Are You Team Loose Leaf Tea or Team Tea Bag? Which is better?

The choice of whether you want loose leaf tea or tea bag depends on your preference. If you’ve been using tea bags for so long now, and want to change up your tea-drinking game, then you might be thinking of trying loose leaf tea. If you’ve been using loose leaf tea for quite some time now, then you must be here because you want to feel at ease with your option and know more about loose leaf tea.

Whether you are team loose leaf tea or team tea bag, we bring you the important things you need to consider when choosing which team to join.

Quality

A lot of experts and tea enthusiasts swear by loose leaf tea. Loose leaf tea is usually sold in bulk at stores and not placed in teabags. Since loose leaf is not constrained in a tea bag for an extended period, it produces more flavor and aroma because the leaf has the chance to unfurl or open when poured with hot water. During the steeping process, there is room for the tea leaves to expand and to let water flow through them thus extracting stronger and more distinct flavor.

Also, brewing loose leaf tea allows for more vitamins and minerals to be extracted. This lets you achieve the tea’s full health potential especially its antioxidants. Antioxidants in tea help the body fight free radicals that cause illnesses.

Tea bags, on the other hand, usually contain low-grade and flat-tasting tea that is made of smaller pieces of tea leaves commonly called dust and fannings. These are all packed in small bags like the ones most markets offer now. In this case, tea leaves are mass-produced, packaged and controlled in small tea bags for a long period, thus losing their freshness and flavor.

Between loose leaf tea and traditional teabags, loose leaf tea has higher quality.

Convenience

Although loose leaf tea is superior in quality, it is not always convenient especially for office workers, travelers, or people on the go. Most tea drinkers who have busy lifestyles often choose teabags instead of loose leaf.

Sometimes even those who are very particular with the quality would bring teabags at work or when traveling just because they’re easier to pack and faster to prepare.

You can say that teabags win in the convenience department, yes. The good thing about this though is that tea innovation has come a long way. Not all teabags are the traditional low-grade ones that are packed in batch and stored on shelves for longer periods of time.

Tea manufacturers have come up with personalized teabag solutions in order to meet the needs of tea drinkers. The goal is to create a convenient way to drink tea without compromising quality.

What are these personalized teabags? Instead of finely-broken or finely chopped leaves, loose or whole tea leaves are packed in pyramid tea sachets, plus-size teabags, tea pouches, and tea socks. All of these bag variations have enough room for loose or whole tea leaves to unfurl. In turn, you can get more flavor and aroma and also maximize the flow of water so that the leaves can extract the essential oils needed for a full-flavored tea.

When it comes to convenience, teabags win! But good thing, loose leaf tea can now be packaged in larger teabags.

Price/Cost

When it comes to pricing, you’re not only looking for the one that’s less expensive. You also have to consider the value for your money. You might get something for a very affordable rate but most of the time, you really just get what you pay for.

As they say, quality comes with a price. Because loose leaves are high-grade, they are generally more expensive than tea bags. Aside from that, you also need some accessories when brewing loose leaf. You may need a steel mesh tea ball or a teapot with a strainer.

You also have to think of the storage. It’s important that you use an airtight container to maintain the freshness of the tea leaves.

Tea bags, on the other hand, are more affordable. They are often sold in boxes too which make them even cheaper than loose tea leaves.

A lot of tea enthusiasts also say you can save more with loose leaf tea because you can re-steep the leaves many times allowing for different flavors each time. With teabags, you only get to use them once.

Now the battle in pricing is a bit tricky. If you are after the value for your money and quality, then you can say loose leaf tea is a winner and worth the investment. But if you’re good with drinking traditional teabag just to satisfy your need to have a warm drink whenever you want to, then teabags should be okay for you.

Environmental Factor

Aside from quality, convenience, and price, care for the environment is also an important factor to consider when choosing between loose leaf and teabags. With teabags, the bags are disposable, so after you’ve used them, you will have to throw them away.

Loose leaf tea has less waste than tea bags because you’re just going to consume and use the leaves. Also, those personalized tea bags with loose leaves in them are reusable.

Between loose leaf and tea bags, loose leaf is more environment-friendly.

Quality, convenience, price, and environmental factor are just some of the most important things to consider when choosing between loose leaf and teabags. As previously mentioned, it all boils down to your preference.

Most people would say loose leaf is better, but then again, you have your own reasons too. Perhaps, if you’re already a regular drinker, you’ll be more amenable to spend on quality rather than sacrifice it. It’s also about getting the best of what you are paying for.

When you’re used to drinking traditional teabags, you may not even know the difference unless you try loose leaf tea. So just consider the important factors mentioned above when making your choice.

Now, are you team loose leaf tea or team teabag? Remember you can always make your switch anytime you like!

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