Tea is often conveniently packaged in the form of single serve tea bags for the convenience factor. However, there are many compelling reasons to make the switch over to loose leaf teas.
Loose leaf tea tends to be higher quality
Tea used in tea bags tends to be of low quality, consisting of the dusty small particles or “fannings” that are left over after the larger leaves are taken out. These fannings may lend color to your cup of tea, but often do not produce the same aroma or flavor as high-quality tea because the natural oils have left the dry tea fragments.
This distinction is not universally true however, and the difference can be discerned easily through looking at the tea itself. Tea in the pyramid bags or sachets tend to be the equivalent of loose leaf tea but packaged neatly into tea bag form.
Loose leaf tea is cheaper
When you buy tea bags, you are paying a large premium for packaging the tea into the little single-serve bags. This is the equivalent of buying food out of the bulk aisle at the grocery store instead of individually packaged bags. Fifty grams or 1.7 ounces of tea is the equivalent of 50 cups of brewed tea. Since loose tea is a bulk product, in every case it will come out much cheaper on a per-bag basis than an equivalent quality of tea in bag form.
Loose leaf tea has more variety
Loose leaf tea has greater variety
Many tea companies only sell loose leaf tea, so you are limiting yourself in your tea horizons if you choose to only buy tea that is available in tea bags. If you want to try a broad array of teas, it is worth it to take the time switching.
Making the Switch
Ultimately, loose leaf tea is higher quality, more affordable and a better product. It ultimately boils down to convenience and taste. What’s your favorite tea?
