Tea Facts and Reviews

Nutritional Value of Tea

Tea is one of the healthiest beverages on the planet. It has almost zero calories and zero carbohydrates despite its proven beneficial effects. It is one of those rare drinks that you can consume without any fear of gaining weight.

Here are the chemical ingredients of an average 6 fl. oz. serving (an average tea cup) of tea brewed either from loose leaves or a bag, without any milk or sweeteners:

Calories 2
Total Fat 0 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 0 mg
Total Carbs. 0.5 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Protein 0 g
Calcium 0 mg
Potassium 37.4mg

Here is how many cups of tea you need to drink to equal the calories you’ll be getting from the following popular beverages:

1 can of Dr. Pepper = 50 cups of tea
1 glass of orange juice = 60 cups of tea
1 serving (12 fl. oz.) of Gatorade = 155 cups of tea
1 8 fl. oz. can of Coca-Cola Classic = 48 cups of tea
1 16 fl. oz cup of Starbucks Caramel Macchiato = 112 cups of tea
1 12 fl. oz cup of Starbucks Cafe Latte = 63 cups of tea
1 can of SlimFast diet drink = 110 cups of tea
1 8 fl. oz. cup of Lemonade = 50 cups of tea

ADDENDUM:

1 20 oz. glass of ICE TEA contains 47-50 mg of caffeine, depending on the variety.

However, some bottled "energy ice tea drinks" like Arizona can contain up to 250 mg of caffeine per 20 oz. bottle. So use caution and always read the label.

A cup of tea really does help in a crisis: study

A survey found that 68% of Britons turn to tea in a dilemma

LONDON — Researchers produced evidence Thursday to support what most Britons are famously certain of -- that a cup of tea is the answer to any crisis.

Dr. Malcolm Cross, a psychologist at City University London, tested the anxiety levels of a group of people following a stressful situation and revealed that even a single cuppa has a significant calming effect.

His team gave 42 volunteers a mental arithmetic exam and afterwards offered half of them a cup of tea and the other half a glass of water.

The water group's anxiety levels soared by 25 percent compared to before the task, while the tea group actually reported a four percent reduction in anxiety -- despite the taxing test, they were more relaxed than when they started.

According to a survey carried out for the research, 68 percent of Britons turn to tea in a dilemma, making it Britain's most common response to trouble of whatever kind.

About 60 percent said the promise of comfort and warmth was the main reason for putting the kettle on, but 48 percent said they found calm through the drink's association with Britain and cultural icons such as the Queen.

"The ritual of making and drinking tea -- particularly during times of stress -- is at the very core of British culture," Cross said.

"This study shows that the social psychological aspects of tea enhance the effects of its chemical make-up on our bodies and brains.

"It?s possible that this culturally rooted, symbiotic function between mind and body explains why Britons instinctively turn to tea in times of need."

The survey of 3,050 tea drinkers was conducted by OnePoll during July, and commissioned by Direct Line insurance.

What is Turkish “Kitlama” Style of Tea Drinking?

Kitlama sugar cubes

© Ugur Akinci

There is a special way of drinking tea with sugar in Turkey which called “kitlama” and originates from the Eastern city of Erzurum. In this style, the sugar is not poured directly into the cup. That’s considered almost a “sacrilegious” act by die-hard Turkish tea fans.

Instead, the sugar, which is a small (quarter to half and inch wide) lump of hard white candy, is placed and held in between the half-open jaws. Then, as the drinker sips in the tea, the hot liquid is held over the lump of sugar for a brief second before swallowed. The tea liquid is thus sweetened inside the mouth instead of in the cup itself.

Kitlama drinking needs some practice to get used to. But if you’re a foreigner and learn how to drink your tea by this method, you will certainly win friends for life since Turks hold this skill highly and consider it as the true mark of a genuine tea lover.

How to brew a cup of Turkish tea

A typical Turkish "çaydanlık" set, with "demlik" on top

© Ugur Akinci

Turks use a set of stacked kettles called “çaydanlık” to brew their tea.

The smaller kettle that sits on top is called “demlik.” That’s where the tea leaves go. A demlik never touches the flame or heat source directly.

