Loose-Leaf Tea Benefits

Five reasons to ditch the bags and switch!

There’s no doubt about it. Tea bags are convenient. Yet there are many (and better) reasons to choose leaf herbs for tea. Here are mine:

1. Quality

Most commercial tea bags contain dust and fannings – the tiny particles left over after the quality parts have been used. When you use the entire part of the plant, its active constituents and full flavor are released. Also, you can touch, see, and smell the leaves, so you can decide if you want to consume it.

2. Freshness

Loose-leaf herbs and teas are usually freshly packed, sealed, and shipped to markets and customers. Teabags are produced in large quantities, stored in warehouses, and then sit on store shelves for long periods.

3. Health 

There are a handful of companies that use full leaves in their tea bags. However, the bag itself is often too small for the leaves to open fully, so most of the essential oils and therapeutic benefits aren’t fully released. Also, most tea bags contain glue, bleaches, chemicals, or metal that can be harmful.

4. Environment

Even environmentally friendly tea bags are only 70-80% percent biodegradable, so the remaining 20-20% doesn’t break down. When you consider the wrappings around each tea bag typically end up in the ocean or our water systems, the environmental impact is concerning.

5. You’ll save while strengthening local communities 

Per ounce, the cost of loose-leaf herbs and teas is cheaper. While tea bags are one-and-done, loose leaves can be steeped multiple times, and the flavor profile changes with each brew. Many people like the second or third brewing even better! A bonus is that most producers of quality loose-leaf herbs and teas are small businesses that create jobs and keep local communities vibrant.

Kim Violet is a mom, wife, herbalist, and the founder of Eden's Leaves, an herbal products company with medicinal blends for immunity and emotional wellness. She studies, writes, and teaches about herbal medicine. She is also the founder of Simply Brilliant, a consulting practice for organizations creating the world we want to leave for our great-grandchildren.