Health Manager
Fast paced modern lifestyles with a focus on convenience foods and drinks have seen loose leaf teas falling out of favour, replaced by the now dominant teabag format. However, a growing number of consumers are rediscovering the delights of loose leaf teas, returning to this more traditional method of brewing a cuppa.
There are several benefits to using loose leaf varieties instead of teabags and taking the time to prepare a brew properly is in itself a relaxing and rewarding experience.
Initially, loose leaf tea may seem a more expensive option, but many people do not realise that you can re-use the leaves at least once and in some instances twice – giving you two or three times the tea for the same price.
Loose leaf teas are made with whole tips and leaves, whereas most teabags contain only small fragments or a powdery dust, which results in a less pure and less flavoursome tea. This extends to fruit and herbal varieties, with loose leaf teas including more substantial and therefore potentially more beneficial added ingredients.
The bag design is the prime convenient element of teabags; for loose leaf teas you will require a strainer of some sort but these can be purchased cheaply and in numerous attractive designs and formats. Several tea retailers also sell mugs with built-in strainers, enabling users to enjoy loose leaf teas on the go.
As with teabags, loose leaf teas should be kept in a cool, dry environment to keep them at their best over time. Many of these teas are sold in tins or caddies, often with an attractive design and this also makes them an ideal gift option.
Loose leaf teas offer the chance to enjoy tea in the way it was originally intended, linking back to centuries of tea drinking tradition. Once you have tried tea this way you may well be reluctant to go back to your everyday teabags – so why not give loose leaf a try?