The larger kettle at the bottom, which sits directly on the flames, is also called a “çaydanlık” for lack of a special word.

The çaydanlık sets come in all sizes. They are made of either porcelain or stainless steel.

You start with placing the desired amount of tea leaves in the small kettle on top (demlik) -- while it's still cold and not warmed up, and BEFORE placing it on top of the bottom and larger water kettle.

Usually one or two tablespoon of leaves is enough but you can increase or decrease the amount depending on your number of guests or the intensity of the brew you desire. The exact amount of tea leaves in the demlik is less critical in Turkish style brewing since you can always adjust the final strength of the brew by mixing it by any amount of hot water you want from the bottom kettle.

Next is filling the bottom kettle with clean water and placing it on the burner. You take the lid off the bottom burner and sit the demlik (the upper and smaller kettle) right on top of it.

In this double-decker configuration, as the water gets hot in the bottom kettle, the steam rising upwards warm up the demlik automatically and soften up the tea leaves inside. Some Turks add just a little water to demlik even when the water is yet cold so that, as the demlik warms up, there is some sort of pre-brewing going on inside the demlik.

When the water boils in the bottom kettle, you fill the demlik about one half to three quarters with hot water, place the lid of the demlik back on and sit it again on top of the bottom kettle. Now it’s time for brewing. Reduce the flames to low and wait about 5 minutes. Your Turkish tea would be ready in no time.

Serve it by first pouring a little of the “dem” (brewed tea) from the demlik ("container of the dem") and then topping off the glass with clear hot water from the bottom kettle.

NOTE: Use a strainer to catch the loose tea leaves from pouring into your cup (unless you like that specifically). Drinking a cup of Turkish tea with tea leaves is not a comfortable experience. That's why Turks always use a strainer to pour brewed tea out of a demlik. If you balance the strainer on top of the tea cup, you can use both hands just to pour the hot content from the demlik. Throw away the tea leaves caught in the strainer. They won't be good for a second cup. Here is a strainer I recommend you use to pour Turkish tea, especially if you're using the authentic narrow-waisted Turkish tea cups. Here is another one.

You can pour as little or as much brewed tea as you like from the demlik. That kind of separation between the brewed tea and the clear hot water provides a great degree of freedom to produce servings of various strength from the same kettle set.

If a guest wants a light (Turkish: açık) cup of tea, then you can pour just a little brew and then diluting it by adding a lot of plain water on top.

But if a dark and strong (Turkish: koyu) cup of tea is requested, you can fill the cup all the way to half or even more with the brew and fill up the remainder of the glass with plain hot water. You can serve black tea in all kinds of strength and robustness levels thanks to the Turkish double-kettle set up.

NOTE: if you brew for too long, Turkish tea turns bitter very quickly. Similarly, it’s not a good idea to brew the same Turkish tea leaves more than once either as it tastes very stale.

Also see: Turkish Tea facts

Gluten in Tea Bags?

Gluten is a wheat product that can be dangerous for some people. It can lead to swellings of the hands and the feet. There are also those rare people who are literally poisoned if they ingest products with gluten in them.

We know that tea does not have any gluten. But what about the tea bags?

Did you know that some companies close their tea bags by using a wheat gluten solution as glue?

If you are gluten sensitive, make sure your tea bags are crimp or staple closed. I prefer crimping since it eliminates the one-in-a-million possibility of swallowing a tiny staple.

I have sent emails asking this question to various tea companies.

Here is a quick answer from STASH, one of my most favorite bagged-tea sellers:

"Thank you for your email. We do not use gluten to seal our teabags, they are crimp sealed. All of our teas are gluten free as well. Please let me know if you have any further questions or comments.

Sincerely,
Erin Barsuglia
Quality Assurance
Stash Tea"

Thanks Stash! Not only you make good tea but obviously you care about your customers as well.

I'll share the other answers if and when I get them.

P.S. Here is another reply I've received from Celestial Seasonings:

"Thank you for taking the time to contact us. We strive to maintain the highest quality products and appreciate your patronage.

Our tea bag paper is comprised of a blend of chlorine-free fibers. None of our tea bag paper contains starch or gluten. Our supplier utilizes a proprietary, chlorine-free process in the manufacture of our tea bag paper. The paper is comprised of natural plant and heat-seal fibers. The heat-seal fibers are a food safe material that is added to the paper.

