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Loose Leaf Tea - Is It Any Better?

Brewing a cup of tea these days has become an easy task. You add hot water to a cup, let a tea bag steep for a couple of minutes, and go about your business while drinking what you were made to believe is real tea...that is, what you think tea really has to offer. A tea bag does have its advantages. It is small, makes tea easy to prepare, is always the right amount and is consistent, and above all is disposable leaving no clean up. But despite this convenience, there is something lacking.

For many folks around the world, brewing tea loose leaf style has become a way of life, and is a much better way to enjoy this beverage as well as obtain healthier benefits. In America, over 90 percent of tea drinkers prepare their tea using a bag, and are unaware of the loose leaf tea method. In the United Kingdom, more folks brew tea the loose leaf way compared to Americans, but for the most part, tea is still steeped by the bag.

So what are the differences between these two methods, and what really is the best way to enjoy a cup of tea?

To answer this question right away, loose leaf tea is a far better way to enjoy this beverage! The reason is due to several factors. First, the leaves are larger and have more of their natural oils in them which produces a cup that has great aroma and robust flavor. The actual leaf size does vary depending on the tea grade, but will always taste better than a tea bag. Whole leaf tea is usually fresher and is brewed within 6 to 8 months of the flush. Tea bag tea can be over a year old, or more in some cases.

Also, the tea leaves that go into that bag are called "fannings" or "tea dust", which is the lowest grading of tea. They will add color to your cup, but not much flavor. A large percentage of their essential oils have dried up leaving little room to treat the palate and provide benefits. Generally, the taste will be bitter, fuzzy, flat, or even stale. You may get used to it, (or are used to it), but once you discover the flavor from loose leaf tea, you will probably never dunk another bag again! Trust me.

Tea types like green and white sometimes receive a misunderstood reputation when brewed from a bag, and leave the drinker with a bad opinion about them. Sadly, these teas aren't giving justice and cannot reveal their true colors this way.

The health benefits of tea are also an important part for folks wanting to maintain a healthier lifestyle, giving another reason to chose loose leaf. Studies like one from the Linus Pauling Institute reveal that white tea is not only good at fighting cancer, but may act as a deterrent as well. The powerful catechin antioxidants found in this tea may help prevent stomach, colon, breast, and prostate cancers. The tea is also a great immune system booster since it can destroy many disease-causing organisms.

Brewing this tea, for example, using tea bags reduces the benefits you can obtain when compared to the ones found in a cup of loose leaf. And the taste as mentioned above will have you question why, and how, folks can drink it daily. The truth is, white tea is quite pleasant and yields a light liquor that has a mildly sweet aroma and taste.

Another fact about loose leaf tea is that there are literally thousands of varieties which means that not only will you find your favorites, but there will always be a new cup to look forward to in addition! White tea, green, oolong, and black teas all are grown in different countries by different cultures and therefore give us so much to choose from. Also, it is wise to state that all tea types come from the same plant, the Camellia sinensis bush.

Learn More About White Tea And Loose Leaf Tea

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