If you are into drinking tea, then you must be familiar with the debate about loose or bagged tea. Many tea drinkers enjoy the taste of loose-leaf herbal tea. Others are more into teabags. Although they are both delicious, there are significant differences in their taste and the overall experience. If you are interested in knowing the differences, this article can give some insight.

Loose Leaf Tea Definition

The term “loose” or “whole” loose leaf tea refers to tea that is made of whole leaves. This means that the leaves are in their original dried shape without being broken. Loose leaf tea gives the most authentic tea drinking experience. Simply because leaves are large in size, which means they have a smaller surface area. This means that when boiled water is poured over the leaves, there won’t be much evaporation of the essential oils. This way, the tea will be rich in taste and aroma. No other type can give you the same experience.

Loose leaf tea comes in different types and variants. You can find whole leaf black tea or green tea. Herbal tea is also available. Not to mention that you can get specialty oolong or white teas in the form of whole loose leaves.

Other Types of Tea 

In addition to loose leaves, you can find tea in various other forms. There are teabags, dust, and fanned tea. Typically, whole loose leaves won’t fit into a teabag. So, breaking them into smaller pieces can make them match the limited space. When you add boiled water from your kettle to a teabag, the broken leaves won’t have enough room for a full infusion. So, you can have less flavor than you can have with whole loose leaves.

As for the dust and fanning forms of tea, they are the smallest forms of tea leaves. They are fine tea particles that offer bigger surface areas when boiled water is added to them. This means that almost all the essential oils are lost during evaporation. This leaves you with limited taste and aroma. Typically, this form is a lot cheaper and lower in quality compared to whole loose leaves.

The Benefits of Loose Tea Leaves

Loose tea is the most beneficial form of tea. Choosing this form of tea comes with various perks:

• Enhancing Metabolism 

Various studies refer to the ability of different types of loose-leaf herbal teas to boost the body’s metabolism. Green tea is famous for being a good choice of beverage for anyone on a diet. Whole leaf teas can assist in weight loss as well. You can try white tea for this purpose.

• Maintaining the Health of the Digestive System

Many foods can leave you bloated and unable to breathe. You can rely on some loose-leaf herbal teas to alleviate the discomfort sensation. Prepare a cup of black tea two hours after a heavy meal.

• A Safe Option for Diabetics 

Loose-leaf herbal teas can be a safe choice for people with diabetes, provided you prepare them without adding sugar. Turmeric, cinnamon, and chamomile tea can be great beverages to help stabilize blood sugar levels.