Sincerely,

George
Consumer Relations Representative"

UPDATE: It's interesting that LIPTON TEA officials could not come out and say "no, we do not use gluten in the manufacturing of our tea bags." Instead they simply advices us to read their ingredients carefully. So if you are gluten-sensitive I'd say be careful when using LIPTON tea bags.

Here is the official CONSUMER-BEWARE reply to my inquiry from UNILEVER, the mother-company of LIPTON TEAS:

"Gluten is found in wheat rye, barley, and oats. In our sauces, the source of Modified Food Starch is corn. The source of Carmel Coloring is a brown food coloring obtained by heating sugars. Malted Barley, which has been partially germinated to permit some of its carbohydrates to be broken down into simpler sugars, is used to provide flavor and sweetening to food products.

Because our products are formulated for use by the majority of our consumers, and not specifically for those on restricted diets, it is possible our product formulations may change at any time. As a result, we cannot provide a list due to several factors:

- Lists of this type reflect products as formulated at a specific time
- Possible that more products/varieties may have been added
- More important, changes in existing products may have occurred

Therefore, we suggest READING ALL INGREDIENT LABELS CAREFULLY.

We hope this information is helpful!
Your friends at Unilever"

Turkish Tea

A glass of Turkish tea presented in its characteristic slim-waisted ("ince belli") glass cup

© Ugur Akinci

Tea, called “çay” in Turkish, is the unofficial “national beverage” of the Turkish people. Turkish tea is a special kind of black tea with strong robust flavor and a lovely crimson color.

Wherever you go in Turkey you’ll immediately be offered a cup of hot tea, in distinctive glass cups that look like an hour glass.

There is hardly a single business meeting, meal or social gathering in Turkey in which tea is not served automatically. To turn down a cup of (almost always free) tea is considered a rude act in Turkish culture and will not win you any friends.

All government offices, universities, and most corporations in Turkey have a full-time tea-server on their payroll called “çayci” whose sole function is to brew and serve tea all day long.

DID YOU KNOW THIS -- According to 2004 figures, Turks drink even more tea than the Brits. Turks consume 2.5 kg of tea per person a year compared to 2.1 kg per Brit.

Green and ever-moist mountains of Rize is ideal to grow tea

Turkish tea, the same Camellia Sinensis cultivated all over Far East, is grown along the Black Sea coast of Turkey. Provinces like Rize are famous for their black tea plantation situated on the steep mountains that overlook the Black Sea.

Turkish tea is both consumed widely within the country and exported as well. Usually export variety is a slightly more expensive but better brand. Some of the best-known Turkish black tea brands include Filiz and CayKur.

Turks do not add milk to their tea but use sugar.

Also see: How to brew a cup of Turkish Tea?

"Jasmine Green Tea" by GOOD EARTH

If you do not have the time to brew a great cup of jasmine green tea from loose leaves, this is as close as it gets to the "real thing" -- and by that I mean loose-leaf tea.

You tear the individual tea bag open and a delightful jasmine fragrance catches you unawares. It brews a rich flowery cup of jasmine tea with that smoky green tea texture in the background.

The ingredients are listed as Green Tea, Jasmine Flowers and Natural Flavors. (I always wonder that catch-all phrase "natural flavors" and assume there's nothing disagreeable in it.)

It contains no sugar, artificial flavors (again that "flavor" concept), colors or preservatives.

Highly recommended, either hot or iced.

1st Grade Jasmine Green Tea w/ Jasmine Flowers. Loose Leaf Green Tea. Net Wt: 4 oz. (Makes 50 Cups)
Stash Premium Organic Jasmine Green Tea, Loose Leaf, 3.5-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 3)

"Chai Spice Decaf Tea" by STASH Premium

Being a hard-core tea lover, I usually don't care for the decaf stuff but this is good. It really has the right kind of clover and black tea taste for that fresh invigorating jolt to the palate and soul.

The dominant note in this spicy song is CLOVER, which I like.

A great tea to try late at night, after work, or whenever you'd like to relax, meditate and think about things.

