The world of herbal teas is filled with an unimaginable variety of fragrant, aromatic natural blends. However, even the most discerning tea lovers may find this particular leaf a little out of the ordinary.
This variety of herbal tea originates from Ethiopia, where it is known as Kuti. It has been a popular hot drink for centuries – in Ethiopia, you’ll often find spiced coffee leaf tea partnered with other complimentary spices, and served with hot milk. This tea is made using coffee leaves (a by-product of the coffee bean farming process) which are dried in the sun.
n addition to its origin country of Ethiopia, for centuries, spiced coffee leaf tea has been widely consumed in South Sudan, West Sumatera, Jamaica, Liberia and Java. Despite being a well-loved tea blend for centuries in these regions, Kuti has yet to make its appearance on the EU’s supermarket shelves. That’s where we come in – we’re here to provide tea drinkers with the chance to sample the exceptional aromas of this lesser-known leaf variety for themselves at home.
In 2020 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) grant approval for the sale of coffee leaf tea in the EU. This development has enabled us to finally share the majesty of spiced coffee leaf tea with our European customers.
Health Benefits Of Coffee Leaf Tea
What we love about this particular herbal tea is the smooth and full taste that closely resembles that of a luxurious green tea. In comparison to green tea, coffee leaf tea possesses more natural sweetness, alongside a tasty, rustic earthiness. It holds a distinctive nutty flavour profile, which provides it with a complex, deep aroma.
Despite coming from the coffee plant, coffee leaf tea is only lightly caffeinated (even less than the caffeine levels in green tea). Alongside being a healthier choice with regard to its caffeine levels, coffee leaf tea also boasts a number of anti-inflammatory properties. Due to the antioxidant mangiferin compound in the plant, this type of tea possesses health benefits which also include potential aids to help mitigate the body’s insulin and cholesterol levels.
Coffee Leaf Helps Keep Farmers Employed
What’s more, coffee leaf tea also brings noteworthy benefits in terms of its sustainability, too. Since it’s a wasted off-cut of the coffee production process, this type of tea massively reduces the waste produced by coffee farming.
Although the most prized part of the coffee plant is the cherry (the seeds of which are roasted to make coffee), the stems, leaves and branches of the rest of the plant are normally just chucked away. Coffee leaf tea involves taking these otherwise unused leaves and turning them into a delicious beverage in their own right. For centuries, this process was used to make kuti, a daily hot drink enjoyed by Ethiopian coffee farmers on their breaks.
As well as cutting down on wastage, this process provides farmers with a secondary source of income for their labour. Rather than investing all that time and effort into growing the plant for one small seed, this type of tea presents a fantastic opportunity for farmers to earn more for their hard work.
As you can see from these factors, our spiced coffee leaf tea is a fantastic choice for a wide variety of reasons. Tea-drinkers can improve their immune system and help support the livelihoods of Ethiopian farmers, all while savouring a warming mug of this intriguing spice blend.
It is really delicious tea, and such a beautiful and inspiring presentation on your website!
Very happy to have bought some today at our local farmers market in Finsbury Park. A great product and a tasty tea with many benefits
Encouraged by lovely ladies bought some during my visit to Camden Market. Very impressed with flavour and quality of the tea. Love that rich smokiness that gives interesting twist and makes more interesting variation of green tea like flavour.