Wander along the beverages aisle in any supermarket, and you’ll find a vast amount of options when it comes to tea bags. Not only that, you’ll discover bags at every hotel’s continental breakfast, in restaurants, cafes, and at the office. Millions of people also use them at home. The reason for our love of tea bags is that they’re so very convenient, but we might be doing ourselves a disservice.
There is a much easier, tastier, and far healthier alternative, and it’s in the form of loose leaf tea. It’s not as difficult to make as you might think. There’s more available at our online tea and coffee shop and an increasing number of steeping devices to choose from.
We’re all becoming a little more aware of what we put into our bodies and striving to live a better and healthier lifestyle, so let’s explain why you should switch to loose leaf tea today.
1. Health Benefits
It’s not unusual for the tea in bags to sit on a shelf for many months, even years, before you pop them in your mug. Bags that have been produced on an industrial scale may contain high levels of sugar. And as we all know, sugar is not good for our health. Studies have also looked into the health effects of drinking loose tea. It was found that it may help improve concentration, boost the immune system, and lower blood pressure. It has also been suggested that drinking it in moderate amounts could aid weight loss.
2. It’s Better Quality
It’s not something that’s shouted about by tea bag manufacturers but what you’re getting in your convenient bag is generally fannings and dust. You can’t see what’s in your tea bag, but it’s usually leaves that have been ground up into almost a powder. When tea leaves are grated or ground up in this way, they very quickly lose their aroma and oils that occur naturally. Therefore, the fannings in your tea bag have lost much of the taste, nutrients, and many other benefits.
3. There are no Artificial Flavorings or Additives
Manufacturers know the tea in their bags is not so good, so they have to make up for the lack of flavor. Artificial ingredients are often added to improve color and taste. The bag itself may also contain harmful additives such as epichlorohydrin or dioxins. The bag may also be bleached in chlorine. These harmful chemicals are released when you leave the bag to stew in boiling water. You then ingest them along with your cup of tea.
4. More Flavor
Traditional tea production methods include plucking by hand, sorting, rolling, and other specific techniques to improve the leaves’ flavor. Mass production methods that are used for tea in bags break up the leaves. This means the flavor, smell, and any essential oils disappear quicker. What is left is a rather bland and dull cup of tea.
5. It Contains No Plastic
Bags come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. They can be pyramids, silk sachets, and a host of other unusual things. Manufacturers have created these unique designs for their marketing value, but there are now concerns about microplastics leaching into a cup of tea. According to a study published by the Environmental Science and Technology journal, plastic particles released when you make your cup of tea are higher than levels of other foods.
6. Loose Tea is Greener
Bags come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. They can be pyramids, silk sachets, and a host of other unusual things. But one common factor is that most contain microplastics and a range of other materials, not just paper. When you put the bags in your waste, they sit in landfill for hundreds of years and contribute to environmental pollution. Even bags that claim they are bio-degradable may not be. And let’s not forget the carbon emissions that are the result of vast production methods.
Now you know the benefits don’t hesitate to get out there are discover the healthy world of loose leaf tea.
