The laborers who are the backbone of International brands have been malnourished such that they have been reduced to skeleton. The puny wages that they are given are far lower than India’s predominantly minimum wages. Their living condition is trapped in acute malnutrition, unhygienic sanitation, lack of health care and provision for education.
Just sitting here and talking about violations of human rights taking place on the tea plantations will not bring an end to their misery. Boycotting tea would only worsen the situation of tea growers. The consumers should rise in unison to raise their voice against the injustice done to them. They must exercise their purchasing power to persuade IFC and APPL to build a robust system where the dignity of their lives is honored. When the growers and laborers can toil hard to bring us health drink, then shouldn’t we be obligated to create healthy, decent lives for them.