Nothing tastes like tea; it could be a cup of your favorite Earl Grey or the masala chai your friend recently introduced to you. While we might not know the true history of tea, it has undoubtedly made its way around the world. But one thing we are sure of is that we have China to thank for this beautiful addition.
Tea was introduced in China over 5,000 years ago, and currently, it is a popular beverage, coming in second only to water. Tea is much more than a beverage you take during breakfast; tea drinkers understand that tea brings people together. You can share a pot of tea while catching up on all the things that have happened, or you can enjoy an iced tea while reading a sizzling romance. Or the New York Times, of course.
However, there is a misconception about tea that most people tend to believe; tea does not only come in the form of tea bags. Some of us are only familiar with the tea bags we steep in water. Although there's no doubt about their convenience and practicality, tea bags are not your only option. Herbal tea or loose leaf tea is another option you can try as a tea lover.
Loose leaf tea is obtained from freshly harvested whole leaf tea. In other words, loose-leaf teas are unconstrained and are not prepackaged in tea bags. These leaf teas are placed directly into boiling water, releasing their essence and flavors, after which the leaves are filtered out. Unlike tea bags, loose teas do not lose their flavors or freshness and can be used more than once.
Brewing leaf tea can be more enjoyable than dunking a tea bag in water. The aroma from tea leaves, when added to hot water, is second to none. And while you wait for your tea leaves to brew, the aroma tantalizes your nostrils and leaves your taste buds longing for a taste of its wonderful flavor. And if you're worried about the price, you should know that herbal tea is affordable.
We have made a list of the best tea leaves for you; from the famous Earl Grey to Britain's fine English breakfast and India's renowned chai tea, all you have to do is choose a favorite. But before we do that, let's look at the benefits of loose tea leaves.
What Are the Benefits of Loose Leaf Tea?
The best tea leaves are not only harvested for their tastes, but they also help improve overall wellness and treat specific ailments. Herbal teas have natural tastes that chemicals and processed flavors should not taint. Some tea brands add these additives to their teas, and these hinder the effectiveness of tea leaves.
But regardless, the following are some of the benefits of a tea loose leaf.
Loose Leaf Tea Has Better Quality
Some tea brands produce bagged teas from fannings - bits of tea particles leftover from loose leaf tea production. Because of this, bagged teas do not have the same quality as loose leaf tea.
Also, the delivery for a tea company in another part of the world might take too long for its tea to reach stores in other parts of the world. Because of the time taken for these teas to arrive, they lose their freshness and unique taste.
Loose Leaf Teas Taste Better
Bagged teas have standard blends, which means that you don't get much difference in taste and aroma between different tea blends.
For the best tea experience, we advise choosing loose leaf tea. The best loose leaf tea has a lot to offer you regarding taste and nutrients. Loose leaf tea is also the best option when you have company because bagged teas may still contain their stems and seeds, making them bitter when brewed.
Loose Leaf Tea Blends Have More Diversity
While you might only be aware of the existence of black tea, green tea, or Earl Grey, they are other loose leaf tea options to choose from.
Some of the best loose leaf teas include white tea, oolong tea, and matcha chai. Each loose-leaf tea has a particular company that reflects diverse cultures and geography. And most of these loose leaf teas are produced in different climates and undergo various production processes.
Loose Leaf Tea Blends Are The Best For The Environment
If you avoid factors that lead to environmental degradation, then you should take loose leaf tea and patronize a tea company that shares your values. Loose leaf tea does not need any packaging and can be disposed of on the compost heap once you're done.
Prepackaged teas, on the other hand, do not offer that option, and sometimes their bags are not compostable.
Loose Leaf Tea Has The Best Health Benefits
Tea contains antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and other properties that enhance your wellness. Catechin, which improves your metabolism, is present in fresh tea leaves. So, it is ample to brew tea loose leaf if you want to get the best quality and extensive health benefits from tea.
Now that we've looked at the benefits let's identify some differences between loose leaf tea and tea bags.
Differences Between Loose Leaf Tea and Tea Bags
The differences between loose leaf tea and tea bags are simple, and we've highlighted some below.
Packaging Style
Loose leaf tea does not go into a tea bag. Sometimes, organic tea takes on the form of whole leaf tea, meaning that the tea leaves are not broken after harvesting. When you steep tea blends or a single tea blend, you will notice that the tea leaves absorb water and blend in. That way, the flavor, vitamins, and aroma will be diffused, and you can enjoy a hot cup of quality tea.
Tea bags, on the other hand, do not have the same result as loose tea leaves. This is because the content of a tea bag is the broken down particles of a whole leaf tea that loses their properties during the process. Besides, teabags do not allow the tea particles to blend properly with hot water, so the quality you get is not similar to that of loose tea leaves.
