Why Use Loose Tea Leaves? What's
In It For You
Loose tea leaves refers to the whole leaves of the tea plant. It used for brewing tea.
This is different from the bagged tea that most of us are accustomed to.
Why should you opt for one type over the other?
Well, the reasons are many…
Leaf Size
- Loose leaf tea is made up of whole leaves or very large pieces of the tea leaves.
- In comparison tea bags are filled with smaller broken leaves, called fannings.
Unfortunately when the leaves are broken up during processing, it looses some of its flavor. Some of the chemical compounds which give the tea its characteristic flavor will evaporate.
- The broken leaves in the bags also release more tannins which gives it a harsher and more astringent taste.
- This is one of the reasons that tea bags may give a dull brew compared to loose leaf tea prepared well.
Wide Variety of High Quality
Superior quality or premium tea is almost always preferred as loose tea leaves.
Every type of tea, from the popular Earl Grey or English breakfast varieties, to the fine and rare blends prized by connoisseurs, are available as loose leaves.
With bags your range of choice is restricted. Some of the lower quality bags are a mixture of dust tea and fannings.
Most of the high quality brands carry the same size leaves in the tea bag as well as in the loose leaf variant. But in this case too, another factor comes into play, making the loose leaf variant better.
Infusion
These leaves when steeped in water need space and good water circulation to expand, unfurl and release their essence into the water.
Within
the cramped constraints of a tea bag, the infusion from the leaves
is slower and not as effective. This yields a lighter and less flavored
beverage.
Effect on Economy
The convenience of providing you each serving of tea in its own paper packaging comes at an ecological cost.
- Bagged
tea consumes a lot of paper in the form of its bags, boxes and
packaging.
- In the past the tea bag, especially the pyramid type bag and the packaging, were not bio-degradable.
Today most manufacturers have updated to bio-degradable bags and packs.
When you add into the mix the ecological cost of manufacture and disposal of the packaging, bags cannot compare to the eco-friendliness of loose leaf tea, which is sold by weight in larger containers.
Economical
In bagged teas much of it is wasted due to the slower and ineffective steeping process. The better infusion of the loose leaf tea ensures that you use less per cup when compared to the tea bag.
Making Loose Leaf
The process of preparing this beverage from loose leaves is not as daunting as it first appears.
- You just add the leaves, about a tablespoon per cup
of boiling water and steep for a couple of minutes.
- The water
temperature should be varied according to the type of tea.
- With the stronger teas, the water can be hotter.
Anyone who is accustomed to loose leaf tea will vouch for its taste and flavor. Add to it the many benefits such as the high quality, wide variety, cost savings and eco-friendliness, it sounds like a winner!
