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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 June 2021

Sonalee Rajput, Sibasis Hense and K.R. Thankappan

The study examined the utilisation patterns of healthcare services among tea garden workers and analysed the factors influencing utilisation in an Indian context.

2913

Abstract

Purpose

The study examined the utilisation patterns of healthcare services among tea garden workers and analysed the factors influencing utilisation in an Indian context.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employed a mixed-method approach and an explanatory sequential design for the study. A survey was conducted in the beginning followed by in-depth interviews in a north-eastern state of India (Assam). Andersen health behaviour model was used to explore the factors influencing healthcare utilisation. The sample size for the survey and in-depth interviews were 300 and 19, respectively, recruited employing multistage random and purposive sampling techniques.

Findings

Out of 300 workers surveyed, 169 (56.3%) were females, 257 (85.7%) were married, 77 (25.7%) were illiterates and 229 (76.3%) had monthly household income less than 100 US$. The survey also found that 47.3% and 15.3% had non-communicable and communicable disease respectively. Most of the workers (67.3%) utilised government facilities, and close to one third (28.7%) utilised tea garden hospitals. About 63.3% had health insurance, but a majority (78.9%) did not use it previously. The analyses of interviews explored the need, enabling, predisposing factors under three important themes influencing utilisation of healthcare services among the workers.

Practical implications

The study generates evidence to strengthen the Indian Plantation Labour Act, 1951 for tea garden worker's welfare protection and warrants transition from colonial-era policies to contemporary industry realities in order to improve their living, employment, nutritional and health conditions.

Originality/value

The research adds to the existing literature on overall healthcare services utilisation (including coverage and utilisation of health insurance) among blue collar workers who usually lack access to healthcare facilities and explores important factors that determine utilisation in the Indian context.

Details

Journal of Health Research, vol. 36 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0857-4421

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 January 2020

Christopher John Etheridge and Emma Derbyshire

Increasingly, interest in and the uptake of herbal infusions has advanced, namely, owing to their bioactive properties and potential links to health. Given this, the purpose of…

13375

Abstract

Purpose

Increasingly, interest in and the uptake of herbal infusions has advanced, namely, owing to their bioactive properties and potential links to health. Given this, the purpose of the present review was to collate evidence from human trials for five popular herbal infusions.

Design/methodology/approach

The systematic review comprised ten human trials (560 participants), investigating inter-relationships between herbal infusions consumption and health. Only human studies involving German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L. Asteraceae), ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe Zingiberaceae), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L. Lamiaceae), peppermint (Mentha x spicata L. Lamiaceae)/spearmint (Mentha spicata L. Lamiaceae) and rosehip (Rosa canina L. Rosaceae) teas were included in the present paper.

Findings

Most herbal infusions serve as a good source of flavonoids and other polyphenols in the human diet. Studies included in this paper indicate that herbal infusions (1-3 cups tended to be drank daily; infusion rates up to 15 min) could benefit certain aspects of health. In particular, this includes aspects of sleep quality and glycaemic control (German chamomile), osteoarthritic stiffness and hormone control (spearmint), oxidative stress (lemon balm) and primary dysmenorrhea (rosehip).

Research limitations/implications

Ongoing research is needed using homogenous herbal infusion forms, brewing rates and volumes of water to further reinforce these findings. In the meantime, herbal infusions could provide a useful supplementary approach to improving certain aspects of well-being.

Originality/value

The present paper collates evidence from human trials for five popular herbal infusions.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science , vol. 50 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 May 2009

Carrie H.S. Ruxton

The purpose of this paper is to review evidence on the impact of black tea on health, highlighting the role of flavonoids.

1557

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review evidence on the impact of black tea on health, highlighting the role of flavonoids.

Design/methodology/approach

This review builds on previous systematic reviews by incorporating new studies on black tea and health published between 2004 and 2009.

Findings

Black tea was strongly associated with heart disease prevention by plausible mechanisms linked to flavonoid bioactivity. In vitro studies suggest that tea has anti‐cancer properties, but this needs to be confirmed by additional long‐term human studies. Emerging research indicates that tea may benefit cognitive function and weight management, although more studies are needed. Tea flavonoids are bioavailable with or without milk.

