Meanwhile, green tea, which accounts for just over 11 percent of the tea Americans drink, has been growing much faster—the U.S. downs over 40 percent more than it did in 2000. And other fringe and artisanal teas, like rooibos, oolong, and white tea, are growing fastest—the category has grown by nearly 8,000 percent over the past 10 years alone and now accounts for roughly 6 percent of U.S. tea consumption.
At the same time, coffee consumption has remained fairly stagnant since the 1970s, suggesting that tea might be replacing coffee in some households. But the more prevailing reason for tea's ascent is likely the perception that consuming tea is good for one's health. Green tea in particular has been linked to a number of health benefits.