The first batch of a new wellness green tea blended with pure Welsh honey and scientifically identified botanicals has arrived in Wales.
Welsh Brew Tea has teamed up with Cardiff University’s @Pharmabees Project and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board to create the beverage.
Developed by the Swansea-based company with Cardiff’s scientific knowhow, the Bee Good to YOURSELF tea – blended in the UK – is 100% natural.
“We believe it’s the first green tea of its kind to use real Welsh honey in the form of flakes – as opposed to synthetic honey flavouring used in other products,” said the company’s managing director and founder, Alan Wenden.
“Bee Good to YOURSELF is a refreshing blend of green tea, pure welsh honey, blackberries, and wildflowers including meadowsweet that gives something back to nature by supporting community-based pollinator projects across the country.”
After water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world and is thought to carry a range of health benefits. In laboratory studies, tea has also revealed its ability to target common, disease causing bugs.
Les Baillie, Professor of Microbiology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, said: “Honey has been used for thousands of years to treat a range of conditions, including the common cold.
“Our partnership with Welsh Brew Tea is all part of our work to develop honey in Wales with similar bug-killing powers to that of New Zealand’s Manuka honey which is due to natural compounds donated by the plants on which the bees fed to make the honey.”
Robyn Davies, Head of Innovation at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and a Cardiff University Innovation Fellow said: “We are delighted the first batch of tea has arrived in Wales, adding to our portfolio of innovations that support wellness in Wales.”
Through @Pharmabees, Cardiff University researchers are exploring how the pollination of certain plants could lead to the development of drugs to treat serious medical conditions resistant to traditional antibiotics.
Welsh Brew Tea are also supporting the Adopt-a-Hive scheme, which was developed by Wales learning technology company, Bee1, along with Cardiff University to encourage school pupils to learn about the importance of bees and beekeeping. The company aims to engage schools, businesses and individuals to adopt their very own hive (and beekeeper) as they grow and learn to build a natural, sustainable future.
