Have a Cuppa Tea
An ode to tea:
While I am a big coffee gal, there is nothing quite like a cup of tea to warm me up at literally any time of day. It’s also a great option if you want to drink something warm without the intense jolt of caffeine that can come from a cup of coffee. While we are clearly coffee stans here, given all of the articles we have published about the drink ( “I Dream of Beans”, “The Moral Bean”, “The Real Buzz About Coffee”), we also love the varied world of tea and how much there is to learn about all of these different types of plants, beverages, and the cultures behind them. We won’t go into too much of the history of tea in this article—there’s simply too much to cover—but we will go into some basics about the different types of tea, the environmental impacts, and things to consider when buying your own tea. So, pour yourself a cup and enjoy this read with us!
Types of tea:
Like with most beverages, the world of tea can get a bit snobby. According to experts, there are actually only a few tea types that can be considered“true” tea: namely, black, green, oolong, pu-erh, and white teas. Each of these teas are made from the same tea leaves, from the same species of plant, Camellia sinensis. Tea must be made from Camellia sinensis to qualify as “true” tea. The varieties of tea made from Camellia sinensis all primarily differ based on how long they are oxidized during processing—black tea is fully oxidized while green tea is minimally oxidized. There aren’t actually any other types of “tea” plants, but rather lots of other herbs that we can steep in warm water to make delicious beverages. So, let’s break down these main four varieties as well as some common spice and herbal varietals:
Green tea: With green tea, the tea leaves are harvested and then quickly heated—by pan firing or steaming—and dried to prevent excess oxidation from occurring, which would turn the green leaves brown and alter their fresh-picked flavor.
Black tea: When people talk generally of tea in Western culture, they’re often referring to black tea: sun tea, sweet tea, iced tea, afternoon tea…these are typically made using black tea. Even our popular English Breakfast and Earl Grey blends are made from black tea leaves. What differentiates black tea from green tea is the oxidation in the production process. With black tea, the leaves are allowed to fully oxidize before they are heat-processed and dried. During this oxidation process, oxygen interacts with the tea plant’s cell walls to turn the leaves a rich dark brown to black color, and adds malty, fruity or even smoky notes to the flavor.
Oolong: Oolong is neither a black tea nor a green tea; it falls into its own category of tea. Yet an oolong may end up with more black tea characteristics or more green tea characteristics depending on the direction the tea master takes in the processing of the tea. Oolong teas are traditionally rolled, twisted or curled into tight balls or thin strands. Rolling is an important aspect of oolong processing that alters the appearance, color and aroma of the final tea leaves.
White tea: White tea is known to be one of the most delicate tea varieties because it is so minimally processed. White tea is harvested before the tea plant’s leaves open fully, when the young buds are still covered by fine white hairs, hence the name “white” tea.
Chai: The name “chai” is actually the Hindi word for “tea”, which was derived from “cha”, the Chinese word for “tea”. In this case, the Hindi term chai means a mix of spices steeped into a tea-like beverage. Recipes for chai vary across continents, cultures, towns and families. But the traditional ingredients of a spiced tea blend usually include black tea mixed with strong spices, like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and black peppercorns.
“Herbal” tea: Any tea that isn’t made from Camellia sinensis. Popular varieties include chamomile, mint, and rooibos.
Rooibos: Rooibos tea (also known as “red bush tea”), is made using leaves from the Aspalathus linearis shrub, usually grown on the western coast of South Africa. Rooibos is an herbal tea, and traditional rooibos is created by fermenting the leaves, which turns them a red-brown color. Rooibos is caffeine-free and is considered to have many health benefits.
Thank you to Teatulia for these great definitions. You can learn more about all of these tea types here.
How to drink it:
When it comes to tea, there are lots of ways to drink it. Each tea usually has specific brewing instructions to maximize flavor and reduce bitterness, so I highly recommend looking up brewing temperatures and times before trying a new type of tea. For example, I used to think I hated green tea but it turns out that I was just brewing it too hot and making it bitter! If you’re into batch-brewing and enjoying a more refreshing version of tea, you can brew a bunch of tea at once and put it in the refrigerator to drink it as iced tea all summer long!
Personally, I love milk in my black tea or rooibos, and to reduce my impact, I often opt for coconut or almond milk. What type of milk you choose is up to you, but we like to opt for plant-based milks whenever possible.
Another way that we love to drink tea here at Grounded Grub is by making it into kombucha. Sweetened tea is the base for the fermentation of kombucha, and the type of tea you use can drastically affect how it tastes.
What are the environmental impacts of tea?
Camellia sinensis is grown on large “plantations” in an intensive monoculture. Application of herbicides and inorganic fertilizers creates environmental hazards, while pesticides often eliminate the insects in the natural ecosystem around the farms. The incessant use of fertilizers and herbicides exacerbate soil erosion, and chemical runoff into bodies of water can create problems for local ecosystems. Finally, during tea manufacturing, fossil fuel is used to dry the processed leaves.
Herbal tea ingredients like rooibos, lavender, chamomile and mint vary in how they are grown but all have similar environmental impacts as the tea plant. Most of these impacts are an inherent part of agriculture, but can be reduced by growing crops in mixed rows, using organic chemicals, and supporting agroecological practices.
It’s also important to understand and stay conscious of where your tea comes from! Tea is mainly grown in Asia, Africa, South America, and around the Black and Caspian Seas. The four biggest tea-producing countries represent 75% of production and are China, India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. There is some tea grown in the United States, but it does not represent a large volume of our tea consumed. Herbal tea ingredients are more likely to be found locally and can be a great way to diversify where your tea is coming from. Want to go hyper-local with your tea consumption? No matter where you live, mint is very easy to grow in a container and could be a great way to grow and process your own tea.
Like most products that are produced primarily in places outside of the US, we recommend looking for a Fair Trade label when possible so you know your money is supporting fair labor practices and community
Looseleaf tea in a mason jar, a classic tea infuser, and a tea bag without a tag and without individual packaging.
Buying tea “zero waste”:
The best way to buy tea to reduce waste is to buy loose leaf tea in bulk. You can bring your own containers and stock up on favorites at a bulk food store.
You can also find loose leaf tea in large containers or bags. Even just reducing the packaging from each individual bag down to buying the bags or tea in bulk is a great step (and will likely save you money too!). If you’re new to loose leaf tea, you’ll need to acquire a tea infuser. There are some really fun and quirky options online (like this one that is a manaTEA), but I’ve found that there are often many hiding on shelves in thrift stores, or extras in the back of drawers at your neighbors, family, or friend’s houses that you might be able to put to good use.
If you do buy tea in tea bags and boxes, try to properly recycle and dispose of all parts of the packaging. Many tea bags can be added to compost, but it is important to read about what they are made of. Tea bags often have plastic in the fibers of the bag and are not a good option for your compost. If this is the case (and you’re very dedicated to that compost bin), you could cut them open, compost the tea, and throw away the bag itself.
Looking for a bulk food option near you? We love this state-by-state directory from Litterless.
