Is Drinking from Tea Bags Vs Loose Leaf Good for You? (Solved!)

Have you ever wondered if drinking tea made from tea bags is better or worse than drinking loose leaf tea?

Drinking tea is healthy. Tea releases vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Loose leaf tea is a little bit healthier than tea in tea bags. However, tea bags are still healthy and still provide health benefits.

As with anything you put in your body, knowing the facts is the first step to making a decision. Whatever feels right for you is the best for you. In the following sections, we will explore the pros and cons of loose leaf tea vs tea bags.

Bagged Tea Vs Loose Leaf Tea

Loose leaf tea has been around for over two thousand years. In comparison, tea in tea bags has only been around for just over 100 years. For as long as tea bags have existed tea drinkers have debated which is better.

There are many pros and cons for both sides of the debate. In addition, there are many different factors to consider when making the choice for yourself. In the end, the choice is yours.

Can You Eat Tea Leaves?

A lot of people prefer tea bags because they keep the tea leaves contained. The good news is that you can eat tea leaves. In fact, some tea leaves are eaten. Matcha tea is ground green tea leaves. They are whisked into hot water and drunk, leaves and all.

There is nothing in any type of tea that you can’t eat. Some things, such as pine needles, may not be something you want to eat but they can be eaten.

In some cases, eating the tea leaves is actually beneficial to your health. Many tea leaves and the other ingredients in tea, such as nuts or fruit, have vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

The vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants leach into the hot water of the tea. This is what makes tea healthy. The leaves will still have vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that don’t leach into the water.

Pros of Bagged Tea

To start off, we will explore the pros of tea in tea bags. Many of these are reasons why tea bags were invented in the first place.

• Tea bags keep tea contained
• Tea bags are easy to clean up
• Tea bags are easy to prepare
• Tea bags are easy to find in stores
• Tea bags are available in tea pot and individual sizes

Cons of Bagged Tea

While there are many pros to tea bags there are also some cons. It is important to keep in mind that not all of these cons are for all bagged teas.

• Tea bags are sometimes made with plastic or glues
• Tea bags often use lower quality tea
• Tea bags are usually one use only
• Tea bags are often packed tightly which makes it hard for them to steep well
• Tea bags don’t release as many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants

While it may seem like there are lots of types of teas available in tea bags, there are even more varieties available in loose leaf tea form.

Pros of Loose Leaf Tea

Now let’s take a look at the pros of loose leaf tea. Most of these apply to most loose leaf teas.

• Loose leaf tea is available in more varieties
• Loose leaf tea is more customizable
• Loose leaf tea is usually higher quality
• Loose leaf tea is healthier
• Loose leaf tea releases more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
• Loose leaf tea has more space to steep evenly
• Loose leaf tea does not have plastic, fabric, or glue
• Loose leaf tea often uses a reusable infuser
• Loose leaf tea can be measured for any size of cup or tea pot

Cons of Loose Leaf Tea

Lastly, let’s explore the cons of loose leaf tea.

• Loose leaf tea can spill when it is being measured
• Loose leaf tea requires an infuser
• Loose leaf tea can be more expensive
• Loose leaf tea is harder to clean up
• Loose leaf tea has more steps to making the tea
• Loose leaf tea can be harder to find in grocery stores

Which is Better?

So, which is the better choice? That depends on what you want. What do you want and what do you need?

Is it Quick and Easy?

If you want quick and easy, then tea bag tea is the one for you. Tea bags are easy to find in stores. Tea made from tea bags is easy and quick.

Is it Healthy and Environmentally friendly?

Loose leaf tea is healthiest as it contains the most vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Loose leaf tea doesn’t have the one-time use of a tea bag. While the tea can only be used once, the ingredients are all biodegradable.

Some tea bags are organic, biodegradable and environmentally friendly. They are harder to find than loose leaf tea, but they do exist.

Is it Expensive or High Quality?

Loose leaf tea is usually higher quality than tea bag tea. Loose leaf tea is often more expensive than tea bag tea. However, the difference in price is not large. A typical tin of loose leaf tea makes 20-30 cups of tea. At about $10-15 a tin you get a price of $0.33 – $0.50 per cup.

The price of the tea does depend on the brand and the location where you are buying it. Bagged tea can cost anywhere from $0.10 to $0.30 per cup. Organic tea is more expensive. Biodegradable and environmentally friendly tea bag tea is more expensive.

How many options are available?

There are over 3000 different types of tea in the world. The average store has about two hundred varieties of tea. Most of these are tea bags. Some are loose leaf teas. If you are shopping online, you can find up to a thousand varieties available in some stores.

A tea shop or tea store will have hundreds of varieties of loose leaf tea. Some tea stores even allow you to mix and match teas to make a custom blend.

Conclusion

In the end, drinking tea is healthy whether you prefer tea bags or loose leaf tea. Loose leaf tea has many benefits in common with tea bag tea. The benefits are more beneficial in loose leaf tea than in tea bags.