Full-leaf (Loose) vs. Tea Bags

Many of us tea drinkers are accustomed to drinking our tea in the form of pre-packaged tea bags. Indeed, tea bags allow us the quick and easy comfort of plopping a tea bag into a piping hot cup of water with mess-free, almost instantaneous gratification.

On the other hand of the spectrum, some tea connoisseurs, who liken themselves to wine sommeliers, argue that loose-leaf teas have superior taste and body in comparison to their tea bag cousins.

Maria Paz, of the American Tea Council, is one of those tea connoisseurs who feels it is a shame that loose leaf-tea is not as widely embraced by the general public, "I always use loose-leaf and try to always make it in a teapot – If I don't have access to a teapot, I just use a tea infuser in the cup instead. But I always insist on loose-leaf, which is the important thing."

Those of us who have been using tea bags for as long as we can remember will probably ask ourselves, "Why? Why go through the additional troubles of dealing with the extra work?"

For Paz, the answer is easy, "People will be amazed by the difference." Around 95% of the tea Americans commonly drink is made from teabags – a pretty large percentage of the tea drinking population. 

"I’d love to get more people drinking proper loose-leaf tea every day,’ says Paz, "It really is a much better quality of a final drink." 

How to Enjoy Tea

As the English might say, there are "proper ways to enjoy a spot of tea." If there's anything the English enjoy, it's their tea. When new tea drinkers have any questions or doubts, Darren Williams is the go-to guy.

Williams, one of several hundred tea connoisseurs at Fortnum & Mason, a iconic tea company in London, that caters to the elites, including Queen Elizabeth II. While the most of us are sipping on our tea in the comfort of our homes, Williams spends long hours helping customers choose the best possible blend in accordance to their personal tastes.

When it comes to tea, Williams is quick to note three things that are most important, "Quality of the tea, water temperature, and adequate seeping time." He said that, "Water temperature is a very important factor in bringing out the best qualities of tea. Too hot, the resulting tea has tendencies to be bitter. Too cool, the full body of the leaves will not be brought out."

Generally speaking, most teas taste best when left to brew at temperatures between 140 F - 185 F. The quality of the tea, as well as the age can also play a determining factor in temperatures. In regards to time allocated to allow teas to seep, 1 - 3 minutes is recommended for most teas, as anything above that time can result in a bitter tasting tea and unbalanced flavor.

Williams recommended that tea drinkers be adventurous and try different types of teas, even if we have our personal favorites, "If we really love tea, we should always be looking for a new and interesting tea, rather as we try new wines all the time."

 

Types of Tea

Like people of the world, teas are quite diverse. Although most teas are derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, there are herbal teas that are created from different non-caffeinated fruits, flowers, and herbs. The more popular teas, such as the black, green, white, and oolong are essentially the same kind of tea, all originated from the leaves of Camellia sinensis.

 

Types of Tea

Traditional Black: Considered one of the more common and widely sought after variety, black teas are used in traditional iced teas and account for the traditional 'English breakfast tea" that many Americans have grown to love. As one of the more fuller-bodied teas due to its strong flavor, black tea is created by exposing Camellia sinensis leaves to oxygen through special oxidation processes that turn the fresh green leaves into a brown color.

Trendy Green: Hugely popular due to the green movement by health enthusiasts, green tea does not go through the oxidation processes that black teas go through. To maintain the natural green color of the Camellia sinensis leaves and to preserve the delicate flavor, the leaves are either steamed, roasted, or pan cooked to kill any active enzymes in the leaves before they go through a rolling process. Green tea is super rich with antioxidants, so drink up to protect your body.

Luxurious White: At one time, white teas were available for only the Chinese emperors. Now this once ultra luxurious tea variety can be enjoyed by all. Considered one of the least processed teas derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, white tea is made from the freshest young leaves and unopened buds. White teas contain the highest amounts of antioxidants of any tea, and also has the very least caffeine.

Exotic Oolong: Given similar treatment to that of black teas, the Camellia sinensis leaves are given a much shorter process time, and are fermented. Oolong teas are famous for their rich flavor, red color, and light fragrant taste.

Sweet Herbal: Very popular amongst expectant mothers, herbal teas are naturally caffeine free and are not derived from the Camellia sinesis plant. Made from the roots, fruits, bark, leaves, and flowers of various herbs such as mint, chamomile, African red bush, and lavender, to name just a few, herbal teas are almost calorie-free and come in many different types.

