Where do you buy good tea?

[Like Ra]

bought from a local store making their own tea

You mean they make their own "blend/mix", not "tea", I guess.

I'm now on bio tea only (well, almost)

The word "bio" always puzzles me. I remember one woman in the garden store asked for "biological dung". When the seller asked what she meant by "biological dung", the answer was "The dung that is ... well.... biological...". 😁

Sounds funny. But recent conversations and discussions with my mother and children, who taught me to get the information directly from the sources (published scientific articles), led me to investigating the question a bit deeper, than checking reddit and quora 😉

Indeed, tea plantations use herbicides and pesticides. (I do not have to guess now, I have analysis results in front of me). Indeed, in some cases the amount of residuals can be higher, that the recommended level. Two questions: how can you trust the eco labels, and what can you do.

I can't answer the former, but here's some tips for the latter:

Rinsing Tea before Brewing Decreases Pesticide Residues in Tea Infusion. ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30350971 ). This is how the Oolongs, Pu Er's and some other Chinese teas are supposed to be brewed, according to the Chinese traditions and recommendations. This is what the study says:

Rinsing dried tea leaves before brewing is a traditional way of preparing rolled oolong tea in China. This study analyzes how rinsing green, black, and oolong tea before brewing affects the levels of pesticide residues in the tea infusion. Eight representative insecticides of different polarities were tracked, namely, three neonicotinoids (acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam), two organophosphates (dimethoate and malathion), and three pyrethroids (bifenthrin, β-cypermethrin, and fenvalerate). The results showed that the eight pesticides transferred into the rinse water at rates between 0.2 and 24% after 5, 10, 20, or 30 s. Rinsing tea before brewing reduced the pesticide risk levels by 5-59% in the tea infusion. Five functional components, such as epigallocatechin gallate and caffeine, were reduced by 0-11% in the tea infusion. The results can be used to develop an effective method of rinsing tea before brewing that reduces pesticide exposure risks.

So, this one is answered. Next question, should you infuse or boil:

Residues and contaminants in tea and tea infusions. https://www.researchgate.net/publication..._infusions

Consumers are very aware of contaminants that could pose potential health hazards. Most people drink tea as an infusion (adding hot water); however, in some countries, including India, China, and Egypt tea is drunk as a decoction (tea and water are boiled together). An infusion usually brings the soluble ingredients into solution; whereas a decoction brings all soluble and non-soluble constituents together. Therefore, a cup of tea may contain various kinds of contaminants. In this review, we focus on green and black tea, because they are most commonly consumed. Our target was to examine the transfer rate of contaminants (pesticides, environmental pollutants, mycotoxins, microorganisms, toxic heavy metals, radioactive isotopes (radionuclides), and plant growth regulators) from tea to infusion/brewing, factors contributing to the transfer potential and contaminants degradation, and residues in or on the spent leaves. We concluded that most contaminants leaching into tea infusion are not detected or are detected at a level lower than the regulatory limits.However, the traditional practice of over-boiling tea leaves should be discouraged, as there may be a chance for more transfer of contaminants from the tea to the brew.

This one is answered as well.

TL;DR: drink Chinese Oolong and Pu'Er teas by rinsing them first in boiling water, and then infuse 😊

[no smile]

bought from a local store making their own tea

You mean they make their own "blend/mix", not "tea", I guess.

Yes, that's it.
Thanks for the other information  😊

[LeotardLover]

Very expensive! I bought a couple from Ali when selling of tea was allowed. The look was fantastic, but the taste was mediocre 😁

 

Yup, the blooming teas require a much longer steep time. Most people drink it when the bloom opens, but it has to steep a while and should have extra hot water added to maintain temperature.

[LeotardLover]

bought from a local store making their own tea

You mean they make their own "blend/mix", not "tea", I guess.

I'm now on bio tea only (well, almost)

The word "bio" always puzzles me. I remember one woman in the garden store asked for "biological dung". When the seller asked what she meant by "biological dung", the answer was "The dung that is ... well.... biological...". 😁

Sounds funny. But recent conversations and discussions with my mother and children, who taught me to get the information directly from the sources (published scientific articles), led me to investigating the question a bit deeper, than checking reddit and quora 😉

Indeed, tea plantations use herbicides and pesticides. (I do not have to guess now, I have analysis results in front of me). Indeed, in some cases the amount of residuals can be higher, that the recommended level. Two questions: how can you trust the eco labels, and what can you do.