Here are the ingredients: Naturally decaffeinated black tea, cinnamon, ginger root, cinnamon flavor, clove oil, cardamom oil, allspice, clove and nutmeg.

So how do you classify this: herbal tea, or black tea, or both?

One thing I don't understand from a production point of view is this: why would one use both Cinnamon AND Cinnamon Flavor? What's that all about? I'm hoping to find it out one day.

I'm not trying to be difficult here; just curious is all. And I'm going to enjoy every drop of this distinctive blend. Recommended.

STUDY: Excessive Oolong and Black Tea May Weaken the Bones

A Western traveler enjoying a cup of local tea in Mongolia. (Visit this interesting travel blog)

In this web site I try to share ALL the facts and research results about health effects of tea drinking, not just the good and positive ones. I believe that as a tea lover and web site owner I owe that level of impartiality and objectivity to my readers.

Here is one such news from Japan: due to the high level of fluorine found in oolong and black teas, excessive consumption of these varieties can weaken human bones.

However I'm not sure what constitutes "excessive" drinking. Over 10 cups a day would certainly fit the bill.

A research team headed by Dr. Tetsuo Shimmura of Toyama Institute of Health in Japan presented the results of his research at a meeting of Japan Society for Biomedical Research on Trace Elements in Tokyo recently, according to a Kyodo news agency story.

Japanese researchers found that the amount of fluorine in these two kinds of tea exceed the same amount in tap water by 70 percent, based on a "test population" of 130 tap water samples. The average fluorine in tap water was 0.8 milligrams per liter. In mineral water it's under 2 milligrams per liter.

However, we should also remember that the subjects in this study were selected from Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region (in China), a region historically known to consume much higher than average quantities of black tea. So I believe this was not as random a population sample as a scientific study deserves.

"In our study of people's health in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region (in China), we found that the bones of those who consumed water and beverages containing high fluorine density over a long time could develop a propensity to break," Shimmura is reported saying.

"They are not in any immediate risk. However, it is desirable that a standard be set and displayed for tea drinks," he added.

Back to Basics Ice Tea Maker

This is an ice tea maker that truly deserves its name. It's simple enough to use by anyone but yet good enough to produce cup after cup of quality ice tea.

A distinctive feature of this unit is its 2.5 quart glass carafe. Most people think that glass containers yield a higher quality ice tea than plastic pitchers. If handled properly, they last longer as well.

The built-in infusion filter on the top is where the tea (bagged or loose leaf) goes. You can adjust the strength of the brew my moving the dial in front to the appropriate position. When you switch on the unit the brewing starts automatically.

The unit has multiple filter baskets to accommodate both bagged and loose leaf varieties of tea. You place the loose leaves in the top basket and bagged tea in the other baskets. Although it feels a bit "different" in the beginning, once you get used to this multiple filter-baskets system, it produces great iced tea every time.

Click here for more info on Back to Basics Ice Tea Maker and consumer reviews

Bodum Ceylon 102-Ounce Iced-Tea Maker and Water Infuser

This 3 quart size no-nonsense ice tea maker delivers great tea with no fuss and no electricity. Ideal for campers and those on the road.

It's fool proof operation requires just a few steps:

Place the amount of tea (bag or loose) you like into the built-in (but removable) filter compartment.
Fill it half way with hot water and let it steep.
When the brew reaches the density you like, remove the filter and fill it up with ice.
Serve and enjoy!

You can store the oval shape pitcher in your refrigerator door. Nice touch.

Due to its very simple but effective design, you can use Bodum Ceylon infuser to brew all kinds of herbal beverages as well. Just replace the tea with the herbs of your choice. You can, for example, fill up the filter with mint leaves and then fill the pitcher with orange juice; let it steep for a while; add ice and enjoy delicious mint orange juice.

Try adding cucumber slices into the filter, lemon wedges or sliced ginger for all kinds of additional exciting flavors.

CONSUMER TIP: Due to the size of the holes of the built in infuser compartment, you might have a cleaner ice tea if you use tea bags instead of loose tea leaves with the Bodum Ceylon ice tea maker.