Originality/value

The benefits of tea drinking are of relevance to public health as tea is the main contributor to dietary flavonoids in Western countries. Consuming one to eight cups of black tea per day is associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease. Caffeine intakes at this level are moderate.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 39 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 July 2013

Neda Lotfi Yagin, Reza Mahdavi and Zeinab Nikniaz

Although black tea is commonly consumed in Iran, within the last years the popularity of green tea, especially green tea bags, has dramatically increased due to all scientific…

362

Abstract

Purpose

Although black tea is commonly consumed in Iran, within the last years the popularity of green tea, especially green tea bags, has dramatically increased due to all scientific papers reporting that green tea has benefit impacts on human health. Considering the postulated role of increased dietary oxalate intake on calcium oxalate stone formation, this paper aimed to study the oxalate content of most popular green and black tea bags consumed in Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

Five green tea samples and ten black tea samples were purchased from various markets in Tabriz, Iran. The oxalate content of each sample after infusion for five minutes was measured in triplicate using an enzymatic assay. Statistical analysis used: the ANOVA with Tukey's post‐hoc test, and also an independent t‐test were used for statistical analysis.

Findings

The oxalate concentration in different brands of green tea bags ranged from 0.73 to 1.75 and from 3.69 to 6.31 mg/240 ml for black tea bags. There were significant differences in oxalate content of different brands, both in green and black tea bags (P<0.001). The mean oxalate content of green and black tea samples also differed significantly from each other (P<0.001).

Originality/value

From the oxalate point of view, consumption of green and black tea bags infusions several times per day may not pose significant health risks in kidney stone patients and susceptible individuals.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 43 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 July 2016

Maysoon AlHafez, Fadi Kheder and Malak AlJoubbeh

There are many variations of brewing techniques which can impact both flavor and chemistry of the brew significantly. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand and…

Abstract

Purpose

There are many variations of brewing techniques which can impact both flavor and chemistry of the brew significantly. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand and identify the most common conditions used among a relatively large sample of worldwide tea consumers for preparing tea drinks.

Design/methodology/approach

An electronic questionnaire was formed via Google Drive© and distributed publicly online from 12 November 2014 to 9 January 2015. It contained 18 questions divided into sections. The valid answers received from 2,690 person were coded and statistically analyzed using SPSS 20.0 to calculate the frequencies, categorize the data into observed variables by using cross-tabulation and compare the observed data with the author expectations by using the chi-square test technique. Results were presented as (frequency; percent).

Findings

The results showed that a lot of tea-drinking respondents add sugar to their drink (2,242; 87.4 per cent). The great majority of respondents would drink their tea with additives (natural flavoring) (1,814; 70.7 per cent). Furthermore, there was a significant association between the number of tea drinkers and their gender and country of residence (p < 0.05), while the age of the respondents was not a significant factor affecting tea drinking. The same was observed about the association between number of people using additives and their gender, country of residence and age. Most of the participants thought that adding sugar would decrease tea’s health benefits, while adding some natural flavoring would increase it.

Originality/value

These most common conditions used among tea consumers can guide further conducted researches on tea drink to have more impact on people’s ways and understanding of different tea infusion preparations.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 46 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Keywords

Case study
Publication date: 1 December 2005

Laurence Weinstein and Cindi Bigelow

Ms. Cindi Bigelow, COO and third generation in her family to head the R.C. Bigelow Tea Company, located in Fairfield, CT, believed one strategy to move her business forward would…

Abstract

Ms. Cindi Bigelow, COO and third generation in her family to head the R.C. Bigelow Tea Company, located in Fairfield, CT, believed one strategy to move her business forward would be to attract a younger audience for her product line. Hot tea appeals primarily to women 45+ who typically drink the beverage for its soothing effects. A test market, designed to make hot tea more appealing to a college-age audience, was conducted at a nearby university by a Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team drawn from the chapter's membership. Key words: Target audience, market segmentation, demographics, market research, promotion mix, advertising, copy development, media selection.

Details

The CASE Journal, vol. 2 no. 1
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 1544-9106

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2005

S.O. Aroyeun, O. Olubamiwa and M.A.K. Ogunjobi

Tea and herb teas are popular beverages with potential health benefits. This study evaluates the potential for the development of wine using infused tea leaves as a raw material.

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Abstract

Purpose

Tea and herb teas are popular beverages with potential health benefits. This study evaluates the potential for the development of wine using infused tea leaves as a raw material.

Design/methodology/approach

Tea leaves of clones 318 and 143 obtained from the Mambilla Highland of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria Ibadan, were infused in hot water and used in wine production. Processed tea bags from Unilever Plc, Nigeria (LP) were used as the control. All the three infusions were fermented for 120 hours at 30°C.

Findings

The pH, total solids, and the specific gravity of the musts showed a marked decrease with concomitant increase in titratable acidity. Macro elements of the tea leaves indicated significant differences in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium between clones. The different physiology of the tea clones was responsible for the varied tannins of the wines. Sensory evaluation of the wines showed that there were significant differences, p<0.05 value, among wines samples in all the attributes evaluated.

