Mainstream tea

Made from leaves that have not been oxidized.


Sep 21st, '11, 13:15
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Mainstream tea

by danheling3 » Sep 21st, '11, 13:15

I have heard that, the tea thats sold in most grocery stores, the ones in the bags, are not as healthy as chinese tea. Is this true?

I only drink that kind of tea, especially a brand thats called "Pukka".

I had no idea where else to put this thread.

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Sep 27th, '11, 16:05
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Re: Mainstream tea

by AlexZorach » Sep 27th, '11, 16:05

Much of the tea sold in grocery stores is Chinese tea, or blends often containing a fair portion of Chinese tea. This is especially true of green, white, or oolong teas, less true of black tea.

The issue in terms of both health and taste is not so much where the tea comes from, but the quality of it, the way it is produced, how fresh it is, and the amount of care put into its production.

Most of the tea in supermarkets isn't the best quality. And much of it blends...but being a blend doesn't mean it's lower quality. I know that Bigelow's straight green tea is Chinese tea...but it's not as good as most loose-leaf stuff you'll buy.

Sep 27th, '11, 18:48
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Re: Mainstream tea

by CasualConnoisseur » Sep 27th, '11, 18:48

I agree with Alex; many grocery-store teas contain some or all Chinese tea.

IMHO processing has the biggest impact on the quality of tea. The only things I can think of right now that would substantially affect the healthiness of tea are how many pesticides remain on the leaves after processing and the age of the tea (particular to teabags: the smaller leaf pieces allow for a greater surface area from which the tea-y goodness can escape if not sealed properly).

Oct 9th, '11, 18:49
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Re: Mainstream tea

by phuc061290 » Oct 9th, '11, 18:49

great post. thanks.

Oct 15th, '11, 12:19
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Re: Mainstream tea

by edkrueger » Oct 15th, '11, 12:19

Most grocery store teas do have some Chinese tea in the blend, but they are mostly the cheapest tea they can get. A lot comes from Africa and South America.

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Oct 17th, '11, 17:42
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Re: Mainstream tea

by teaisme » Oct 17th, '11, 17:42

Casualconnoisse... wrote:The only things I can think of right now that would substantially affect the healthiness of tea are how many pesticides remain on the leaves after processing and the age of the tea (particular to teabags: the smaller leaf pieces allow for a greater surface area from which the tea-y goodness can escape if not sealed properly).
also...
the machinery used to process (heavy metals transferring to leaf) along with extraneous pollutants in the processing facility itself can taint a tea especially if it is chopped and cut to a greater degree (factories are only as clean as the people cleaning them...and some people are not conscious/don't care of how pollutants can enter into the steps of processing/the facility).


That is just a small picture though imo. So much rides on the EXACT environmental conditions of where it was grown, how balanced it was with the surroundings, and how its energies balance with the individual drinkers energy/thought. Then there's transportation/handling, storage issues etc etc.

To go back to your original question, I think there is some truth in what you have been hearing (but by "chinese teas" I am referring to loose leaf tea grown well). But don't automatically assume because it is loose leaf that is is good quality. And vis versa for tea bags (esp the ones from overseas).

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Oct 31st, '11, 13:45
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Re: Mainstream tea

by AlexZorach » Oct 31st, '11, 13:45

teaisme wrote:
Casualconnoisse... wrote:To go back to your original question, I think there is some truth in what you have been hearing (but by "chinese teas" I am referring to loose leaf tea grown well). But don't automatically assume because it is loose leaf that is is good quality. And vis versa for tea bags (esp the ones from overseas).
Yes! There is a world of difference between mass-produced Chinese teas and the traditionally-processed Chinese artisan teas. The former include some of the lowest-quality teas available on the market, and the latter, some of the highest.

And while I personally prefer loose-leaf (as do most tea enthusiasts), and while I think it is usually a better choice in terms of value, quality, and sustainability, loose-leaf is not a guarantee of quality, nor is a tea bag a guarantee of a lack of quality. The same is, remarkably, true of whole-leaf vs. broken-leaf tea...while whole-leaf tea may tend to be better, there are some outstanding broken-leaf teas available, and some pretty terrible whole-leaf ones too.

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