Click here for more info on Bodum Ceylon 102-Ounce Iced-Tea Maker and Water Infuser and consumer reviews

Hamilton Beach 40911 2-Quart Electric Iced Tea Maker

As modern-designed an automatic ice tea maker as they come.

The sleek 2 quart pitcher is designed to fit into the door shelf of a refrigerator. That's a major plus since it's harder to find a place for a round pot-bellied iced tea pitcher in the fridge.

It has a built-in paperless tea filter compartment through which the heated water is filtered down. The filter is made from wire screen and needs no replacement.

This is very practical unit to brew a cold one on a hot summer's day.

Follow these easy steps to make tea with Hamilton Beach 40911 2-Quart Electric Iced Tea Maker:

Fill the clear plastic pitcher one-thirds with ice.
Place the amount of tea (bag or loose) you like into the built-in paperless filter.
Select whether you like mild, medium, or strong brewing.
Snap on the pitcher's lid.
Place the pitcher snug into the receptacle that slides out from underneath the heating unit.
Add appropriate volume of water into the heating unit.
Switch on the unit and watch delicious tea filtered down into the pitcher of ice.

One feature I like is the way this unit turns itself off automatically when the brewing is over. Turning off the unit is one less thing to worry about at picnics or on those hot summer afternoons when all you want to do is relax and sip your ice cold tea.

Measures 17-1/2 by 11-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches.

Click here for more info on Hamilton Beach 40911 2-Quart Electric Iced Tea Maker and consumer reviews

Mr. Coffee TM3-2 3-Quart Ice Tea Maker

This is one of the best-seller and better known ice tea makers out there in the market. Its generous 3 quart capacity produces enough ice tea at one time to last for hours.

Among the features I like about this unit is the automatic shut off feature. Once the brewing is done you do not need to worry if you've left it on or not. It also has a removable brew basket which prevents over-brewing and makes easy cleaning possible.

Follow these easy steps to make tea with Mr. Coffee TM3-2 3-Quart Ice Tea Maker:

Pour the desired amount of ice into the pitcher.
Place tea in the infusion basket built into the brewing unit (tower). Make sure you bring the pitcher close enough to the unit, with its spout aligned with the "base notch" in the correct position so that the brewed tea can pour in without any drips.
Pour in the appropriate amount of clean water into the brewing unit.
Switch the tea maker on and you'll have for yourself a great pitcher of iced tea within 10 minutes.

CONSUMER TIP: There have been various complaints in the past about the quality of this unit's plastic pitcher. You might consider buying a spare pitcher to enjoy uninterrupted service.

Also See:

Mr. Coffee® Iced Tea Maker 3 Quart Thermal Picher with Bonus Inside

Click here for more info on Mr. Coffee TM3-2 3-Quart Ice Tea Maker and consumer reviews

Workers at a Russian Tea Plantation near the Black Sea

Circa 1905-1915. Public domain photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

(Send us your favorite tea-related photo and we'll publish it here for you... )

STUDY: Green Tea Prevents Blood and Lymph Cancer

One should be cautious in attributing any “miraculous” powers to green tea.

But perhaps there’s no other adjective to describe the scientific evidence that’s piling up in favor of this beverage which has been around for thousands of years. Green tea is proven to be high in polyphenol compounds.

According to a study of 41,761 adults conducted by Dr. Toru Naganuma of Tohoku University School of Medicine in Japan, drinking 5 or more cups of green tea a day may reduce the risk of blood and lymph cancers by as much as 50 percent. The results were published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Again, drinking 5 or more cups of green tea a day was found to reduce the risk of hematologic malignancies by 42 percent and reduce the risk of lymphoid neoplasms by 48 percent.

Guo Lu Organic Loose Leaf Green Tea

Moreover, the risk reduction in question was found to be independent of the gender and weight (Body Mass Ratio) of the subjects.

The study followed up these 41,761 adults over a 9-year period and found 157 cancer cases.

The polyphenols in green tea leaves (epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), and epicatechin (EC)) are considered to be effective in triggering self-distruction (apoptosis) of cancer cells.

However, the scientists were careful to note that despite the degree of high “association” between green tea consumption and reduced risk of cancer, they could not prove any direct “casual relationship” between the two yet.