Latest news with #TeaAdvisoryPanel
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Health
- Perth Now
Gen Zers chosing to make tea in microwaves
Gen Zers are making cups of tea in microwaves instead of using kettles, a study finds. A poll by Uswitch, a price comparison service, discovered that almost two-thirds of the demographic cohort that were born between 1997 and 2012 like to use this method, with 28 per cent of people being from London and South East England. Gen Zers from the East Midlands are less likely to use a microwave to make their brews. However, Doctor Tim Bond, from the Tea Advisory Panel, warned that heating a cup of tea in a microwave takes longer than using a kettle, and it can extract an "inconsistent" amount of tea bioactives that improve consumers' "health and wellness". He said: "Heating a mug of water in a microwave takes about two minutes 40 seconds - significantly longer than the 48 seconds required to boil the same volume in a kettle. "Microwave heating can produce uneven temperature and inconsistent extraction of tea bioactives, which are packed with health and wellness benefits. "The brew is flat with a stewed flavour." However, Natalie Mathie, from Uswitch, argued Gen Zers in university may be opting to use microwaves to make cups of tea because kettles are banned in their student accommodations. But, she added that it is a "growing trend with each new generation".
The Guardian
21-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Tea in the microwave? Why gen Z are giving up on kettles to make a brew
Name: Kettles. Age: 132. First featured in a catalogue in 1893. Appearance: Increasingly obsolete. I already don't like where this is going. Get with the programme. Apparently young people in Britain are not using kettles to make cups of tea. They're boiling their water in a saucepan? Worse. You don't mean … I do. It pains me to say that they are now microwaving it. Hear that sound? It's King Arthur weeping. Or maybe they're doing it right. Maybe they're sick of making tea in an old, limescale-filled, single-use appliance. But that's traditional! It doesn't matter. A survey of just over 2,000 UK energy bill payers by Uswitch has found that 58% of under-30s have used a microwave to make a cuppa, and one in six say they do it every day. Why? Is it quicker? No. A mug's worth of water takes 48 seconds to boil in a kettle, and almost three minutes in a microwave. So, does it produce a better quality drink? Also, no. Dr Tim Bond from the Tea Advisory Panel says that microwaves heat water unevenly, which leads to uneven tea extraction, which leads to a stewed flavour. Then why microwave water at all? Well, the answer may be twofold. For one thing, student halls are increasingly prohibiting the use of kettles due to steam setting off alarms, so some young people at university are forced to nuke their water in a microwave … What's the other reason? The American influence. The what? Americans typically don't use electric kettles, so they are more likely to microwave their water. Perhaps people who grow up consuming US culture are starting to believe that it's the norm. Wow. First they elected Trump, and now this. It's OK. It just means that owning an electric kettle has become a sign of the resistance. The UK may not be a perfect country but we do at least know how to boil water properly. Yes! And our national rallying cry should be: 'Tea before milk!' Actually, about that … What now? A few years ago a scientist from Leeds University worked out that for many of us, tea actually tastes better if you put milk in before tea. This feels like an affront to everything I hold dear. Don't worry, you can add it to the list of things that Gen Z have berated for – their reluctance to use capital letters, their inability to change a lightbulb and, perhaps most worryingly, their dislike of democratic political systems. This is all making microwaved tea feel quite trivial. Well, quite. Do say: 'I'll put the kettle on …' Don't say: '… put it on eBay, I mean. Now, who's for a cup of refreshing microwaved tea?'
The Independent
21-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
My Gen Z son commits a hate crime every time he makes a cuppa… and he's not alone
One of the first things we do when my Irish mother-in-law comes over is, of course, put the kettle on. She is also the only person we get the teapot and tea cosy out for, but unfortunately this ritual seems to have bypassed my kids completely. My 16-year-old Gen Z son, Charlie, uses the microwave for everything, including – shock horror – making a cup of tea. And, according to a new survey, he is not alone. Apparently, almost two-thirds of under-30s make tea in the microwave, a Uswitch poll of 2,000 Brits has shown. Why Gen Zs – that baffling and unknowable generation born between 1997 and 2012 – are kettle-dodgers who would rather pop a teabag in a mug of cold water and heat it in the mee-cro-wah-vey, as Nigella Lawson rechristened it, defeats me. It's clearly not about saving time or effort. 'Microwave heating can produce uneven temperature,' says Dr Tim Bond from the Tea Advisory Panel. He also advises that 'heating a mug of water in a microwave takes about two minutes and 40 seconds – significantly longer than the 48 seconds required to boil the same volume in a kettle.' Even longer than that if, like my son, they use one of those hideous, oversized Sports Direct mugs. And it's not a taste thing either: a microwaved brew is 'flat, with a stewed flavour,' says Dr Bond, and offers 'inconsistent extraction of tea bioactives, which are packed with health and wellness benefits '. So it's not better for you. We've heard the debates about whether to put milk in first or last (last, obviously), but for Gen Z, the only question is how long to put it all in the microwave for. My son says he worries that the kettle might become too hot to use and, in his words, 'overboil'. The microwave is, he thinks, a safer bet. I haven't the energy to tell him how microwaved water can become 'superheated' and bubble over the moment the cup is moved. I can't help thinking that microwaving tea is less a TikTok craze (though American influencers went through a phase of filming themselves 'making an English cuppa' in this way) or another small act of Gen Z rebellion, and more a case of kettle-phobia. When Charlie was eight, I left him and his siblings in the care of my Boomer dad. Charlie burned his hand on the hob and has been a bit wary around kitchen appliances, including the kettle, ever since. And yet he will quite happily blast the Nutribullet multiple times a day to make protein shakes… I can certainly attest to how revolting a microwaved brew is. One Mother's Day, my kids sweetly offered to make me breakfast in bed. Alongside some charred toast with a great dollop of butter was a mug of what looked like taupe-coloured sludge, the teabag floating at the top. Yuck. 'Looks lovely, thanks, darlings,' I said before nipping discreetly to the loo to chuck it away. I remember a time when I had three kids under five and rarely got to finish a hot cuppa, so would quite often use the microwave to reheat my tea – but only after I'd made it properly first. I once found a mug in the microwave which had obviously been festering there for several days. Experts say the best way to make a cup of tea is to pour boiling water over a teabag and leave it to steep for three to five minutes without stirring, before adding a splash of milk. I hope that, in time, my kids will see sense and that they will never subject my mother-in-law to a microwaved brew. I can only imagine how horrified she would be. She would probably spit it right out of her china cup.
