Kiwifruits, rye bread and high mineral-content water could all help alleviate chronic constipation.

That’s according to the first ever evidence-based dietary guidelines for adults with chronic constipation, led by researchers at King’s College London.

The new guidelines also show that taking psyllium fibre supplements, certain probiotic strains and magnesium oxide supplements can help to improve constipation.

In contrast, other widely recommended approaches, including generic “high-fibre diets,” and senna supplements (a type of laxative) were found to lack strong evidence of effectiveness.

The guidelines, jointly published in two international journals, the Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics and Neurogastroenterology & Motility, are endorsed by the British Dietetic Association (BDA) and aim to transform the way this common condition is managed by doctors, nurses and dietitians in clinical practice. The guidelines could also allow better self-management of symptoms, particularly through foods and drinks.

Constipation is a long-term condition that significantly impacts quality of life and places a considerable financial burden on both patients and healthcare systems. Until now, clinical guidelines have offered only limited and sometimes outdated dietary recommendations, typically increasing dietary fibre and fluid intake.

Unlike previous guidelines, the new recommendations are based on numerous rigorous systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and applying the GRADE framework to assess the quality of the evidence. A multidisciplinary panel of experts, including dietitians, and a nutritionist, gastroenterologist, gut physiologist, and GP, reviewed over 75 clinical trials to create 59 recommendation statements and identify 12 research priorities.

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Tea Board of India (TBI) has decided to issue notices to the bought tea leaf factories that have not been paying green leaf prices to small growers as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries.

The Tea Board of India held a meeting with all stakeholders today at its regional office in Guwahati. The meeting observed that ‘certain tea factories operating within the Northeast Zone jurisdiction have failed to comply with the prescribed average green leaf price (AGLP) for the districts during the months of August and September 2025, resulting in payment of green leaf prices below the mandated level to small tea growers.’  

According to sources, the TBI decided to issue notices to such bought leaf factories that did not comply with the guidelines of the ministry in the payment of prices for green leaf to the small tea growers. The Board said that if the factories do not comply with the guidelines within the specified time, they will face suspension of their licences.

According to the Tea Board of India’s guidelines, “the statutory provisions, i.e., AGPL (Average Green Leaf Prices) payable to small growers, on a district-wise basis, shall be determined by taking into consideration the average auction price of tea sold during the corresponding month. It is obligatory for all registered tea manufacturers procuring green tea leaf from small tea growers. Non-adherence to these guidelines constitutes a violation under the Tea Marketing Control Order (TMCO) and may attract stringent measures by the authority concerned.”

The ministry directed all tea factories to (i) immediately pay the differential amount corresponding to the AGLP of the relevant districts to the green leaf suppliers/small tea growers concerned, (ii) submit documentary evidence of such payments to the nearest field officers of their jurisdictions for verification and record purposes, and (iii) ensure adherence to the AGLP for all future procurement without exception.

Non-compliance will compel the ministry to initiate appropriate action as the provisionsion of TMCO.

This development has proved beyond doubt that the small tea growers of the state decrying the bought leaf factories not paying them their remunerative prices is not for nothing.

 Also Read: A second life for a tea leaf: Turning waste into clean energy

It’s more difficult for our bodies to absorb nutrients from food as we age. Vitamin B12, in particular, may be lacking from your diet if you follow a plant-based eating plan or are a vegetarian, as it’s commonly found in animal byproducts. But more than these two groups may exhibit signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency—at least 4% of people between 40 and 59 are lacking in the nutrient, and even more are borderline.

Meet the experts: Lisa Cimperman, R.D., a licensed dietitian; Angela Grassi, R.D., a dietitian at the PCOS Nutrition Center

You might also be at risk of B12 deficiency if you take metformin (often prescribed for type 2 diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome) or certain heartburn medications, if you’ve had weight loss surgery, or if you have a digestive disorder like celiac disease or Crohn’s.

A vibrant bright green tea has picked up steam in United States media over the past few years. Matcha has been on the rise as cafes experiment with the radiant ingredient in desserts and beverages. Yet, matcha has also seen a recent influx in price. 

The growing popularity of the tea has increased the global market for matcha, with revenue expected to reach $5.5 billion by 2027, according to 2023 research from Global Edge.

