Tea is still top as a healthy beverage choice

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Despite growing competition, tea is still one of the top choices for consumers when it comes to healthy beverages, especially among younger consumers. A recent survey of 2,005 Americans focused on beverage drinking habits among several demographic groups. Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Celestial Seasonings, the survey found that consumers are choosing tea to help keep afternoon energy high. It also showed a potential connection between beverage choices and perceived overall health, better sleep and mental health, and how younger generations are turning to tea as part of their daily ritual.

According to the Celestial Seasonings poll, the leading beverages adult Americans are drinking every day include:

  •  Water (65%)
  • Coffee (58%)
  • Tea (30%)
  • Juice (28%)
  • Soda (24%)

The poll results found that tea is a popular choice among millennials, which make up three in five of those who prefer tea, and more than a third (34%) of this group turns to tea every day. According to the survey results, millennials’ beverage of choice to relax, to wake up, and to stay productive, is tea. Functional teas with benefits like melatonin, probiotics, and high caffeine levels (as much as a cup of coffee) continue to attract younger tea drinkers.

“Whether we’re returning to the office or working from home, we want to feel productive and energized,” said Tim Collins, general manager/vice president of Celestial Seasonings, Boulder, Colorado. “Millennials polled say a simple switch from coffee to tea has the potential to not only sustain that productivity, but also provide multiple benefits. Tea is having a big moment. We’re seeing a record number of consumers across age groups reach for tea, thanks to their new advantages that make healthful choices easier.”

The Celestial Seasonings poll results revealed that:

  • While coffee connoisseurs may have the most drive in the morning (65%), less than a third of them (29%) keep that motivation in the afternoon. Meanwhile, (41%) of those who favour tea said they are typically brimming with energy in the afternoon, making for more productive days.
  • Those who mainly drink water get the best sleep, as three in five say they get between six to eight hours every night, compared to just 42% of those who primarily sip coffee. More people who primarily choose water over other beverages reported lower levels of anxiety and stress (61%).
  • Nearly all primary tea drinkers (93%) place high importance on their health and strive to make healthful choices. While (92%) of coffee lovers say the same thing, nearly two in five report their mental health constantly weighed down by feelings of anxiety or stress (38%). [Editor’s note: the anxiety and stress are more than likely related to the specific individuals/respondents and not the result of coffee consumption.] Among respondents who mainly sip tea (25%), and nearly a quarter of all respondents (23%), said tea is their beverage of choice when they want to unwind.

The survey also uncovered other interesting ‘tea factoids’ such as nearly three in five (58%) dominant tea-sippers live in the eastern United States, while more women (60%) than men (39%) are likely to continue drinking tea throughout the day. Furthermore, 63% of Americans get their fill of tea more than once a week, and nearly half (48%) of those respondents enjoy a cup every day.

The online quantitative survey was conducted by OnePoll, utilizing responses from 2,005 Americans located throughout the United States. Respondents, aged 18 and older, were surveyed based on their beverage consumption and preferences.

The survey did not specify what types of tea – black or green, for example– consumers may be choosing for their afternoon ‘caffeine pick-me-up’ or which botanical/herbal tea they may be drinking to unwind in the evening — there are certainly many options. Enjoy your cuppa!

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