subject: The Battle of Loose Tea and Teabags [print this page] Tea has been around for many generations and it's enjoyed by many people around the world whether it is served hot or cold.
No matter how tea drinkers like to prepare their tea, it comes down to two forms loose leaf and teabag.
Tea is known to be either of these two forms. Loose leaf is really just tea. It is made of dried leaves or fruits and is steeped in hot water to extract flavor. A teabag, on the other hand, is a small sealed bag either made of porous paper, silk or plastic that is used to contain tea leaves. The leaves are securely sealed so that when the bag is dipped in hot water, they don't come out. When steeping loose tea, it gives enough room to extend the flavor without the restrictions of a teabag. However, teabags also offer ease and convenience to any tea drinker.
But which do you think is a better choice? Let us look into the pro's and con's of both forms of tea.
In terms of the form of tea, loose leaf is the most natural while tea contained in a teabag has undergone various processing that has reduced a whole tea leaf into tiny bits of dust or "fannings". Therefore, the original oils and other essentials that are naturally present in tea leaf have also been lessened. There are also materials used in making teabags that can be toxic when heated such as nylon. When nylon is dipped into hot water, chemicals present in it get mixed into your drink.
Loose tea leaf is known to contain the most number of health benefits given that it is free of fannings and tea dust. It also has a more leafy surface area therefore it has maintained its oils and health nutrients. When tea leaf is broken down to tiny bits and pieces, there is a greater tendency for oils to evaporate leaving the leaf dull and old. This is what happens to tea placed in teabags.
A teabag's major drawback is freshness especially when it is packed in a paper box or with paper wrapping. Teabags are also kept on shelves in a warehouse for months and keep in mind that teas do not stay fresh forever. This goes to show that loose tea leave has more benefits and is fresher. It is purely natural because it has not been put under any factory processing so it is not old, dusty or even expired. Teabags, in general, offer great convenience in terms of delivery and preparation but it's the loose tea leaves that have higher quality and freshness.
Tea is indeed essential in many people's lives. It's not merely a drink to pass time but it's a therapy in more ways than one. So is it loose tea leaf or teabags? You decide.
