So what’s the big deal with loose leaf teas anyway? Don’t they all come from the same plant? Well, technically yes if we are talking about tea tea (Camelia Sinensis)….but the difference lies in the quality of what you put in your mug.
Note: There are some quality merchants out there that offer tea bags- but we’re not talking about your average bags…these bags are usually mesh, full leaf, biodegradeable, or pyramid style bags. Mighty Leaf is one of the better known merchants that carries loose tea in hand sewn pillow sacks.
So you might wonder why someone would bother with all the work involved with brewing loose tea. I mean, you have to prepare it which normally involves an infuser, and seasoned teapot, and patience. Well it all boils down (no pun intended) to quality of the leaves. Go ahead and take a tea bag from your supermarket and rip it apart (well not literally in the store, purchase it first). What do you see? What you normally see is dust. Fine particles. This is often referred to as fannings. I was told that during the drying process large cylindrical bins fold the leaves continuously to help the drying process…the stuff that falls through the cylinder and into a catch
On the other hand, open up a container of loose leaf tea. What do you see? Full leaves and lots of em! You see, when tea leaves are broken up they release much of their essential oils and health properties…the less that you steep that are broken, the higher the concentration in your cup.
You don’t have to pay a premium price to enjoy premium tasting teas
That’s right. Loose leaf teas come in all varieties. Fabulous Indian Chai, Japanese Sencha Green tea, Silver Needle White tea, and of course the many herbal teas including peppermint tea, chamomile tea, exotic berry tea, rooibos tea, and many other teas. Next time you take that trip to your local supermarket I suggest reaching for some loose leaf teas rather than tea bags. You definitely won’t regret it!