There are many different kinds of tea beverages available.  Many of them include some combination of the following types of tea: black, oolong, green and white. Each vary in oxidization levels and flavors, but all can be a part of healthy and balanced diet when consumed in moderation.

Check out more information on what’s available on our Products issue site and discover your favorite drinks for every season.

The final challenge for the top two contestants, Brett Michaels of “Rock of Love” and rock band Poison fame and actress Holly Robinson Peete, was one in which our member companies have some significant experience.  They had to create a new, tasty non-alcoholic beverage, label it and develop a marketing campaign to showcase their new brand. To make it even more exciting, they had only three days to pull it off. 

The show was a unique look into the world of beverage innovation.  Peete employed the help of celebrity chef Curtis Stone to help her pair flavors for Compassionberry Tea™.  Michaels, on the other hand, went for a diet, tropical flavored beverage.

In the end, however, it came down to the total package.  And Brett Michaels, with his Diet Snapple Trop-A-Rocka™ Tea, took the win.  According to Mr. Young, “Brett is very Snapple.  He has that Snapple attitude,” or “snappitude” as they said on the show.  Brett Michaels’ win was an emotional ride, as he had to take breaks from taping when he was hospitalized with a brain hemorrhage.

It was truly a remarkable competition between two very inspiring competitors. Both Peete and Michaels were incredibly driven and both support excellent causes.  You can read more about the competition in this news release put out by the Dr Pepper Snapple Group earlier this week, and we hope that you’ll stay tuned in to Sip & Savor for more fun and exciting news from the beverage world.

This year marks the seventh annual National Iced Tea Month, which recognizes the beverage that was created in America nearly a century ago. How did iced tea come to be? During the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, folks just weren’t interested in drinking hot tea. So an English tea merchant named Richard Blechynden added ice and…voila, a new beverage was invented.

Iced teas have come a long way since then. Of course, many of us still enjoy making good old-fashioned sun tea. But since the invention of iced tea, our lives have become slightly more hectic. Many of us now lack the time to make sun tea – let alone sit and enjoy a cool glass of it on the front porch. But not to worry. There are many ready-to-drink teas available today. And, depending on processing, ready-to-drink (or RTD) teas may offer similar health benefits to brewed teas. If you want to learn more about RTD teas, check out the American Beverage Association’s products issue site. You can learn about the history of this category, view a sample nutrition facts panel for a RTD tea and more.

So whether your favorite tea is Crystal Light, GOLD PEAK, Honest Tea, Lipton BRISK, Nestea, Snapple or another brand…..find some time this month to kick back, relax and savor its refreshing flavor.

When it comes to the cold, there’s lots of great advice from doctors, nurses and health experts like those at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are also the home remedies, the ones your mom made famous.

But if there’s a common piece of advice for dealing with a cold from the professionals and good old mom it’s this: drink plenty of fluids.

Ahhh, lucky for you this is the blog of the non-alcoholic beverage industry. We may not have the cure, but we certainly have products that can help get you through what ails you.

Of course, we have water. Plenty of it. Safe and sealed in a bottle of your very own that can travel with you from the bed to the couch. (The CDC, after all, cautions against the use of cups and glasses that may be shared, even accidentally, for that could help spread your cold to others.)

Others say drink the orange juice, ripe with Vitamin C and other natural goodness. Some experts say OJ may help prevent or shorten colds, particularly for those who are very physically active or stressed. But at a minimum, it helps meet the drink plenty of fluids rule.

Then there are those who promote the benefits of tea and its antioxidants, particularly herbal tea and hot tea. Another good choice.

And, our industry provides plenty of clear sodas that mom and others often recommend. The 7-Up, Sprite, Sierra Mist and ginger ale products. These have been known to help settle the cold that comes with an unsettled tummy.

Whatever your preference, drink plenty of fluids. Our products site will provide you background on bottled waters, juices, teas, soft drinks and other beverages. Check it out. And, of course, always listen to your doctor or health professional when seeking their advice on how to beat a cold.

We’ll even provide an assist to our friends at the CDC and remind you to get your flu shot as well. There’s still time. If you think that a cold is bad; well then, you definitely don’t want to get the flu.

Here’s to good health, no colds or flu, and an early end to that cold – if you catch one. (Or it catches you.)