The Benefits of Tea

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Loose-leaf tea is a tea that is not brewed in a teabag. When you steep loose-leaf tea, it has (or should have) room for tea leaves to absorb water and expand as they infuse. This allows the water to flow through the leaves and extract a wide range of vitamins, minerals, flavors, and aromas from the leaves.

All the tea that is served at the Living Food Bakery is Loos Leaf Tea. We want the customers to have the full benefit of the tea without the added chemicals and plastics that are used to create tea bags. We have highlighted a very informational article below that explains why the use of commercially manufactured tea bags can be toxic and counterproductive when a consumer is wanting clean, simple, herbal tea.  

Plastic in Tea Bags & How to Avoid It

Last updated on January 10, 2020 By Green Child Magazine

The paper used to make teabags contains a toxic chemical The chemical of choice for this treatment was Epichlorohydrin. Epichlorohydrin is a dangerous little bugger. According to Dow Chemical (who is the largest producer of this substance): Epichlorohydrin has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals.

You’d probably be surprised to learn that most tea bags contain up to 25% plastic. In fact, we didn’t know about plastic in tea bags until we watched a viral BBC video about tea production in 2017.

This post was originally published in June 2018 and updated September 2019 Canadian researchers published a study in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Environmental Science and Technology which found that steeping a single plastic tea bag at brewing temperature releases about 11.6 billion minuscule particles known as “microplastics” and 3.1 billion “nanoplastics” into each cup (source).

“We think that it is a lot when compared to other foods that contain microplastics,” Nathalie Tufenkji of McGill University in Quebec, told The New Scientist. “Table salt, which has a relatively high microplastic content, has been reported to contain approximately 0.005 micrograms plastic per gram salt. A cup of tea contains thousands of times greater mass of plastic, at 16 micrograms per cup.”

WAIT – WHY IS PLASTIC IN TEA BAGS?

It may be hard to believe, but most brands of bagged tea contain plastic. With millions upon millions of cups consumed daily, this adds up to a lot of plastic.

So why is plastic in tea bags to begin with? 

In order for the tea bags to seal up and keep their shape in hot liquid, a plastic polymer, namely polypropylene, must be added. Even though the amounts of plastic found in tea bags is minimal — and vary between manufacturers — it adds up to quite a bit when you look at the big picture.

Due to the plastic content, conventional tea bags cannot completely decompose. This makes them a bad option for compost material and the environment… not to mention your body!

Herbal teas have never been so popular, with tea drinkers increasingly switching to herbs when looking to reduce their caffeine intake, as well as taking advantage of their endless health benefits. Unlike all other tea types, such as black, oolong, green and white, herbal ‘teas’ do not actually come from the tea plant, Camelia Sinensis. In fact, strictly speaking, herbs shouldn’t really be called teas at all, but rather infusions or tisanes, as they all come from different plants, each one distinct in how and where they grow, as well as their flavour and properties. A herbal tea is therefore simply an infusion of a particular herb in hot water, which not only facilitates its consumption, but also helps release some of the healthful essential oils.

How is herbal tea made?

Herbal teas are each unique in how and where they grow, as well as how they are produced.

They can be made from fresh or dried flowers, leaves, seeds or even roots. For example, hibiscus tea is made from whole hibiscus flowers, which are picked and simply dried in the sun.

What does herbal tea taste like?

Herbal teas brew a rainbow of colours and offer a variety of flavours. Expect anything from a fresh Peppermint to a zingy Lemongrass, a honey-sweet Chamomile to a sweet-sour Hibiscus.

How much caffeine is there in herbal tea?

All herbal teas are naturally caffeine-free, making them the perfect choice for the evening or post-dinner. Rooibos, in particular, is much-loved for its unusually full body, making it a great alternative to a caffeine-free breakfast tea.

What are the benefits of drinking herbal tea?

The appreciation of herbs is not new - far from it, we have been using herbs as natural remedies for centuries to cure a whole host of ailments. From soothing pain to calming nerves, fighting infection to aiding weight loss, nature’s herbs provide a wealth of medicinal benefits and are well suited to being enjoyed in tea form. For example, Chamomile promotes sleep, making these yellow-gold blossoms the perfect just-before-bed tea, while Lemon Verbena has a calming effect on your organs, helping to reduce pain such as cramps, bloating and indigestion.

Why Living Food Herbal Tea?

Our tea is a hand crafted blend that is created with love for our customers to enjoy and get the full benefits of the herbs and spices. We own a farm in Dade City that produces 75% of the product that is used within the teas. The herbs are hand picked, hand processed, and sun dried to perfection. We formulate the tea in a balanced way for your body to receive the most benefit. We base our tea blends on the ancient Chinese herbal theory for you to maximize your bodies ability to absorb the nutrients that are within the herbs.

We can't wait for you to stop by and join us for a cup! 

Proverbs 27:25 "The hay appears, and the tender grass shows itself, and herbs of the mountain are gathered."