The Great Debate: Loose Leaf Tea or Tea Bags?

Many beginner tea drinkers are drawn to using tea bags because they are quick, cheap, and easy. But are you getting the quali -TEA experience you deserve? A seasoned tea drinker would argue definitely not. While it may take a little longer to prepare a loose leaf tea, the end results and numerous benefits are well worth the wait. Let’s take a look at why we recommend that a loose leaf tea is the perfect brew for you!

Preparation

The main appeal of making a cup of tea using a tea bag is that it is easier, all you need is a mug and some hot water. However, making a loose leaf tea is also actually pretty easy. In addition to those two elements previously mentioned, you just need something to infuse your tea leaves in. Using a tea infuser, tea pot or even a paper tea filter can easily accomplish this.

Uses

Although tea bags are usually quite cheap, they are only intended for a one time use per bag. Whereas with a loose leaf tea, you may be paying a little bit more, but you can steep those leaves several times and can often make up to six or seven cups of tea from the same leaves. This being so, means you’re not sacrificing your money for quality.

Infusion

Speaking of infusion, when you steep an ordinary tea bag the infusion of the tea is limited by the size of the bag. In an attempt to combat this drawback, tea bag producers grind down their tea into a dust to try and fit enough tea into the bag to create a decent flavour profile when infused. On the other hand, when you steep a loose leaf tea, the leaves have plenty of room to absorb the water and unfurl during infusion. This allows the more concentrated amounts of the minerals, vitamins, and flavours present in the tea to be extracted from the leaves and preserved in your brew. Even though tea bags still contain some of these benefits, they typically won’t be as potent as loose-leaf tea.

Quali-TEA

Quality is a big factor when it comes to tea. Some tea bag companies may use their tea bags as a manner to disguise lower quality tea leaves, utilising a mix of various leaf scraps which may leave you with a dull and stale tea. Additionally, the barrier of the tea bag can create a division between the tea and the water which can also be a factor resulting in a less flavourful cup of tea. Loose leaf teas tend to be freshly packed and sealed to maintain their quality. They also offer you a stronger flavour profile because having the whole leaf intact retains the essential oils of the tea and releases its nutrients into your cup.

It’s clear to see that the benefits from being team loose leaf far outweigh the cons and are the winner of this debate. While you can respect the humble tea bag for rising up to meet a demand for instant gratification at a fair price, you just can’t beat a great cup of tea.