Purple tea is a true tea from the same plant as green and black tea, but its leaves are purple. The color comes from anthocyanins, the same pigments in blueberries. It tastes light and smooth, somewhere between green and oolong tea, and is mostly grown in Kenya.
Quick Look
- 🌿 Plant: Camellia sinensis, the true tea plant
- 🟣 Color: purple leaves from anthocyanins
- 🇰🇪 Grown in: mainly the highlands of Kenya
- ☕ Taste: light, smooth, and slightly floral
- ⚡ Caffeine: usually lower than black tea
- 🌡️ Brew: steaming, not boiling, water for about 3 minutes
Quick Answer
Purple tea is a true tea made from a purple leaf variety of the Camellia sinensis plant, the same plant used for green and black tea. Its leaves get their color from anthocyanins, the pigments in blueberries. It is grown mainly in Kenya, tastes light and smooth, and is usually lower in caffeine than black tea.
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What Is Purple Tea?
All true teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant, and how tea is made decides whether it becomes green, black, white, or oolong. Purple tea comes from a variety of that plant whose leaves are purple instead of green.
Purple tea is different from butterfly pea flower tea, which is also purple in the cup but is a caffeine free herbal tea made from flowers. Both are part of my list of color changing teas.
Where Purple Tea Comes From
Purple leaf tea plants grew naturally in small amounts in parts of India and China. The Tea Research Foundation of Kenya developed the purple variety grown on farms today, and most purple tea now comes from the Kenyan highlands, including the Nandi Hills.
The plants grow at high elevations near the equator, where strong sunlight brings out the purple color in the leaves. After picking, the leaves are withered, rolled, and dried, much like green or oolong tea.
What Does Purple Tea Taste Like?
Purple tea is light and delicate like green tea, but without the grassy taste. It is smoother and less strong than black tea, with soft floral notes that remind many people of oolong. Plain purple tea brews a light, rosy cup.
You can also find purple tea in flavored varieties blended with fruit, flowers, or herbs. Blends with hibiscus or berries brew a deeper red, much like my hibiscus iced tea.
Does Purple Tea Have Caffeine?
Yes. Because it comes from the tea plant, purple tea has caffeine, but it is usually lower than black tea. The amount in your cup depends on:
- The leaves. Whole leaves release caffeine more slowly than broken leaves. Here is bagged vs loose leaf tea.
- Water temperature. Cooler water pulls out less caffeine.
- Steeping time. A shorter steep means less caffeine.
What Makes Purple Tea Special
- Anthocyanins. These purple pigments are found in blueberries, purple grapes, blackberries, and eggplant, and they give the leaves their color.
- Polyphenols. Like other true teas, purple tea contains natural plant compounds called polyphenols.
- L-theanine. Tea leaves contain this amino acid, which is part of why tea feels calm and smooth to drink.
- Almost no calories when you drink it plain. See does tea have calories.
Research on purple tea specifically is still young, so I enjoy it for its flavor and color rather than any health promise.
How to Brew Purple Tea
- Check the package for brewing instructions, since blends can differ.
- Measure 1 heaping teaspoon of leaves for every 6 ounces of water.
- Heat the water until it steams, about 175 to 185°F. Don’t use boiling water. If it boils, let it cool for a minute.
- Steep for about 3 minutes. Go shorter for a lighter cup or a little longer for more flavor.
- Strain and enjoy. Here is how to make a pot of tea for a crowd.
More Tea Guides
- Beginner’s Guide to Floral Teas
- Matcha Tea Benefits
- Pu’erh Tea Benefits
- Beginner’s Guide to Herbal Tea
- Tea Bombs
- How to Store Loose Leaf Tea
- Does Brewed Tea Go Bad?
Browse all my Tea Guides for more.
Purple Tea FAQs
No. Purple tea comes from the tea plant and has caffeine. Butterfly pea tea is a caffeine free herbal tea made from flowers.
Mainly in the highlands of Kenya, including the Nandi Hills, where the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya developed the purple variety.
Yes, but usually less than black tea. Cooler water and a shorter steep give you less caffeine.
Light, smooth, and slightly floral, somewhere between green tea and oolong, without the grassy taste of green tea.
Its leaves contain anthocyanins, the same purple pigments found in blueberries and purple grapes.
Steaming but not boiling, about 175 to 185°F. Boiling water can make it taste bitter.
The Bottom Line
Purple tea is a true tea with purple leaves, a light floral flavor, and usually less caffeine than black tea. Brew it with steaming, not boiling, water for about 3 minutes, and enjoy something new in your teacup.
Have you tried purple tea? Tell me what you thought in the comments, and come say hello on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
