Could Black Tea Be Coffee's Better Half?
Health Benefits Black Tea
Black tea is usually known as the most common tea to westerners.
This probably has to do with the fact that it has similar qualities to coffee.
True teas come from the same plant, and the difference between black, green or white is in the drying process of the tea leaves. Blacks are the most processed or oxidized, but they still contain many health benefits.
Below is a really great Tea Sampler of some of the best blacks available. It makes a nice gift for yourself or someone who loves a good cup of tea!
Tea & Coffee
A common relationship between coffee and black loose tea is the taste. It is common to say that without cream it is very similar to coffee with cream but little sweeter.... We'll that is what some say, but I think the flavours are very distinct.
Along with that, the Blacks have a heavier taste than teas such as
White Tea
or
Green Tea
that are lightly oxidized. When brewed, black loose tea has a very dark color, looking anywhere from dark red to dark brown.
Here are some favorite blacks, recipes that use tea, and health benefits!
Is Black Tea Good For You?
The "Blacks" have the highest caffeine content per cup of all teas, but they still have much less than a cup of coffee. The antioxidant level in it is also a little smaller than the rest of the teas(because of the oxidation process) but again, it has much more antioxidant qualities than coffee. Black loose tea contains anywhere from 40-100 milligrams of caffeine per cup, mostly depending on the amount of time you let it infuse. There are
ways to decrease the amount of caffeine
so you really don't need to worry about the caffeine content.
How to Brew Tea; Blacks
Here are some brewing instructions
to help you brew the perfect cup of black loose tea!
If you have ever contemplated buying
Organic Black Bags
this is a must read page, full of information that the Gourmet Tea Expert wants to know!
What's That Stuff In Grocery Stores?
If you've ever been shopping in a grocery store in the tea/coffee section you've probably seen tea made by Lipton, Tetley, or Twinings. They control a large part of the overall production of black tea, but I'll let you in on a little secret. That stuff is no good! Try something like the couple of black loose teas below. You will not be disappointed.
Adagio Teas is one of our favorite suppliers for a huge variety of tea options and blends. If you are considering buying online, Adagio Teas is our top pick.
I try to stay away from major producers like that as much as I can because I know anything made from a major producer is not in its natural form and therefore will not have the correct flavor or nutrients it should. This is especially true with tea. The difference between high production teas and natural teas from specialized farms is VERY big.
First of all, tea from a specialized company will be much more fresh, as they individually hand-pluck the leaves and do all the work themselves. You will also get the leaves in true leaf form, not crumpled up into a tea bag.
Second, the leaves that end up in the mass produced tea bags are ONLY low-mid quality leaves. Again, you are not receiving true tea if you get them in teabag form. This also leaves you with less antioxidants since the leaves are broken and low quality. I only recommend tea bags when you are in a hurry, and they must be from a high-quality company.
You can compare this process with wine. Imagine buying a bottle of wine, only to find out that the grapes that made up that wine were the old, dirty, mushy looking grapes! Wouldn't that make you upset? The tea leaves that make it into tea bags are the "outcasts".
As with other teas, this tea is best served as a whole, high quality loose leaf tea. Do yourself a favor and buy high quality loose leaf tea.
Return from Black Tea to the Herbal Tea
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