Brewing
Because of how loose tea leaves blend in with boiling water, they produce a better aroma and taste compared to a teabag. Although tea bags have perforations, water does not quickly go through those holes to blend with the tea particles. So, the vitamins and minerals contained within are minimally extracted.
Leaf Quality
The tea quality is much preferred in loose tea leaves because they preserve and release more nutrients when steeped in hot water. The average tea bag lacks this quality and does not pack as much essence as loose tea.
Freshness
Due to the tiny perforations on teabags, they tend to lose their flavor and taste within short periods. One of the reasons for this is that dust particles are contained within them. Loose tea leaves, however, preserve their freshness, tastes, and aroma for far longer.
In this next part, we have highlighted some of the best loose leaf tea for you.
Best Loose Leaf Tea
Different tea brands make quality teas in either loose-leaf tea form or tea bag form. However, you need more herbal blends to enjoy quality teas. Some tea blends include the following exciting loose tea options.
White Tea
The thing with white tea is that its taste is mild, its flavor is unique, and it is the least processed type of organic tea. But these factors do not stop it from promoting wellness with its nutrients. This tea has high antioxidants that protect the human body from free radicals that cause aging and damage DNA.
One of these antioxidants is the flavonoid, which impedes cell growth and neutralizes free radicals. It also limits cancers that affect the stomach, bladder, colon, and breast.
Another type of antioxidant is catechins, which prevent heart attacks and stroke by balancing your cholesterol levels and opening up blocked arterial blockages. This tea also thins the blood and thus, maintains healthy blood pressure.
A third reason you should take a hot cup of white tea is that it contains fluoride. The fluoride fights tooth decay and bad breath and kills bacteria that cause plaque. Not only do you have better health when you take a cup of this tea, but you can also smile while freely discussing the benefits of tea with your friends.
However, white tea is not caffeine-free, but it has a lower amount compared to black or green teas, and you'll prefer its taste if you drink it without sweeteners or cream. Notwithstanding, tea lovers will find this tea an excellent choice for them, both for its taste and benefits.
Black Tea
While you might prefer to take a cup of coffee to enhance concentration, know that it contains twice the amount of caffeine in a cup of black tea. Caffeine overstimulates your heart and makes it difficult to concentrate. Black tea, on the other hand, provides caffeine that enhances blood flow to the brain. This tea also contains L-theanine, which boosts concentration and helps you stay awake without stressing your circulatory system. Drinking healthy servings of black tea also prevents Parkinson's disease.
Black tea is quite popular because it has an exciting flavor, has a variety of blends, and can be stored for a long time. The tea contains manganese, antioxidants, flavonoids, and vasodilation.
These improve cardiac muscle function and blood circulation and reduce stroke, clotting, and cholesterol levels that can damage arterial walls.
There are many tea options for black teas, like Earl Grey, Chai, and the Twinings English Breakfast Tea. This English breakfast tea brand has a unique taste and an affordable price and can be packaged in tea bags of different sizes. If you prefer, the brand also sells the breakfast tea as loose leaf, and as such, you can enjoy a hot cup any way you decide to brew it. Aside from making enjoying it as a hot cup of tea, black tea can also be enjoyed as iced tea.
Another way to enjoy black tea is by drinking the full-bodied masala chai, a famous Indian tea blend that involves boiling black tea and spices in milk.
Green Tea
The best green tea is made from the Camellia Sinensis plant and is minimally oxidized, which gives the green tea its color. Although green teas contain the same cancer-limiting and heart health maintaining properties that can be found in other blends, they have slightly better benefits.
Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a bioactive polyphenol that reduces tumors and their chances of regeneration. The EGCG in green tea protects the body from harmful ultraviolet rays that can cause skin cancer. An example of green tea is matcha green tea powder.
What many people find exciting about green tea is that it helps with weight loss, which improves health significantly. The catechins spur the production of thermogenesis heat that burns calories faster. And as research suggests, drinking one cup or more of the best green tea can increase your body's metabolic rate, which means you'll lose weight more quickly and improve your general health.
Matcha Tea
Matcha tea is a type of green tea, but unlike traditional green tea, you need to consume the powdered matcha chai obtained from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Matcha is shade-grown for up to a month to produce enough chlorophyll before the leaves, stems, and veins are removed. The matcha plant is ground into a fine powder mixed with and dissolved in hot water before drinking.
Due to its shaded growth, the matcha plant produces more L-theanine than traditional green tea. By grinding the tea, a tea lover can also enjoy its essence – which will lead to increased health benefits. Matcha tea has grown popular amongst tea lovers over the past few years.
Some benefits that matcha chai is famous for include helping with cancer, detoxifying the body, and containing antioxidants that boost energy, prevent aging, and relieve stress. Matcha chai tea also helps maintain your cholesterol levels and boosts your metabolism.
Oolong Tea
Although oolong tea does not have as many benefits as green tea, it relieves certain skin conditions. Oolong tea fights eczema, which makes your skin red, flaky, and itchy. Oolong tea contains magnesium and calcium and reduces these symptoms, making you feel much better.