Teas, in all their forms, are beneficial to all drinkers. Jeffrey Blumberg, professor in the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, Boston, MA, believes, "If there's anything that can confidently be communicated to the public, it's the ability of tea to be associated and demonstrated in the primary prevention of chronic disease."

"If you don't drink tea," Blumberg said, "you should start today. It's really delicious. It's convenient and has zero calories."

Benefits of Tea

As you prepare for the holidays, you should be mindful of one of the biggest ailments suffered during this time of the year: the flu. We all know the feeling of dealing with a cold, so as you shop and plan for the holiday season, drink tea, which will boost your immune system and provide you an abundance of antioxidants, which will fight free radicals, which are molecules that contribute to aging and diseases.

Tea leaves are packed with polyphenols, an antioxidant that scientifically has scientifically been proven to boost immune function. Tea has also been connected with decreasing the chances of cancer and heart disease, due to many bio-active chemicals found naturally in tea, including amino acids, vitamins, caffeine, flavinoids, and polysaccharides.

"Drinking tea is a great way to hydrate and to get the necessary liquids your body needs to stay healthy. Tea makes water tastes better and provides some seriously potent antioxidants," said Keith Ayoob, professor and dietician at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York

Ayoob further added, "Drinking 3-6 cups of tea daily is associated with lower risk of heart disease and reduced risk of death from heart disease. The caffeine in tea raises metabolic and fat oxidation rates, which is also helpful in weight loss." 

History of Japanese Green Tea "Matcha"

One of my earliest introductions to tea, and the one I grew up drinking is Japanese green tea, also known popularly as matcha, which is a fine powdered green tea that is famous for being used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. With its origins in Japanese Buddhism, matcha was first created in 1191 by the Buddhist monk Eisai.

Contemporary usage of matcha today include for the purpose of flavoring and naturally coloring food. Often used to flavor and color cakes, ice cream, and cookies, matcha is a popular natural additive in the culinary world. 

The Japanese are very passionate about their green tea. Like diamonds, there are different grades of quality given for the various kinds of matcha produced. Grade quality is determined by where the tea was grown, the location of the leaves on the Camellia sinensis where the leaves were harvested, treatment before, during, and after processing, and final taste. The best quality grade of matcha has a gorgeous green hue and has a clean taste that is the perfect harmony of slightly bitter and sweet.

Grace Dean, one of the experts at Teavana, says, "Matcha is a healthy alternative to coffee and is versatile in that you can either drink matcha hot or cold." Dean further stated that, "Matcha is filled with vitamins A and C, potassium and iron, nutrients and fiber."

A traditional Japanese tea ceremony, can last upwards to 45 minutes. A video representation of one in brief can be seen below:

Origins of Tea

It's that time of the year again. As trees begin to shed their leaves and the weather begins to take a plunge into the lower 20's, our bodies begin to crave something warm. Many of us instinctively reach into our pantries and cupboards for our favorite tea with no idea of the history behind our beloved favorite drink. Well, here's some basic facts.

Tea, in all its forms, is derived from Camellia sinensis, also known as God's greatest gift to the world. The leaves from this one plant are treated differently, through a number of various processes, to create black, green, white, and oolong tea. More about these awesome teas later.

Tea has been around for a very long time. In record, since the 10 B.C. Camellia sinensis originates from East and South Asia, where the first record of tea drinking is textually recorded during the Qin Dynasty.

According to Su Yin Biao of Ten Ren Tea, the art of tea is one that the Chinese have been perfecting for centuries. Biao, who is a self-proclaimed tea enthusiasts, has been working for Ten Ren Tea for the last 12 years, says, "Tea is like art. By roasting, fermenting, and drying the tea leaves in different environments, you can create a completely different taste."

The 12-year veteran added that, "To properly enjoy tea, you should allow the tea to naturally seep into the water by allocating enough time for a full bodied tea."

Welcome to La Vie en Tea

Welcome to La Vie en Tea, a place that I hope will serve as a oasis for all tea appreciating people. My name is Isaac You and I am the creator of this blog. I hope to provide tea-related news and information for all tea lovers throughout the globe. We are all interconnected through our adoration for tea and in this special space called La Vie en Tea, we are beautiful. :)

Special shout-outs to my COMM 303-002 class-mates. I love you all so much. There's nothing but love! Professor Jannery, you are AWESOME!!! We're all so lucky to have such a supportive professor. You are a lovely person. Thank you for your passionate love and encouragement. <3

A big thank-you to all the people who contributed their invaluable time in granting email, phone, and in-person interviews. Because of your passion, support, and time, I am growing and blossoming as a person. :)