The habit of drinking tea is often seen as a quintessential trait of ‘Britishness’. It might strike you as surprising then to learn that research has shown the nation is actually falling out of love with its unofficial national drink—black tea.

It seems that black tea could have rather a stuffy reputation with the country’s younger generations. Sales of tea have been consistently falling since the 1970s— since 2010 alone they have fallen by 8%. According to the research,  there are a variety of reasons why black tea has fallen out of favour with the public, but one of the main ones is black tea’s tired reputation.

Drinking black tea is associated with tradition— with convention, routine and the old-fashioned.  It’s no surprise that today’s under 40s are deserting the drink in favour of something new and interesting.

Green tea offers just the right blend of Eastern mystery, complex flavour and health benefits, making it a popular alternative for those people who are bored of traditional black tea.

As well as tasting amazing, green tea has been proven to be naturally high in a special type of antioxidant that could provide a range of health benefits. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate is thought to contribute to increased metabolism, speeding up weight loss. It’s also thought to lower your risk of heart attacks and strokes and could even treat acne, improving your complexion. Consumed widely in the East, particularly in China and Japan, green tea is so much more than just a drink— it’s a way of life.

No wonder then that many tea-drinkers are abandoning traditional black tea and turning to the warm hug of a cup of delicious green tea.