Discover the Health Benefits of Darjeeling Tea

For years, India has been hailed as one of the world’s largest tea-producing countries. In fact, a 2015 report of the Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations stated that India is the world’s second largest tea-producing country, right behind China. This can be attributed to a statistic from two years before — the country’s tea production reaching a whopping 1.2 million tons in 2013.¹

One of India’s most-prized exports is Darjeeling tea. This type of tea fetches a high price around the world because of its impeccable flavor. If you want to know more about what Darjeeling tea is, why it’s special and what it can offer for your health, then keep reading this article.

What Is Darjeeling Tea?

Darjeeling tea is a kind of black tea grown in a town of the same name, located in the state of West Bengal in India right below foothills of the Himalayan mountains.^2,3 Darjeeling tea leaves are often derived from the upper leaves of the Chinese variety of Camellia sinensis var. sinensis,⁴ and cannot be grown or manufactured anywhere else in the world.

Darjeeling tea, frequently called the “champagne of teas,” has musky-sweet tasting notes that are similar to Muscat wine, although the tea may also exhibit delicate vegetal, mossy, fruity and citrus flavors.⁵

6 Darjeeling Tea Health Benefits

Darjeeling tea may offer health benefits that may improve your body’s health and overall well-being:⁶

Is There Caffeine in Darjeeling Tea?

Yes there is, just like a cup of coffee. There are roughly 50 milligrams of caffeine in darjeeling tea, although this amount may vary depending on the strength of the tea.¹⁴ However, remember that there are consequences linked to consuming excess amounts of caffeine (more on this to come later).

Learn How to Brew and Serve Darjeeling Tea

Harvesting of Darjeeling tea leaves runs from mid-March through November. Darjeeling leaves are freshly plucked, withered overnight, rolled and fermented or oxidized before being fired. The tea bushes progress through four seasons called “flushes,” with each flush offering a distinct flavor: first flush, second flush (summer), monsoon flush and autumn flush.

As such, Darjeeling tea is often sold not only by single estate, but also by flush.¹⁵ Darjeeling tea may also be classified according to the size of the leaves, namely:¹⁶

• Whole Leaf Darjeeling Tea — Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (SFTGFOP) and Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (FTGFOP)
• Broken Leaf — Fine Tippy Golden Broken Orange Pekoe (FTGBOP), Tippy Golden Broken Orange Pekoe (TGBOP), Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe (FBOP) and Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP)
• Fannings — Golden Flowery Orange Fannings (GFOF) and Golden Orange Fannings (GOF)
• Dust (D) — Generally used in traditional teabags, but isn’t the best quality

To brew your own cup of Darjeeling tea at home, grab some tea leaves and follow this recipe:¹⁷

You can add grass fed milk or sweeteners like raw honey, stevia or Luo Han to taste. While Darjeeling tea is best without milk, some people prefer drinking milk with the tea, and especially when tasting Autumn flush.¹⁸ Just remember that dairy may diminish the potency of some of the antioxidants in the tea.

How to Store Darjeeling Tea

In order to prolong the shelf life of your Darjeeling tea, take note of these reminders:¹⁹

• Store in an airtight container — This helps make the tea last longer, maintains the optimal moisture content of the tea leaves, inhibits dust contamination and prevents spoilage by exposure to excess moisture caused by oxygen and other elements in the air.
• Keep Darjeeling tea away from direct sunlight and warm temperatures — Increased exposure to heat sources may affect the tea chemically and physically. This can give the tea a more bitter flavor or degrade its flavor. Place the tea in a cool and dark cupboard or drawer, and ensure that this spot isn’t close to the oven, grill or any appliance that emits heat.
• Avoid mixing with any strong odors — Tea is susceptible to contamination when exposed to foods that emit strong odors such as cheese, garlic, onions and spices. Tea leaves are porous, and once they absorb odors, the flavor can be affected.
• Separate your blends — It’s highly recommended to not keep one type of tea close to another, especially those with strong flavors. Storing the leaves in a sealed container can inhibit cross-contamination. Plus, clearly label your jars so you do not mistakenly combine tea blends.

Darjeeling Tea Side Effects

There have been some side effects linked to Darjeeling tea. Caffeine present in Darjeeling tea can cause the following:

Excess caffeine consumption may also:²⁰

• Trigger digestive tract problems by increasing acid in the stomach, potentially leading to an upset stomach
• Promote diuretic effects by eliminating more fluids via the urine, which can cause dehydration
• Stimulate muscles that may push waste throughout the digestive tract that can cause diarrhea
• Contribute to physical and psychological dependence on the beverage
• Lead to hypokalemia or low blood potassium levels in the elderly

When taken in excess, tannins in black tea, which contribute to the drink’s slightly bitter flavor,²¹ can lead to an upset stomach or trigger nausea and vomiting.²² It has also been said that tannins may interfere with iron absorption of non-heme iron, although more research is needed to fully determine this link.²³

However, an article published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that drinking tea isn’t linked to an iron deficiency unless you’re already anemic or at a high risk for a deficiency.²⁴

Before drinking Darjeeling tea, talk to your doctor to check if you can drink this beverage without triggering side effects. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, limit your intake of caffeine from drinks like Darjeeling tea as much as possible.²⁵

The Dark Side of Darjeeling Tea Production

Although this tea is highly valued and fetches a hefty price tag, the profits aren’t felt in Darjeeling, India. Most workers earn as little as 1.70 euros or $ 1.98 a day, which is barely enough to cover basic expenses. They live in slums at the city center, where unemployment and poverty rates are alarmingly high.

Furthermore, picking tea leaves is a labor-intensive and literally backbreaking process. Workers begin their day as early as 7 a.m., harvesting leaves and gathering them into a basket suspended from their forehead and placed across their back. As heartbreaking as this sounds, this is the reality for some of the people responsible for this type of tea. Learn more about the harrowing state of tea production in Darjeeling by reading “The Dark Side of the Global Tea Industry.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Darjeeling Tea