Purple tea is a relatively new variety of the tea plant Camellia sinensis that has been bred in several tea producing countries, like Kenya, China, Japan and India. It has been described as similar to oolong, lighter than black tea but not quite as vegetal tasting as the green tea. Purple tea is exceptionally rich in anthocyanins, in addition to catechins and other phenolic compounds, known for their protective antioxidative action, and contains less caffeine than other varieties.