Different kinds of tea require specific steeping times and water temperatures. It’s not enough that we use boiling water to brew our favorite tea, we have to consider the temperature of the liquid we’re pouring. Tea specialist Kyle Stewart says that brewing temperature matters because some tea leaves are delicate than others:
Stewart explains that when it comes to how long to steep tea, the duration varies for a similar reason: some types of tea have a stronger flavor profile than others. But he says letting it steep too long ends up making the tea taste more bitter than it’s meant to.
“Often, people will leave their tea bag in their mug while they drink their tea thinking that this is making the tea stronger so they’re getting more of the benefits from the tea leaves or herbs, but that’s actually not the case,” says Neva Cochran, RD, a registered dietitian who is friends with Stewart and a knowledgable tea expert in her own right. “Scientists have actually studied this and found that at a certain point, the benefits you’re getting from the tea reaches a saturation point.”
Both Stewart and Cochran recommend brewing tea using either an infuser or tea bags. They aren’t fans of the commonly used tea ball strainers. “People inevitably pack the ball too full and the outer tea leaves get more water exposure than the inner leaves, so it isn’t even,” Stewart says.
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