Although most Americans prefer coffee more tahn teas as their caffeinated beverage of choice, tea has no doubt earned a place in our hearts (and kitchen cabinets). It’s always time for tea, whether trying to limit your caffeine intake or just like the flavor.
But the selection of teas available can be confusing. White, green, black, and herbal teas are available, as well as tea in bags, pods, loose leaves, and pre-brewed varieties. Making the best pick will be aided by understanding the options’ fundamentals.
Table of Contents
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best of the Best |
Best of the Best
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Tiesta Tea |
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Check On Amazon |
| Best Bang for the Buck |
Best Bang for the Buck
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Stash Herbal & Decaf Tea Sampler |
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Check On Amazon |
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Taylors of Harrogate Assorted Specialty Teas Box |
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Check On Amazon | |
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Twinings English Breakfast Tea K-Cup Pods for Keurig |
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Check On Amazon | |
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VAHDAM, Assorted Tea Bag Sampler |
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Check On Amazon |
TEAS IN ALL ITS FORMS
Decide first if you’ll purchase your tea in a bag, loose leaf, pod, or pre-brewed form. Every type of tea has benefits and drawbacks.
Bagged teas
Price: Depending on the type of tea and packaging, bagged tea can range in price from 5 to 35 cents for each tea bag.
Loose-leaf teas
Price: For an ounce of loose-leaf tea, budget between $1 and $10, depending on the brand, variety, and quality.
Teas pods
Price: Most tea pods are between 30 and 90 cents each.
Pre-brewed teas
Price: Pre-brewed tea typically costs $1 to $2 for 15 to 20 ounces.
TEA VARIETIES
Camellia sinensis is the sole source of genuine tea. There are numerous varieties of tea, though. These kinds differ based on things like the Camellia sinensis plant variety from which they originate, how and where they are grown, and how they are processed.
Tea blends
For example, English Breakfast tea is a combination of numerous black teas. Alternatively, tea blends can be teas combined with fruits, flowers, oils, spices, or herbs to produce flavored teas.
White tea
In contrast to other tea kinds, white tea is manufactured from the buds and young leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. As a result, it has a sweet, delicate flavor and little caffeine.
Herbal and fruit tea
Herbal and fruit teas, sometimes known as “infusions,” are made up of fruits and/or herbs but are not proper tea. This sets them apart from herbal or fruit-infused tea blends.
Green tea
Due to its high antioxidant content, green tea is a well-liked beverage frequently commended for its health advantages.
Green tea is dried, but unlike black and oolong teas, it isn’t allowed to oxidize, which is why it keeps its green color and has a mild flavor.
Black tea
Perhaps the most popular variety of tea is black tea. It’s the variety used most frequently for iced tea, and it’s the kind you’d serve British-style with milk and sugar. It is dried for a more extended time and is oxidized more than other types of tea, giving it a darker hue and a more robust flavor. Assam, Ceylon, Darjeeling, Kenyan, and Keemun are typical black tea kinds.
Oolong tea
Similar to how black tea is dried, oolong tea is also dried for a shorter period. This makes it more robust than green tea but weaker and subtly flavored than black tea; however, the strength might vary depending on how it’s processed. Oolong tea, popular in Taiwan and China, is best enjoyed without milk.
TIPS
- Decide what flavor you want from your tea. If you prefer something fruity, you might choose a fruit infusion or a tea blend, whereas if you prefer traditional sweet tea, you’ll need some kind of plain black tea. You can explore the entire universe of tea.
- Consider a tea multipack. If you’re unsure of the type of tea you like, think about purchasing a multipack that includes a variety of flavors so you may sample them all and decide which one you want.
- The extra equipment needed to make loose tea doesn’t be put off. You don’t need to be intimidated by loose-leaf tea because you can purchase inexpensive infusers.
- Think about your mug size. Tea will taste weaker when sipped from a large cup than if it were brewed with less water and the same amount of tea. If your cup is significant, think about steeping your tea for longer or using different tea.
Conclusion
Whether a tea novice or an aficionado, you’ll likely find this infographic helpful in selecting the perfect tea. In store for your review is information about white, green, black, and herbal teas and their different variations. Visual attributes are also provided to help you decide which tea to buy. The infographic even offers tips for getting the most out of this refreshing brew.
FAQ
What is the healthiest tea to drink?
Green tea is best for overall health.
Green tea wins the prize when it comes to tea. When it comes to health advantages, green tea is the best.
Which is the best quality of tea?
The top Indian tea brands are listed below.
TASTE TEA One of the leading tea brands in India was founded in 1964 and is a division of the Tata Group called Tata Global Beverages Limited.
Tetley Indian Tea,
Taj Mahal Tea,
Waghbakri Indian Tea,
Brooke Bond Red Label,
Society Tea,
Lipton, and Pataka Tea are a few examples of the teas available.
What is the best Flavour tea?
The tastiest flavors for your upcoming cup of best tea
Butter Tea Blend;
Milk Oolong Tea;
Organic Earl Grey Cream Tea;
Thai Ginger Tea;
Emperor Pu-Erh Tea;
Organic Sencha Fuji Green Tea;
Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong Tea;
Egyptian Hibiscus Petal Tea;
Is tea healthier than coffee?
Compared to coffee, tea has more antioxidants.
According to Rahaf Al Bochi, RDN, LD Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner of Olive Tree Nutrition, “antioxidants are connected to several health advantages by reducing inflammation and lowering the risk for chronic diseases and certain malignancies.”
What’s the best brewing temperature for different varieties of tea?
The best temperatures and periods for brewing various types of tea vary. This is how your tea should be brewed.
Black tea needs to be steeped for two to three minutes at 210°F.
Oolong tea needs to be steeped for two to three minutes between 176°F and 185°F.
Green tea should be steeped for one to two minutes at 167°F to 176°F.
Oolong tea needs to be steeped for one to two minutes at 149°F to 158°F.
Herbal tea needs to be steeped for five to six minutes at 210°F.
Do I need a teapot in order to make tea?
A teapot is not absolutely necessary when brewing tea, although it might be useful when serving a large crowd or when having visitors around for tea. In this manner, everyone can help themselves to tea by bringing their own cups and teapot to the table.
I’m trying to reduce my caffeine intake. What’s the best kind of tea to drink?
Find rooibos tea or herbal or fruit infusions if you wish to completely avoid caffeine. Even black tea, which has the highest caffeine content of all tea varietals, contains less than a third as much caffeine as coffee per cup if you’re merely trying to cut back. White tea, green tea, and oolong tea all have even less. It’s perplexing that decaf tea still has a trace amount of caffeine.