Q&A Which black tea brand is healthier: Brook bond red label or Lipton yellow label?

[ThunderCat]

So i've been drinking brooke bond red label chai since 2017 ever since falling in love with it and for it's health benefits. Then my adopted sibling sent me a link in 2018 that brooke bond had pesticide issues.

Having stayed in Pakistan since January till June, I consumed lipton black tea and couldn't decide if it's better than brooke bond. It tastes superbly healthy and sometimes lighter than brooke bond but i'd like other people's experienced advise on the matter.

 

[Bilal9]

When in Bangladesh I always have Ispahani Chai in the pantry which is mostly locally sourced (Sylhet and Chittagong Tea Estates - Sylhet is next door to Assam and has the same weather and tea varieties). Every tea company sells better and economical varieties. The more expensive Ispahani black tea blend is Blender's Choice, their midgrade tea is called Zareen. Mirzapore is the economic variety.

Just some informational tidbit - the best tea leaves are loose and if you know tea garden owners (like I do) then you will get the best of the best from the garden for no coinage occasionally. The black stuff from the garden is almost too strong, you boil half as much in the saucepan.

In North America PG Tips is in my pantry as well (backup if I deplete my regular stash from back home), it is the most widely available on Amazon which my friends serve when I go to dawats. PG Tips also has Gold variety which tastes a bit better. But PG Tips is also mostly sourced from India and Africa but is blended in the UK.

There are smaller tea estates in Rangpur in Bangladesh who now produce organic black, white and green tea, some of them closer to the border area in North Bengal near Darjeeling.

 

[Observer]

Both Brooke Bond Red Label and Lipton Yellow Label are popular black tea brands, but when comparing their health benefits, it depends on factors like processing, additives, and tea quality.

Comparison:​

Factor	Brooke Bond Red Label	Lipton Yellow Label
Ingredients	Black tea, sometimes blended with herbs (depends on variant)	Pure black tea
Additives	Some variants may contain added flavors or herbal blends	Generally free from additives
Antioxidants	Good amount of flavonoids and catechins	Slightly higher catechin content due to better processing
Caffeine	Moderate	Moderate
Processing	CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) – smaller leaves, quick brewing	Orthodox & CTC blend – may retain more nutrients
Taste	Stronger, more bitter	Milder, slightly smoother
Health Impact	Supports heart health, digestion, but may contain artificial flavors in some variants	Richer in antioxidants, supports heart health, and is more natural

Which is Healthier?​

• Lipton Yellow Label is generally healthier because it is a purer black tea with a slightly better antioxidant profile and minimal additives.
• Brooke Bond Red Label is also good but may contain more processed tea leaves and, in some variants, added herbs or flavors that could reduce its natural benefits.

Best Choice?​

If you prefer a stronger taste, go for Red Label, but if you want a healthier, purer black tea, Lipton Yellow Label is the better option.

 

[ThunderCat]

Brooke Bond Red Tea is made in India is it not? I hear that it funds the Indian government and their atrocities in Kashmir.

But, I do not know how you deal with such stances and your views on boycott @ThunderCat

But, to answer your question, I prefer the Pakistani Tapal Tea brands.

I've been here in Karachi and just discovered Tapal. I just LOVE it. I'm done with Brooke Bond & Lipton.

When I head back to Toronto I'm going to finish the remaining Brook Bond in my house and then start buying Tapal from now on.

 

[Lulldapull]

I've been here in Karachi and just discovered Tapal. I just LOVE it. I'm done with Brooke Bond & Lipton.

When I head back to Toronto I'm going to finish the remaining Brook Bond in my house and then start buying Tapal from now on.

Yaar before you leave buy like couple of kg of Vital tea it’s also very good actually a Pakistani brand and better than danedaar chai.

 

[Mainerik]

Yaar before you leave buy like couple of kg of Vital tea it’s also very good actually a Pakistani brand and better than danedaar chai.

Isn't there a transfer storage problem from one country into another? Won't Canada confiscate those?

 

[ThunderCat]

Yaar before you leave buy like couple of kg of Vital tea it’s also very good actually a Pakistani brand and better than danedaar chai.

If it's available. If it's at a difficult location, i'll pass on. But either way i'm done with Brooke Bind & Lipton

 

[Lulldapull]

Isn't there a transfer storage problem from one country into another? Won't Canada confiscate those?

Not dry food like tea or coffee or cookies/biscuits candy is all ok as far as I know.

 

[Lulldapull]

This new Pakistani tea is also good. Its good value for money:

 

[Lulldapull]

There green tea is also excellent:

 

[ThunderCat]

There green tea is also excellent:

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Nah I prefer black tea. Right now Tapal is on the top of my list followed by Lipton and then by Brooke Bond.