Tea is a great invigorating drink, tasty and aromatic, which gives energy and gives a good mood. No wonder it is so highly regarded in many countries. However, the secret of the popularity of tea is not only in its taste and invigorating effect, but also in its benefits for the body.
Tea is one of the top-selling products. The number of its varieties is so great that lovers of tea ceremonies often find it difficult to buy. How to find the one that will be really tasty and healthy among all brands and types of tea? Given the wide range of products, there is a risk, under the guise of tea, to purchase a drink that will be not only useless, but also tasteless and of poor quality. Our tips will help you understand the variety of varieties and how to choose a good and healthy tea.
Experienced tea connoisseurs use different methods when choosing a drink. Some people prefer a certain type of tea or purchase it from a trusted manufacturer, others study the tea rating, and still others read what is written on the tea package. Some people make a purchase spontaneously, not paying attention to either the manufacturer or the price, and as a result, they are often disappointed with the taste of the drink.
How do you choose your tea? However, no matter what method you use when choosing, our recommendations will definitely come in handy. There are many little things that can tell you whether to buy this tea or whether it is better to abstain.
Smell and color
Appearance, especially color, can be used to determine the quality of many foods, and tea is no exception. If you choose black tea, do not forget that the tea leaves should be only black, and no other. Have you noticed a few gray leaves among the black tea leaves? Put the tea back on the shelf because it is of poor quality. Chinese oolong tea, also known as turquoise tea, may have a greenish brown color, but this is not the case with black tea. When choosing green tea, remember that it should not contain brown tea leaves. All leaves should be white and green.
You should pay attention not only to color, but also to smell. High-quality tea has a corresponding smell, and different types of tea smell differently, and each type has its own tint aromas, characteristic only for it. For example, black tea has a slightly sweet smell, while green tea and oolong have a bitter aroma.
There are scents that good tea should never have:
smell, fish or meat, perfumery aromas: their presence indicates that tea storage conditions were not observed;
burning smell: it indicates that the tea leaves are dry or overcooked;
metallic odor: direct evidence that the tea was prepared in violation of technology or was stored in improper conditions;
The appearance of tea can also tell a lot. This high quality tea contains tea leaves with a barely noticeable shine and overflow. Low quality teas tend to have dull leaves, although they are generally drinkable.
Type of tea leaves
As you know, during the production process, tea undergoes fermentation, which determines how strongly the tea leaves are twisted. The more the tea leaves are twisted, the more they underwent fermentation, respectively, the higher the quality of the tea. The most expensive varieties of tea, Darjeeling, have long tea leaves, twisted into a thin tube resembling a wire, hence the name - "wire" tea.
High-quality tea usually contains tips, or tea buds, as well as apical leaves, which have white or yellow villi. In addition, high quality tea should be free of impurities, dust, debris of tea leaves, dust or flakes. In contrast, cheap tea contains sticks, debris of tea leaves, and other impurities. If you notice something like this, it is wiser to refrain from buying.
Storage and transportation
Storage conditions for tea should be such that its moisture content is kept within 4-6%. Exceeding or decreasing this indicator equally negatively affects the condition of the product. High humidity leads to the fact that mold appears on the leaves, and with low humidity, tea turns into dust. If you rub the tea leaves between your fingers, overdried or burnt tea simply crumbles. Tea leaves that have normal moisture in this case shrink, but quickly take on their original shape. Leaves with high humidity, if squeezed, will take a long time to return to their original appearance or will generally remain in the same position.
Now you know the secrets of choosing quality tea, and we hope that you will not go wrong with your purchase. Enjoy your tea!