Kombucha, a fermented tea associated with foodies on the West Coast, is gaining popularity in the New York City area thanks to novel blends that give the beverage a new twist. The drink that is traditionally brewed using tea, sugar, yeast and bacteria can be found in restaurants and bars across the city as a mixer or on tap. Some of the most interesting versions use kombucha in alcoholic cocktails, as a mixer with beer or for salad dressings. Manufacturers of the beverage are even obtaining licenses to brew it with higher alcoholic content, in order to avoid the need to comply with federal regulations that limit its alcoholic content to 0.5%.

Recent wage hikes agreed by tea estate managers and workers are putting a strain on many tea estates in the Dooars region in West Bengal, India. As many as 40 plantation owners are looking to offload their farms, because they cannot cope with the increased costs of producing tea. The new wage deal, which saw worker compensation increase by 27% from November 2011, has pushed many tea estates into the red and many of them have been losing money since. The other major factor is the stable auction price of tea leaves, which has not budged since 2010, despite increased production costs. The companies are now calling on the local government to shoulder some of the costs associated with running the estates, that include expenses like accommodation, subsidized food grains, health care and educational facilities.

An Australian study found that people who drink three cups of black tea a day can lower their blood pressure by 2 to 3 points. According to researchers, although the reduction may seem small, it has a significant effect on the prevalence of high blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. The observed decrease in blood pressure is equivalent to a 10% reduction in the prevalence of both conditions and can have a major impact on risk factors behind heart disease and death. The study was performed over a period of 6 months on 95 regular tea drinkers. Previous research suggests that possible explanations for the findings may include improved interior lining of blood vessels and reduced body weight and abdominal fat achieved by regular black tea consumption.