Subsequent to water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage around the globe. It is the simplest of processes, an infusion of leaves and water. The leaves are infused with hot or boiling water and sometimes mixed with other ingredients to create unique flavors, such as Jasmine Tea, which is infused with Jasmine petals.

Tea leaves and leaf buds stem from the Camellia sinensis plant, grown primarily in India, China, Sri-Lanka, Taiwan, and Africa. The Camellia sinensis plant is also grown in Turkey, Georgia, Japan, Vietnam and Malaysia, but mass produce is mainly exported from the former countries.

Most importantly the daily ritual of tea encourages people to take a break or steal a moment to themselves, or better still, to bond with close friends. Tea also has the many associated health benefits that are continually being recognized by Nutritionists and Doctors. Aside from those factors, in more recent years there has been a move away from the stimulating effects of Caffeine, which is significantly stronger in coffee than tea. One of the more confusing aspects of caffeine content is the fact that, when measured in its dry form, coffee contains less caffeine than tea. However, the caffeine content of a brewed cup of coffee is considerably higher than the caffeine content of a brewed cup of tea. Did you know that different types of tea offer various levels of caffeine? That being the case, it's not surprising that there are a number of different types of tea drinkers around the globe. Some people drink tea to revitalize, some drink tea as part of a daily ritual, some drink tea simply because they like it, and others drink tea to decrease or avoid caffeine intake altogether.

BLACK TEA BENEFITS
Recent research shows that Black tea has just as many health benefits as other teas. It is significant in maintaining a proper circulatory system by stimulating the heart, keeping blood vessels soft, lowering cholesterol, regulating blood sugar, and lowering blood pressure, all of which help prevent heart disease and strokes. Black tea also contains antioxidants that help prevent numerous diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and cancer. Drinking Black tea helps burn fat and speed up metabolism, as well.

GREEN TEA BENEFITS
Green tea has long been praised for its many amazing health benefits. Of all tea types, Green tea contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols, which play an important role in the prevention of many cancers, including lung, breast, stomach, prostate, colon, and skin cancers. Research shows that Green tea lowers total cholesterol and raises HDL ("good") cholesterol. It also helps encourage weight loss, boosts metabolism, controls blood sugar, boosts the immune system, protects against cavities and gingivitis, and eases the symptoms of arthritis.

WHITE TEA BENEFITS
White tea provides numerous benefits to your health. Not only does it protect against cancer with its antioxidants and flavanoids (which inhibit the growth of cancer cells), it protects the entire circulatory system by improving artery function, lowering blood pressure, and thinning the blood. White tea also lowers cholesterol, promotes healthy skin, and builds strong bones and teeth. It is also a natural killer of bacteria.

OOLONG TEA BENEFITS
Oolong tea is excellent with food and is often referred to as the “weight loss tea” because it helps lower the intake of fat from high-cholesterol meals. It also increases metabolism and aids in digestion. Not only does it have a reputation as a dieter’s tea, it is great for the skin and can ease eczema and psoriasis symptoms, as well. Oolong tea also helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar, as well as reduce plaque in the arteries.

CHAI TEA BENEFITS
Chai is packed full of antioxidants from the Black tea leaves, which are believed to help prevent cancer, promote heart heath, boost the immune system, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol. The various spices in Chai also promote general health. Cinnamon is used as a common stimulant and can help relieve menstrual cramps, pains, and fevers. Cardamom can aid in relieving symptoms of indigestion, nausea, gas, and heartburn. Pepper has antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Ginger is used to help fight off the common cold and is great for strengthening and healing the respiratory and digestive system. Ginger is also believed to cure nausea.

ROOIBOS TEA BENEFITS
As an all-natural, caffeine-free tea, Rooibos is extremely high in antioxidants and vitamin C, which help fight off cancer and free radicals, as well as strengthen the body’s immune system. Rooibos also supplements the recommended daily amounts of calcium, manganese, and fluoride, all of which are needed in the development of strong teeth and bones. The zinc and vitamin E in Rooibos help promote healthy skin. Rooibos has also long been used to aid in digestion, increase iron absorption, and relieve symptoms of allergies, headaches, irritability, insomnia, nervous tension, and mild depression.

