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Though it originated in China, initially used as medicine as tea has many health benefits, it has quickly spread to the rest of the world and become a staple drink. Tea has many forms but other than herbal teas, black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and white tea dominate the tea-drinking world. Some cultures cook tea with teapots and drink it hot while others prefer iced tea. Today the most common way of brewing tea is using tea bags; you boil water, pour it into a mug or tea cup, and add the tea bag in. But is this the best way to drink or make tea?
TEA MAKER & TEA INFUSER
Tea is more than just a drink for many cultures in the world. Tea drinking and tea brewing have their own specific rituals, tools, and occasions from China to Japan, to Turkey and England (read: English tea). Though it originated in China, initially used as medicine as tea has many health benefits, it has quickly spread to the rest of the world and become a staple drink. Tea has many forms but other than herbal teas, black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and white tea dominate the tea-drinking world. Some cultures cook tea with teapots and drink it hot while others prefer iced tea. Today the most common way of brewing tea is using tea bags; you boil water, pour it into a mug or tea cup, and add the tea bag in. But is this the best way to drink or make tea?
Tea and Tea Varieties
People drink tea mostly as a refreshment but humble tea harbors more health benefits than we realize. Before diving into the health benefits of tea, let’s get to know the members of the tea community first. All non-herbal teas are made from the leaves of the same plant, Camellia sinensis. What determines the type of tea is the amount of the time it is processed.
White tea is the unprocessed tea, which renders a delicate aroma when brewed. Green tea is the least processed type of tea and it is the only tea containing catechin, an antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals. Black tea, on the other hand, is the most processed and preferred variety for iced tea. Oolong tea is something between green and black tea and it has a fruitier flavor.
You may have come across matcha or matcha tea, which is not a variety but finely ground powder of specially grown green tea leaves.
Health Benefits of Tea
Several studies suggest that tea may better your health but is tea really good for you? I will try to explain the ways that tea can improve your health by answering some of the most frequently asked questions about tea and health.
Is tea hydrating?
Tea is definitely hydrating. In fact, it may the best alternative to water with zero calories unless, of course, it is unadulterated with sugar or milk.
Does tea contain antioxidants?
Antioxidants are numerous and each type does something good for your body. But as a whole, antioxidants fight free radicals that damage cells and the genetic materials inside. Tea contains a good amount of antioxidants. For best results, opt for white tea as it is basically unprocessed and accommodates more antioxidants.
Does tea have caffeine?
Caffeine has its own health benefits like boosting your metabolism, which tea can, too. However, too much of it can take its toll on your nervous system. Tea contains caffeine, too, (called theine) but a lot less than coffee.
Is tea good for exercise?
Since antioxidants can increase the body's ability to burn fat for fuel, drinking tea may improve muscle endurance. That said, green tea extract is increasingly becoming a pre-workout drink among heavy-lifters.
Is tea diuretic?
If a food or drink is diuretic, it means that it causes increased passing of urine. Caffeine, found both in tea and coffee, is a natural diuretic substance. However, not all teas are created equal. The more caffeine a tea contains, the more diuretic it can be. That makes black tea the most diuretic while white tea the least. But any variety of tea is a lot less diuretic than coffee. For those wondering whether tea can cause constipation, it depends. Tea, or any beverage with caffeine, can make constipation worse if the body is already dehydrated.
Is tea bad for your teeth?
Several studies suggest that tea can decrease tooth loss. A study found that tea has almost no effect on the erosion of teeth, similar to that of water. But go for brewed tea with no additives like sugar, lemon, or milk and stay away from sugary iced teas.
Now that you know tea has many health benefits, you may want to learn how to properly brew tea. In order to benefit from tea, you should make your own. Brewing tea is like a ritual in many cultures and sometimes it takes a lot of time and care to make the perfect tea. However, the market offers countless kitchen accessories as tea makers from electric kettles to teapots, simple water heaters, and even samovars, which are basically bigger tea makers with a faucet. Out of the many tools to brew tea, tea infusers or makers take the top list.
What is a tea maker?
Tea makers are devices that keep tea leaves in hot water for brewing and steeping. Modern tea makers are the next generation descendants of samovars, which were (and still used in some countries of the world like Russia and Turkey) used to keep steeping tea. In order to make them heat resistant, tea makers are generally made of stainless steel and/or silicone. While some of them come with an electric kettle on the bottom and a teapot with infuser on top, some of the tea makers are one piece.
Should you buy a tea maker?
In order to benefit all the good things that tea provides, then you might consider buying a tea maker. The health benefits of tea listed here are best available if the leaves relieve themselves in optimal hot water and time. You may be satisfying your tea cravings with tea bags but that is hardly real tea. The tea packed in tea bags are mostly tea dust. That means it contains fewer antioxidants that improve your general health. You might also have experienced a bitter taste in tea bags. It is because the tea in tea cannot expand and release flavor.
However, if you brew tea leaves in a tea maker or infuser, its health benefits will be more available for your body to use. Plus, the taste of brewed tea is nothing comparable to that of tea bags; it has more flavor and is a lot more delicate.
How to choose the right tea maker
Before buying a tea maker or indulging yourself in never-ending tea maker buying guides, you need to ask yourself what you expect from one.
Make sure that it is not made of or contains materials that are harmful to your body, such as lead. A good tea maker is made of stainless steel and food-grade materials that makes the device not only healthier but also more formidable. SAKI Tea Maker is made of finest stainless steel and comfortable easy-grip handles so that your hands are safe from heat. Unlike some of the tea makers in the market, SAKI Tea Maker comes with an electric kettle that can be used as a water heater alone (1.7 liter).
The teapot on the top includes a steel infuser that keeps the loosened tea leaves getting into your tea cup. The infuser is removable and easy-to-clean with plain water. The electric kettle shuts off automatically once the water is boiling and its keep warm function keeps your tea party carries on. SAKI Tea Maker is also dishwasher safe. Its water window allows you check the tea inside. You can make all kinds of tea with SAKI Tea Maker including matcha, oolong, hibiscus tea, herbal teas, chai, or whichever appeals to your taste buds.
Tea Maker Reviews
Tea maker or tea infuser reviews only generally focus on the user-friendly options of the device. Most consumers prefer tea makers that come with electric kettles that they can also use to heat water. This leads them to choose tea makers with large kettles that take water up to 2 liters. Durability is a major factor when buying a tea maker, too, as hot water may wear the kettle over time if it is not made heat resistant material like steel. A preferable tea maker should be easy to wash according to the online reviews; consumer usually go with tea makers that can be cleaned in a dishwasher. Tea makers with light weight and/or chic design are a plus when choosing a tea maker.
How to brew perfect tea
A good-quality tea maker will make a great difference in the aroma and benefits that you get out of your cup of tea! Make sure that you buy quality tea as well, and if possible, buy tea with longer or bigger teas! The smaller the tea leaves are, the more probable that it includes tea dust or fanning. When the water boils, do not immediately pour it into the infuser. Wait until the water stops boiling. Boiling water with bubbles “scald” tea leaves and it causes a rather bitter taste. With black tea, make sure the leaves sink and are thoroughly loosened. Unlike black tea, green tea should not be made with boiled water. To make a delicate green tea, use water that has just begun simmering.