Originality/value

The taste of the wines produced from tea leaves and the aroma compared favourably with other commercially known tropical fruit wines used in the assessment, although there is need for further work on the improvement of the colour of the tea wines.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 107 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 June 2020

Chujun Wang, Yubin Peng, Charles Spence and Xiaoang Wan

This study was designed to investigate how the material properties of the tea-drinking receptacle interact with a participant's motivation and preference for extracting and using…

Abstract

Purpose

This study was designed to investigate how the material properties of the tea-drinking receptacle interact with a participant's motivation and preference for extracting and using information obtained via haptic perception, namely the need for touch (NFT), to influence his or her tea-drinking experience.

Design/methodology/approach

72 blindfolded participants were instructed to sample room temperature tea beverages served in a cup that was made of ceramic, glass, paper or plastic. They were then asked to rate how familiar they were with the taste of the beverage, to rate how pleasant the taste was and to specify how much they would like to pay for it (i.e. willingness-to-pay ratings).

Findings

The material of the receptacles used to serve the tea exerted a significant influence over the pleasantness ratings of the tea and interacted with the participants' NFT, exerting a significant influence over their willingness to pay for the tea. Specifically, high-NFT participants were willing to pay significantly more for the same cup of tea when it was served in a ceramic cup rather than in a paper cup, whereas the low-NFT participants' willingness to pay for the tea was unaffected by the material of the receptacles.

Originality/value

Our findings suggest that consumers may not be equally susceptible to the influence of the receptacle in which tea, or any other beverage, is served. Our findings also demonstrate how the physical properties of a receptacle interact with a consumer's motivation and preference to influence his or her behavior in the marketplace.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 122 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 December 2017

Amanda Berhaupt-Glickstein and William Hallman

The purpose of this paper is to identify the demographic and psychographic characteristics of older green tea consumers in the USA. By understanding this segment’s background…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the demographic and psychographic characteristics of older green tea consumers in the USA. By understanding this segment’s background, perceptions, and behaviors, health and marketing professionals can tailor messages to reach clients and consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was completed in January 2014 with 1,335 older adult consumers (=55 years old). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binomial logistic regression.

Findings

More than half (n=682, 51.2 percent) of respondents drank green tea. Most green tea consumers in this sample are college-educated and employed female home owners. The odds for green tea consumption are greater if a respondent is in good health, was informed about diet and health, or made a health-related dietary change in the past year. There are greater odds of consumption if the respondent is familiar with the relationship between drinking green tea and the reduced risk of cancer however, the importance of health statements on product labels are not predictive of consumption.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted in the USA and with older adults. Future research should explore characteristics of younger consumers, i.e. 18-54 years old.

Practical implications

Health educators, regulators, and marketing professionals may use this profile to tailor messages that speak to consumers and client’s values and motivations.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first profile of older adult green tea consumers in the USA.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 119 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 July 2021

Man Lai Cheung, Wilson K.S. Leung, Jun-Hwa Cheah, Kian Yeik Koay and Bryan Cheng-Yu Hsu

Using consumption value theory, this study aims to examine the impact of tourists’ perceived consumption value dimensions of tea beverages offered by Hong Kong (HK)-style cafés…

Abstract

Purpose

Using consumption value theory, this study aims to examine the impact of tourists’ perceived consumption value dimensions of tea beverages offered by Hong Kong (HK)-style cafés, including taste value, price value, health value and emotional value, on tourists’ memorable experience (ME), satisfaction and revisit intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an online survey, this study collected 225 usable data from tourists who had experience in visiting HK-style cafés. Partial least squares–structural equation modelling was used to examine the importance of tourists’ value dimensions, including taste value, price value, health value and emotional value, on tourists’ ME, satisfaction and revisit intention.

Findings

The results revealed that taste value, price value, health value and emotional value are significant predictors of tourists’ ME in HK-style cafés, which in turn drive their satisfaction and revisit intention.

Research limitations/implications

This study focusses on a single context: HK-style cafés. Future research may enhance the generalisability of the findings by replicating the model in other countries with diverse cultures.

Practical implications

Tourism marketers may strengthen tourists’ ME, satisfaction and revisit intention by promoting tea beverages as well as HK-style cafés. Tourism marketers are recommended to communicate taste value, price value, health value and emotional value of HK-style tea beverages, which in turn encourages tourists to learn about the features of tea beverages. Subsequently, it drives tourists’ ME and satisfaction, thereby strengthening their intention to revisit.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the tourism marketing literature by providing an understanding of the role of tea beverage value in driving tourists’ ME, satisfaction and revisit intention. By empirically testing a research model, this study confirms that specific consumption value elements of tea beverages, namely, taste value, price value, health value and emotional value, are critical drivers in driving tourists’ ME, satisfaction and revisit intention.

Details

International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6182

Keywords

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