A question we get a lot from those who are not yet familiar with loose leaf tea is "Why choose loose leaf tea over processed bagged tea?" The answer lies in the flavor.
It starts right at harvest of tea, or Camellia Sinensis. Plucked and dried tea leaves are sorted for their size and grade, and only superior leaves are destined for loose leaf tea. Smaller, lower grade tea leaves are pulverized into "fannings" (granular, dustlike particles) making it easier for machines to measure, process and pack into tea bags. The pulverizing process accelerates oxidation and releases aromatics which means reduced flavor. Over time these tiny tea particles release enough flavor to render the overly processed bag of tea stale.
The convenience of bagged tea was initially its appeal and the story goes that a New York tea merchant (circa 1900) sent his clients tea samples in a small silk drawstring bag, intending for the tea to be removed from the bag before infusion. His clients, however, steeped their tea in the bags and requested their next order be bagged in the same way. It was a happy accident that made tea very convenient and properly portioned. Industrial tea production transformed bagged tea into something wholly different than the 1900's invention though.
Today, modern supply chains make it possible for the Western world to experience the freshness and quality that the Eastern world has known all along: loose leaf tea makes a superior cup of tea. Teas from Good Karma Tea Co. are hand crafted teas, blended with organic ingredients which are selected for their superior flavor profiles. When you carefully measure loose leaf tea to fill your infuser or individual tea bag, you will experience complexity and freshness not found in processed, bagged tea. There are health benefits in choosing a loose leaf tea too, but we’ll save that for another blog!
We hope you live in the moment of every sip!
Mindfully,
Jeff and Pam