The paper floating around the top of the mug may not be the ideal choice when preparing a cuppa.
Tea is a beverage that is made from the steeping of leaves from select plants. It can be loose leaf or in a teabag. According to teausa.com, tea is an industry worth more than 2.2 billion dollars. Over 65 percent of the tea brewed in the United States is prepared using tea bags.
When choosing a tea, it may seem that tea bags are the way to go. They are easy to use and cheaper when compared to loose leaf tea. While is is a personal decision, many people favor loose leaf because of its benefits. Rosetta Fahrlander, tea executive at Teavana in Overland Park, knows the facts.
“Bagged tea is dust and fannings of real tea,” Fahrlander said. “It is not truly tea.”
When choosing a tea, a few things should be taken into consideration. The presence of actual whole leaves in loose leaf tea is the cause of a more flavorful drink.
“I prefer loose leaf tea over bagged tea because more flavor is released. I really don’t want to sacrifice the flavor of my tea just because it costs a few cents more,” sophomore Camille Abdel said.
On the contrary, tea can also be sold in premium bag options that are made from whole leaves which cost about the same as without the bag.
“I like the tea bags from adagio.com. It is easier in the morning to just drop the bag in my tumbler and go. I am still getting all the flavor, but it is just wrapped in a bag,” junior Alex Peuser said.
The difference can also be noted in the health benefits.
“Loose leaf tea has powerful antioxidants that are good for your skin, teeth, and complexion. They also have the power to keep you energized,” Fahrlander said. “Bagged tea has lost that spunk.”
Although loose leaf may cost around 10 cents more per cup than bagged tea, the quality makes it worth that extra dime.
“Our tea is more expensive than typical supermarket tea because it is made of premium leaves,” Fahrlander said. “The leaves need space to expand and that just doesn’t happen in a bag.”
Steeping loose leaf tea does require some effort, and the right tools. Without an infuser, it would be difficult to drink. However the minimum price of an infuser is about $1. Empty paper filters can also be purchased to create personal tea bags out of the leaves.
Loose leaf tea has its many perks so consider the real deal when preparing to steep.
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