There's a big difference between loose leaf tea and tea bags! Discover in this article what the differences are between loose leaf tea and tea bags and why one is better than the other.

There is a big difference between loose leaf tea and tea bags, and it is very easy to see this once you put them side by side to compare them.

Loose leaf tea and tea bags contain rolled, dried tea leaves. The more whole tea leaves you see (the larger pieces), the better the quality of the tea.

Loose leaf tea is generally made up of whole tea leaves. Once the tea leaves have been steeped, they will unfurl and you should be able to see the shape of the leaf.

Tea bags contain a mixture of whole and cut tea leaves in a pyramid or rectangular shaped bag.

If you open a tea bag, it will be difficult to tell where the leaves are since they are almost crushed.

Loose leaf tea is of better quality and has a more pronounced flavor than tea bags, see why:

It is generally made from whole tea leaves;
The essential oil of the leaf is the source of the tea's flavour;
Whole tea leaves have the most flavor;
Loose leaf tea brewed in water has the most room to expand and unfurl, resulting in the best-tasting tea.

Pyramid-shaped tea bags are filled with a mixture of broken and whole tea leaves. When tea leaves are broken, they lose most of their essential oils, resulting in a less flavorful tea. The pyramid shape allows more room for the tea to expand, producing a more flavorful brew.

Tea bags are convenient for preparing lattes and other drinks where tea is mixed with other ingredients, such as cocktails, smoothies, etc.

Because tea bags contain tea in such small pieces, most of the essential oils have been lost. It will therefore lack the more pronounced flavor found in loose-leaf tea.

Note that no premium quality tea is put into tea bags!