Secondly, magnesium and calcium help your body absorb minerals from foods. Lastly, these compounds prevent osteoporosis, resulting in bone and density loss.
Herbal Tea
Because of the abundance of herbs, different flavors can be obtained from several herbal blends. Most people believe herbal tea is not whole tea because it's a blend of flowers, fruits, and leaves instead of whole leaf tea. However, herbal tea still makes it to our list of best loose leaf teas because of its benefits, and the award-winning Harney & Sons brand is recommended.
Harney & Sons offers a Rooibos blend that does not overwhelm you with caffeine. This tea blend is available in tea bags, sachets, and loose tea- although the loose leaf is more practical regarding price.
Harney & Sons organic tea company is famous for its caffeine-free tea blend and earthy and clean taste. To enjoy this quality tea, steep in hot water for five minutes to ensure you get the most out of it.
Let's consider some properties of tea herbs.
Properties of Loose Leaf Tea
Loose tea leaves contain compounds and properties that function primarily to improve your overall wellness. Some of these properties have been identified below.
Theanine
This amino acid is found in tea and reduces physical and mental stress. This tea property increases alpha wave production in the brain and enhances stimulation during relaxation.
Theanine also improves dopamine levels in the brain and results in a faster reaction, better sentence verification accuracy, and faster numeric working memory.
Antioxidants
Loose leaf tea contains antioxidants known as flavonoids, which help curb the damages that free radicals do to the body. Flavonoid is present in many teas, but its type depends on the kind of loose tea, the processing and brewing methods, and the environment the tea is grown in.
For instance, green tea contains catechin, while black tea contains thearubigins and theaflavins.
Vitamins and Minerals
Loose tea contains the best vitamins, such as B1, C, carotene, B6, and folic acid. Other minerals include fluoride, which fights tooth decay and gum diseases; manganese, vital for bone growth and development; and potassium for a healthy heart, nerves, and muscles.
Caffeine
Caffeine is famous for increasing concentration and attention levels, and loose tea contains adequate caffeine levels in each cup serving. White tea contains 6 to 25 milligrams, green tea contains 8 to 36 milligrams, and black tea contains 23 to 110 milligrams.
But compared to these herbs, a cup of coffee contains about 90 to 175 milligrams of caffeine, depending on the company and brewing method. Instead of putting your body under duress, opt for organic tea. The best loose leaf tea for moderate caffeine levels include white, green, and minimally oxidized oolong teas.
What Symbi's Loose Leaf Tea Compilation Offers
You might think us biased, but there is a wide range of best loose leaf tea that Drink Symbi offers to tea lovers. Each of these teas has a flavor unique to its selected herbs, and Drink Symbi has the best tea infusers and gift cards you can give your fellow tea lovers. The following are some benefits you can get from Drink Symbi's tea shop.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
There are hand-selected herbs that have been combined to create an organic tea with a unique flavor that relieves you of chronic inflammation.
Anti-Anxiety Properties
Anxiety is a significant cause of some of the unease you experience from time to time. And as such, Drink Symbi has organic herbal blends that help ease your mind and calm your nerves.
Hormone Balance
What if premenstrual symptoms are just hormones that are not balanced, and we suffer from acne, bloating, and other symptoms because we think it's natural? Well, there is good news. Drink Symbi also has the best herbal blends that balance your hormones and restores balance to your body system.
Whether as iced tea or a steaming cup, the above are some benefits you will experience when you drink teas from the Drink Symbi tea company. This next part shows you simple steps on how to brew your tea.
How to Brew Tea Leaves
Nothing can go wrong with loose tea leaves, so long as you follow due procedure. For starters, you will need to leave your tea leaves in a pot of boiling water so they can blend in. You might want to use a tea infuser, like the Tea Forte pyramid infusers, to ensure the tea leaves boil in one spot, but that's optional.
Allow your tea leaves to boil for five to ten minutes, after which you can filter them out. Of course, you get to inhale your fill of the aroma before your hands wrap around your hot cup of tea.
Several tea brands worldwide are trying to introduce the Tea Forte pyramid infusers that will enhance better infusion of tea bags and organic and loose teas to have a different quality.
Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to add sugar to your cup of organic tea. However, if you'd still like to use sweeteners, opt for stevia leaves or a teaspoon of honey. These natural sweeteners do not affect your blood or sugar levels like processed sugar.
Final Thoughts
Your best cup of tea does not only contain a pleasant flavor and aroma, but it also contains vitamins and minerals. In many parts of the world, organic tea is one of the best practices to improve health and maintain general wellness. Teas are antioxidants and contain anti-inflammatory properties, which are some characteristics that make them excellent for human health.
The supplements and nutrients found in organic tea leaves and needed for improved health can always be found in Drink Symbi's tea collection.
