3: The Future of Processed Foods

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If youve been sipping tea all your life but still arent surehow long to steep tea, fear not.

Below, were steeping ourselves in the art of brewing tea correctly.

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How long should you leave a tea bag in?

Is it bad to leave a tea bag in water for too long?

So what happens when you leave your tea in longer than recommended?

Photography of a apple juice in glasses and apples in a wicker basket on wooden table

tea expert and author ofArt of Tea

In short: Not too much.

According to Schwartz, its nothing dire; it just wont produce the best-tasting cup of tea possible.

You will certainly extract more benefits the longer you steep a tea.

red pigment in a wooden spoon

the stage at whichno more of a substancecan be absorbed into a vapor or dissolved into a solution).

So to each their own, but it comes down to flavor preference more than anything else.

The two golden rules for ideal tea brewing time

Its a balancing act.

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This is why Schwartz recommends following two simple rules for the perfect cup of tea every time.

First: Invest in high-quality, whole leaf teas, as these varieties have a higher concentration of benefits.

Because they havent been ground down, they tend to yield a higher nutritional profile, he says.

Cropped shot of young woman shopping in the dairy section of a supermarket. She is reading the nutrition label on a container of fresh organic healthy natural yoghurt

tea expert and author ofArt of Tea

A lot of thought has gone into those instructions; they wont lead you astray.

You will certainly extract more benefits the longer you steep a tea.

As such, its important to apply the appropriatetea storagemethods to maintain its freshness for as long as possible.

A hand is stirring a sourdough starter in a glass jar, on a kitchen countertop. The light casts a warm glow, highlighting the ingredients inside the jar.

This will help reduce the risk of your teas tasting off once ready to brew.

Plus, will keep your dried tea leaves away from moisture than can promote spoilage.

Next, youll want to stash it somewhere dark and away from direct sunlight.

Two cups with coffee and green tea on a beige background.

Think: A cupboard or pantry thats far away from a windowsill.

This means away from hot areas in your kitchen (such as the stove) andnotin your fridge.

A cool, but not too cool area of your home will be just right.

Find creative ways toreuse tea bagsand reduce waste thatll benefit the environment and you and the long run.

Now those are some quali-teaideas, wouldnt ya say?

BTW, do you gettea headaches?

You may have an intolerance or sensitivity.

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