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Gen-Zs are ditching the kettle and instead microwaving cups of tea
For generations, putting the kettle on has been the first step to making the perfect cup of tea. But not for Gen-Z, who are using the microwave to make their cuppas. Almost two-thirds of under-30s admitted to making a brew in this way. In a poll of 2,000 Britons, 60 per cent of Gen-Z respondents said they blast cups of cold water and teabags in the microwave. 'Heating a mug of water in a microwave takes about 2 minutes 40 seconds – significantly longer than the 48 seconds required to boil the same volume in a kettle,' said Dr Tim Bond from the Tea Advisory Panel. 'Microwave heating can produce uneven temperature and inconsistent extraction of tea bio-actives, which are packed with health and wellness benefits. 'The brew is flat with a stewed flavour.' Experts say the best way to make a cup of tea is to pour boiling water over a teabag and leave it to steep for three to five minutes without stirring and then adding a splash of milk. The poll by price comparison service USwitch found the worst culprits for abandoning the kettle were southerners, with 28 per cent of London and the South East using the microwave method. Those from the East Midlands were least likely to microwave a brew, at 12 per cent. Natalie Mathie, of USwitch, said: 'It's possible that some younger people use a microwave because kettles are banned in student accommodation, but this is a trend that is growing with each passing generation.' She added it 'seems like an affront to basic tea-making traditions'. Separate research earlier this month found that 22 per cent of Britons pour cold milk into their cup before the boiling water when making a cup of tea.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Boosting your sex drive, great gnashers and six other surprising health benefits from your daily cup of tea
PUT the kettle on, it is time to raise a toast to the humble cuppa. More than 100million cups of char are consumed daily in the UK, but new research shows four out of five of us are unaware of the health benefits contained in our mugs. 5 5 Here, dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton, from the Tea Advisory Panel ( reveals the often surprising health benefits in a typical brew. HEART HEALTH: Regular cups of Rosie Lee are great for your ticker and could add years to your life expectancy. Proven cardiovascular benefits include lower blood pressure – while having a daily cuppa for seven or more years, with or without milk, could cut your risk of stroke or heart attack by up to 19 per cent compared to other beverages. Dr Ruxton says: 'Natural compounds in tea, called polyphenols, help to lower blood pressure by relaxing our blood vessels. The sweet spot is four cups a day. "Regular black tea is the best option but remember to steep it for one to two minutes to maximise the benefits.' IMPROVED ZZZs: Most of us (87 per cent) are not aware a good brew could help us have a better night's kip but studies have linked sipping tea to sweeter dreams. Dr Ruxton says: 'People are often surprised when I say that a night-time cuppa is a great way to nod off. 'A recent review found just one or two cups of tea a day could help promote sleep quality and relaxation. "Try either a traditional cuppa or chamomile, lavender or valerian root tea before bed to support your sleep.' GOOD BONES: Research involving more than 48,000 postmenopausal women found that drinking cuppas resulted in higher bone mineral density around the hips. The brew also lowered the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Polyphenols, found in black and green tea, are believed to be behind this. Dr Ruxton says: 'We still don't know whether tea has a specific effect on bones or just helps the body to absorb minerals. 'It may even be that tea drinkers get more calcium in the form of milk in their cup'. LESS STRESS: Brewing up regularly could contribute to better mental health by decreasing levels of stress, anxiety or symptoms of low mood. Compounds in tea contributing to inner calm include the amino acid L-theanine, and neurotransmitter GABA. One study by University College London also proved a strong mug of builder's can lower cortisol levels after a shock or stressful event. GREAT GNASHERS: Enjoy a cuppa and you may reap rewards at the dentist. Dr Ruxton says: 'Tea polyphenols act as an anti-bacterial. Bad breath is caused by a build-up of bacteria in the mouth meaning drinking a cuppa can help banish this. In one study, rinsing the mouth with sugar-free tea was as effective as a regular mouthwash.' STAY SHARP: Brew up for a brain boost. One study of more than 4,000 people found that regular tea-drinking was significantly associated with a lowered chance of impairments such as declining memory or problem solving in middle age and older age. Dr Ruxton says: 'Experts concluded that drinking tea, especially black tea, can have a positive effect on cognitive function. "Just one or two cups a day provided some benefits'. TOP TUMMIES: Polyphenols in tea can have a positive effect on your gut bacteria, known as the microbiome. Dr Ruxton says: 'These millions of tiny bugs help us to stay healthy. "A study from Japan found three cups of regular tea daily for three months boosted 'friendly' species of bacteria in the gut and reduced respiratory infections, like colds.' Herbal teas, especially peppermint, ginger and chamomile also ease nausea, bloating and wind. 5 One study found black tea can elevate testosterone, which has been shown to increase libido levels in men and women. And many herbal teas are said to have aphrodisiac qualities, particularly ginseng.