I can't answer the former, but here's some tips for the latter:

Rinsing Tea before Brewing Decreases Pesticide Residues in Tea Infusion. ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30350971 ). This is how the Oolongs, Pu Er's and some other Chinese teas are supposed to be brewed, according to the Chinese traditions and recommendations. This is what the study says:

Rinsing dried tea leaves before brewing is a traditional way of preparing rolled oolong tea in China. This study analyzes how rinsing green, black, and oolong tea before brewing affects the levels of pesticide residues in the tea infusion. Eight representative insecticides of different polarities were tracked, namely, three neonicotinoids (acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam), two organophosphates (dimethoate and malathion), and three pyrethroids (bifenthrin, β-cypermethrin, and fenvalerate). The results showed that the eight pesticides transferred into the rinse water at rates between 0.2 and 24% after 5, 10, 20, or 30 s. Rinsing tea before brewing reduced the pesticide risk levels by 5-59% in the tea infusion. Five functional components, such as epigallocatechin gallate and caffeine, were reduced by 0-11% in the tea infusion. The results can be used to develop an effective method of rinsing tea before brewing that reduces pesticide exposure risks.

So, this one is answered. Next question, should you infuse or boil:

Residues and contaminants in tea and tea infusions. https://www.researchgate.net/publication..._infusions

Consumers are very aware of contaminants that could pose potential health hazards. Most people drink tea as an infusion (adding hot water); however, in some countries, including India, China, and Egypt tea is drunk as a decoction (tea and water are boiled together). An infusion usually brings the soluble ingredients into solution; whereas a decoction brings all soluble and non-soluble constituents together. Therefore, a cup of tea may contain various kinds of contaminants. In this review, we focus on green and black tea, because they are most commonly consumed. Our target was to examine the transfer rate of contaminants (pesticides, environmental pollutants, mycotoxins, microorganisms, toxic heavy metals, radioactive isotopes (radionuclides), and plant growth regulators) from tea to infusion/brewing, factors contributing to the transfer potential and contaminants degradation, and residues in or on the spent leaves. We concluded that most contaminants leaching into tea infusion are not detected or are detected at a level lower than the regulatory limits.However, the traditional practice of over-boiling tea leaves should be discouraged, as there may be a chance for more transfer of contaminants from the tea to the brew.

This one is answered as well.

TL;DR: drink Chinese Oolong and Pu'Er teas by rinsing them first in boiling water, and then infuse 😊

Interesting RA!

[Culmor]

Off topic but I doubt it's worth starting a new one.

Indeed, tea plantations use herbicides and pesticides.

I read that growers of organic coffee use urine as a fungicide.

[Like Ra]

As a fungicide? Not as a fertilizer?

[Like Ra]

Tried, tested, satisfied:

Jin Xuan Milk Oolong Tea
Puwen "Phoenx" Shu Pu-Erh 2006
Mengku "Rongshi" Shu Pu-Erh 2007

[Like Ra]

Another recommendation: Puwen Shu (Ripe) Pu-Er - any Puwen made before 2010 is good. Puwen YunYa from 2016 has almost no taste. So, if you like Shu Pu Er, grab those 2005-2006 cakes.

[madjack]

This is probably too low-brow for all the tea aficionados, but I enjoy this British (Cornish) grown tea..

https://tregothnan.co.uk/shop/tea/

Some options are eye-wateringly expensive (to me at least), but the Classic Blend is very nice and the Earl Grey my favourite... 

MJ

Ps. I write this as a devout coffee drinker, but I do occasionally stray into tea territory

[Like Ra]

Some options are eye-wateringly expensive (to me at least)

Errrrmmm.... 11g £39.50 .... Even if I believe the following:

"Re-infuse the leaves as many times as you choose, the record is 12 infusions, equating to 12 cups of tea from 3 grams."

That makes my brewing style insane 😁