21 March 2022

Why should I choose loose leaf tea?

Loose leaf tea, tea bags, instant; tea comes in different forms. When do you choose loose leaf tea, and how do you make a choice? In this blog we will help you with that!

Loose leaf tea

Whether you like a strong, full-bodied black tea or prefer a mild, vegetal green tea, loose leaf tea has a wide range of aromas to offer. In addition to personal preference, the time of day or the dish you want to combine the tea with can also play a role in your choice. Loose leaf tea is for everyone, for every moment.

The well-known tea bag is widely used in the West for making a cup of tea because of its convenience. Instant tea is another quick way to prepare tea, although the offer is a lot more limited. Loose leaf tea is also called “whole leaf tea”, because the tea leaf or leaves with a bud and part of the branch can be recognized.

When do you actually choose loose tea? And not unimportant: where can you buy loose leaf tea? We list the five main benefits of loose leaf tea for you.

No. 1

Experience

When you think of loose leaf tea, the thought of "no time for it" quickly follows for many. That's what I often hear when I tell others to often choose loose leaf tea. Yes, making tea with loose leaves takes a bit more time than 'angling' a tea bag into a cup of hot water. It just doesn't have to be that much more. One teaspoon of loose leaf tea in a tea filter or tea strainer is a piece of cake. However, do you need a moment of reflection, or do you simply want to leave your thoughts for what they are? Then shift your attention entirely to brewing a delicious cup of tea. What does the dry leaf look like? What smells do you recognize? In the dry leaf, but also in the infusion, and then in the wet leaf. Stimulate all your senses by preparing and drinking tea with awareness. Before you know it, you will have forgotten everything around you for a moment.

No. 2

See what you drink

One very appreciated advantage of loose leaf tea is that you can see the tea leaf very clearly. Before you put the tea in, say, a tea filter, place a heap on your hand, or on a white plate, and take a close look at the tea. Do you see leaf veins, stems? How big are the leaves (are they broken or whole) and what colors do you see? With any other type of tea that you look at in this way, you will see differences. For tea connoisseurs, this is a must because this is how they try to evaluate the tea for quality. You can also see it as an extra dimension in consciously preparing and drinking your tea.

No. 3

Taste & scent

Due to the high quality of our loose leaf tea, the infusion has not only a lot of flavor but also a great amount of complexity to offer. By this we mean that many different types of flavors can be recognized. For example, a type of tea can be sweet, fruity, creamy and floral. Each infusion brings a different taste experience. For some oolongs, it almost seems as if you take off 'a new layer' from the tea with each infusion. Similar to peeling the leayers of an onion. With each infusion the tea leaf opens up further, and the water starts a new reaction with the leaf. If you then also have a fresh batch of tea in front of you, the scents are extra intense. Do you want to keep them in the leaves for as long as possible? Then store your loose tea in a dry, dark, airtight place at room temperature. The less oxygen that reaches the tea, the better the tea will keep its aromas.

No. 4

Dosing

Measuring the amount of tea for your cup or teapot is a great advantage when you make tea with loose leaf tea. You can adjust the amount exactly to your desire and taste. This can be very useful when you are going to pair tea with a dish. When it has a strong taste, we call it a high flavor strength, then it is best to adjust the tea-water ratio. Usually 2 grams per 180 ml of water is used. If you want to drink this tea with a dish with a high flavor strength, you could opt for either making a smaller amount of tea (2 grams per 90 ml of water) or using more tea leaves (3 grams per 180 ml of water). With loose leaf tea you are very flexible when it comes to dosage.

No. 5

Sustainable

Finally, some people also consciously choose loose leaf tea because it is seen as sustainable due to the need for reduced packaging materials. Some tea bags are fourfold packed (tea bag, envelope, tea box, cellophane around tea box) to limit loss of flavor. By paying attention to less packaging material, fewer raw materials are needed and less energy is used. Want to contribute more to sustainable tea drinking? Then pay special attention to the amount of water you use when you make tea. Boil only the amount of water you need and do not throw it away.

Where to buy loose leaf tea?

Would you also like to experience for yourself what preparing and drinking loose tea can do for you? Loose leaf tea can be found in tea specialty stores, health food stores and of course also in our online store. Discover here the assortment of high quality pure loose leaf tea from Taiwan.

HAO TCHA collection

Take a moment

Real natural teas from Taiwan

Alishan Oolong

Oriental Beauty Oolong

Mi Xian Honey Black

At your service

Free shipping on orders from € 50 for My Hao Tcha members. For questions, see our frequently asked questions.

A Moment of reflection

Taste Taiwan’s most special teas

We believe in finding a balance. Or, you might say: in continuously looking for balance. After all, we move up and down with the waves of life. HAO TCHA is a way to feel at ease among these waves. To find a moment of reflection and inner peace.

Discover Taiwanese Tea