Japan is the primary grower of matcha and exports more than half of its supply, according to the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and as reported by The Japan Times. In 2023, Japan produced over 4,000 tons of matcha. 

However, both environmental factors and economic policy have caused the matcha market to experience jumps in price. 

In recent years, poor weather and labor shortages have led to an imbalance in the supply and demand of matcha coming from Japan, according to an article by the Associated Press.

Along with foreign burdens, recent tariff implementations have also caused surges in matcha prices. In September, a baseline 15% tariff was placed on nearly all Japanese imports entering the U.S. as a part of the United States-Japan Agreement, according to a White House executive order. 

Despite the recent tariff agreements with Japan, the U.S. remains one of the top importers of matcha, with sales exceeding $10 billion within the last 25 years, according to Global Edge. 

But Arizona cafes and consumers have still been feeling the effects of these higher prices.

How local cafes are affected

Local cafes that source their teas internationally are dealing with the market shift, sometimes struggling to find balance between quantity and quality.

Songbird Coffee & Tea House is a local cafe in downtown Phoenix that previously sourced its matcha from the AOI Tea Company, which imports products from Japan.

Prices for AOI’s matcha have doubled due to both tariffs and increasing demand for the product, manager Frankie Hirsch said in a statement. In an effort to avoid raising prices, Songbird Coffee & Tea House is planning to switch matcha suppliers, Hirsch wrote. 

“We are pretty well known for our matcha, so we sampled quite a few brands,” Hirsch wrote. “We don’t want to skimp out on the quality of our products.” 

Tariffs have also impacted the price of the cafe’s espresso beans, Hirsch wrote. Their roaster has increased the price of the beans by 10%, leading to uncertainty for Songbird.

“As of right now we don’t quite know what that means for us,” Hirsch wrote. 

Learning about the news a week ago, Hirsch wrote that the effects of the price increase is yet to be seen at the coffee shop.  

Fillmore Coffee Co. is another Phoenix-based cafe that has seen increases in price from its matcha supplier.

“Where we would usually pay $30 to $40 for a bag of matcha, we are now paying $65 to start,” said manager Olivia Owens.

Owens noticed matcha prices rising about five months ago and for about one month, the company was dealing with backorder issues from its matcha supplier, Owens said.

Despite these changes occurring in the matcha market, the company has continued to charge customers with the same prices.

Fillmore has not had a price increase in the last four years which is something that sets it apart from other companies in the area, Owens said.

“We still are making profit because we get a lot of drinks from one (matcha) bag,” Owens said. 

Infusion Coffee & Tea is a cafe in Tempe with a “unique and informed perspective,” as they have not experienced price influxes yet, corporate trainer and web manager Devin O’Malley said in a statement.

Infusion is the daughter company of the wholesale company Infusion Distribution. The stock distribution company has not yet been affected by tariffs but anticipate possible impacts, O’Malley said. 

“Because we are a wholesaler operation, we have an excess of stock already in house,” O’Malley said.

Infusion mainly works in specialty coffee and only recently started selling ceremonial grade matcha. The coffee house recently experimented in finding a matcha alternative by grinding earl grey tea to mimic the stone grinding of matcha, she said. 

“Maybe the route will just be expanding what the matcha window is (and) what we use to do that,” she said.

Consumer impact

Matcha consumers are already starting to feel the effects of rising prices at local cafes near ASU’s campuses. 

READ MORE: Ditch that cup of coffee: Top 5 matcha cafes around ASU

Caitlin Giap, a freshman studying biological sciences, said ever since the tea became popular, prices have been increasing. 

Market shifts are changing student’s buying habits as the drink becomes more expensive. Where students used to buy matcha casually, some are now more selective about their spending. 

Matcha is now becoming something to have for special occasions, Giap said.

“It would have to be a sweet treat after I take a test or something like that,” Gabby Davis, a freshman studying biological sciences, said.

Troubles across seas and domestic surcharges are leaving the future of the matcha market unclear for companies and consumers alike. 

“Tea, in and of itself, is already facing a crisis, if you will, so it’s really just a wait and see if matcha ends up getting less popular,” O’Malley said.

Edited by Natalia Rodriguez, Senna James and Pippa Fung.

Reach the reporter at dbell39@asu.edu and follow @dhemibell on X. 

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