HERBAL TEA BENEFITS
Because of the broad range of possible ingredients, each tea may have its own set of health benefits. Herbal teas are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. They support heart health, aid with stomach and digestive problems, promote energy and wellness, and are caffeine-free.

Not all teas adhere strictly to the processes written below. Other variables such as growing conditions, processing, and harvesting time will differ for each tea. Nevertheless the general differences are as follows:

Brewing times are listed with each tea on our website, as well as on our packaging. While many of our teas are unique and require specific brew times, each tea category has general guidelines for brew times (see below). Be sure to not over brew your tea, as it will become bitter. If you want stronger tea, do not brew longer, but simply add more tea. As a general rule, always use fresh water and, after the water reaches a boil, wait for a few moments to avoid scalding your tea leaves. For Green and White teas, wait for a minute or so before brewing your tea, as these leaves are more delicate and you will get more flavor if brewed in slightly cooler water.

Loose leaf or Bagged:
If you are using loose tea, use one of our Iced Tea Pots that has a removable infuser. Throw loose leaves into the infuser, or if you're using tea bags, place them directly into a pitcher. Now add cold water to your pitcher and leave to brew in the fridge overnight (roughly 8 hours). After brewing tea, remove the infuser and add ice to your pitcher. This first method creates a full bodied iced tea with a smooth texture. Our teas taste delicious on their own, but feel free to add fruit, lemon, honey, or sweetener to your Iced tea.

 
NOTE:
We do not recommend making tea via the sun. According to the Center for Disease Control, the sun’s rays can actually facilitate the growth of harmful bacteria. The water does not get hot enough to kill bacteria that’s either in the water or on the tea itself and, therefore, may make you ill.

*Sun Tea Method: Leaving a glass jar filled with water and loose or bagged tea in sunlight until you’ve reached desired color.

Do not store tea in plastic containers or glass, as air and light both reduce the life and taste of your tea. Instead, buy a tin from Element Tea or use one of your own. Store your tinned tea in a cupboard that does not contain overpowering aromas and is out of reach from light, heat, and moisture.

Although tea does not go bad, after 10 months your tea may start to lose its flavor and aroma. However, Green and White teas often have a shorter shelf life at 8 months, while Black tea usually is good for up to a year. Correct methods of storage will preserve the delicate goodness of your favorite teas for longer.

Herbal Tea: 0 mg
Rooibos Tea: 0 mg
Decaf Tea: 2-5 mg
White Tea: 15 mg
Green Tea: 20 mg
Oolong Tea: 30 mg
Black Tea: 40 mg

Loose leaf Black teas are either whole leaf or broken grades. Top quality within a grade is denoted by adding the number 1. SFTGOP1 stands for "Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe." It is the highest grade FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe) with a large share of golden-tipped leaves. It is very rare. FTGFOP1 stands for "Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe." It is an outstanding golden-tipped FOP.

Decaffeinated tea is produced via a chemical-free, “Supercritical CO2 Decaffeination” process, a method whereby caffeine is selectively removed from the tea leaf. Under high pressure, CO2 becomes liquid in form and is able to flow freely through natural materials (like tea) and dissolve the caffeine. This is called its “supercritical state,” hence the process’ name. The tea leaves are left intact, and the caffeine-laden CO2 is filtered and recycled for further use in decaffeination. This process is capable of extracting 97% of caffeine from the leaf. Therefore, decaffeinated tea is not completely caffeine-free and contains small traces of caffeine (between 5-10 mg). Co2 is a natural part of the air and physically harmless, but some of our teas are decaffeinated by a water process.

Brewing tea is easy! Look on the website for the amount of tea we suggest you use per 8oz cup. It will generally range from 1-2 teaspoons. Simply put the loose leaf tea in an infuser (this could include a French Press, a Mesh Tea Ball, or even an Easy Tea Maker), look on the packaging or website for specific brew times, set your timer, and voila! Remove or strain your tea after the timer goes off, and you've just made yourself a delicious and healthy cup of tea.

For more answers about tea, go to our FAQs page.