Tea Bags vs. Loose Tea - Why is loose tea better than bags?

There's a lot of talk about why loose leaf tea (such as "loose tea" and "whole leaf tea") is better than tea bags. While some of it is true, most of it is made up of broad generalizations, such as "Whole leaf tea is always better than tea bags." Learn what sets tea bags apart from whole leaf tea, why loose tea is usually better than tea bags, and how to switch from tea bags to loose tea.

Whole leaf tea vs. tea bags

"Whole leaf tea" refers to tea that is made up mostly of whole, uncrushed leaves. Loose tea bags are usually made from the opposite - lower-quality teas, such as dusts and fannings. Dusts and fannings are smaller pieces of tea, so they have a larger surface area than whole leaves. The larger surface area means more opportunity for the essential oils (what makes tea aromatic and delicious) to evaporate, leaving the tea tasteless and stale. For this reason, freshness can be a major issue with regular tea bags, especially if they are packaged in a paper box with a paper wrapper.

Some teas (including many roasted Japanese green teas) are naturally broken during processing. They are not technically whole leaf, even if they are at the top of their quality. They also face some freshness issues, but the loss of flavor is increased with very small grades of tea (such as dusts and fannings). Some tea bags are made with whole leaf tea. However, whole leaf bags are the exception rather than the rule.

Loose tea vs. tea bags

Loose tea is tea that is not steeped in a tea bag. When you steep loose tea, there is (or should be) room for the leaves to absorb water and expand as they steep. This allows the water to flow through the leaves and extract a wide range of vitamins, minerals, flavors, and aromas from the leaves.

When you steep tea in a tea bag, the steeping is limited by the size of the bag. Putting large-leaf tea in a small bag won't make a very flavorful cup. For many years, the tea bag industry has been adapting tea to fit the bag. By filling the bags with smaller tea particles (instead of whole leaves), the surface area and speed of steeping the tea increases. The result is a more flavorful (though not particularly nuanced) drink. It was cheap, easy, and good enough for the average "milk and sugar" tea drinker, so it was a success.

Rather, some tea merchants have decided to adapt the tea bag to the tea. Instead of using flat-tasting teas (miniature, broken leaves known as "dust" and "fannings"), they are choosing higher grades of tea with more complex flavor profiles and aromas. They get better infusions from these leaves than they could with traditional tea bags by placing them in larger tea bags, "tea bags" and "tea socks," as well as "pyramid bags" (pyramid-shaped tea bags). All of these variations of tea bags allow the leaves to expand more than traditional tea bags, resulting in a better infusion.

Note : Since the brewing speed is different for tea bags and loose leaf tea, there is a difference in the caffeine content of tea bags and loose leaf tea.

Standardization vs. Diversity
Despite these innovations in tea bags, many tea connoisseurs still overlook them for two main reasons. The first has to do with sticking to tradition and enjoying tea rituals that don't involve bags. The second has to do with a more seasonal, artisanal, and culinary approach to tea.

Typically, tea bags are blended for standardization. Year after year, a particular tea from a grocery store will taste the same. This is because it is blended with teas from all over the world. Each year, the quantities of tea from each location vary depending on the price and the final flavor profile that the blenders are trying to achieve. Often, a higher value is placed on the price and standardization of the tea than on its quality and the nature of the flavor profile.

With loose tea, it’s often the other way around. Loose tea can be a specialty tea from a single region or even a section of an estate. Its flavor profile, aroma, and appearance change from year to year and season to season. In general, estates, regions, processing styles, and growing seasons are known for certain flavors and aromas, but there is a much greater range of flavors and aromas offered by loose tea than standardized blends. This breadth and depth of tea profiles appeals to both foodies (people who are very interested in the flavors and politics of food) and other aficionados (evidenced by the recent trend of tech stars turning to tea).

How to Switch to Loose Tea
Loose tea can seem complicated at first, but with the help of a friendly tea shop (or an online tea retailer with good product information) and a few easy tips, finding and brewing a tea you'll love is easy.

First, think about what flavor profile you like in tea, and then look for it in loose tea. If you prefer black tea, try black loose teas . If you like flavored teas, it's okay to switch to flavored loose teas. Ask your local tea shop for recommendations or check out the offerings from different companies online. Tea sample packs and tea of ​​the month clubs can be great ways to try new teas.

Then expand your horizons further. If you started with flavored loose tea, try to also try unflavored tea from time to time. You might even prefer one once your palate develops a bit more! Consider investing in better teaware. And above all, follow your taste! If you drink what you love and steep it in something that is beautiful and practical for you, you will never look at tea bags the same way again.