Do you use tea bags? Have your friends ever told you not to squeeze your tea bag? Do you know the reason behind it? Most of us drink tea and some use tea bags. We never give much attention to squeezing a tea bag or not. However, some people think that squeezing tea bags in hot water is not good. They do not find it helpful. In fact, some manufacturers do not favor squeezing.
You might be thinking why squeezing a tea bag in the liquid is not favored by many. We will answer all your queries in the following article. You will know why you should never squeeze a tea bag in hot water. Before that, we will know more about the tea bag.
What is a Tea Bag?
Tea is widely used worldwide due to its number of benefits. For many, it is a part of daily life. They want tea as the first thing in the morning. When some people use loose leaf tea to prepare their tea, others find tea bags more convenient and effective. Tea bags are designed in such a way that you do not need any additional effort to prepare your tea. You will only need hot water and a tea bag to enjoy your tea.
Tea bags are available in small and porous packets. They contain tea dust and tea leave pieces. You just need to soak that packet in the hot water to prepare your tea. Different types of materials are used to prepare tea bags that include paper, food grade plastic, and nylon. Some are also using the heat sealable thermoplastic. The paper tea bags are normally treated with the epichlorohydrin to prevent disintegration.
Traditionally, tea bags were available in rectangular or square shape. Now you will find them in different shapes such as circular and tetrahedral. A small string with a label is attached to the tea bags.
History of Tea Bags
Tea bags have a rich and long history. It has been used in the 8th century, during the Tang Dynasty. But yes, there was nothing like tea bags. People were using papers to fold and sew. They were using those bags to retain the flavor of teas for a long time. You can say that the modern tea bags are the developed forms of old folded paper tea bags.
The modern version appeared in the Western world in 1903. But these were completely different from current bags. Strings were not attached and the loose contents were being used only after tearing them out. Like the current version, they were not soaked in the water. They were only used to preserve tea instead of soaking them in hot water for consumption.
The recent version of tea bag came into existence in the 1950s. During that period, people started using tea bags to prepare tea easily. As the process was easy and convenient, it reached almost all the corners of the world and became a favorite choice for tea drinkers.
What Happens When You Squeeze Your Tea Bag?
Now we will come to the point. You might have noticed that people squeeze tea bags in hot water. It is a common practice. People do it even without realizing the benefits or negative impacts. However, it is advised to avoid this practice. Even experts believe that squeezing has negative impacts. It involves basic chemistry and is supported by scientific evidence.
You might know that tea contains tannins. This compound is available in many plants. These are astringent polyphenolic molecules. These molecules precipitate and bind proteins. Many of us do not know the difference between the tannic acid and tannins. They think both are the same compounds and use them interchangeably. But the reality is that tannic acid is not tannins. It is only a type of tannins.
You might be thinking that tannins are available in some fruits and vegetables such as cloves, berries, nuts, pomegranates, vanilla, and legumes. All these foods are known for their health benefits. If these foods are healthy, then how the same compound in tea bags will cause adverse effects.
When you soak your tea bag, tannins get mixed in the hot water. But the concentration is less. Most of the used contents are tea material and tannins do not prove that effective due to the less quantity. You can apply the same logic to the above-mentioned foods. When the quantity is less, there will be no harmful effect. However, when you squeeze your tea bag in hot water, a deep concentration gets released. The result is obvious that makes your tea too strong and bitter. Tannins can cause stains to your teeth.
In addition to taste and adverse health effects, you can also take it as poor etiquette. No one is going to appreciate this act. If you want a strong taste, then wait for a few minutes instead of squeezing your tea bag in the liquid. Following are five reasons that might inspire you not to squeeze tea bags into hot water.
Related Article: Why Some Tea Bags Have String And Others Not
1. Bitter Taste
Taste is one of the key determining factors. You would never prefer to compromise the taste especially when it comes to tea. Many people love a specific taste and they do not want to compromise it. When you squeeze your tea bag into hot water, a deep concentration of tannic acid gets mixed with the liquid causing a sour, bitter, or astringent taste. Even if you like strong tea, you will not love this taste. The taste will not be strong. It will be different and bitter. With more quantity of tannins, you will experience more sour or bitter taste. So, next time, be careful and avoid doing this to enjoy your tea more without any unpleasant experience.
2. Tea Dust in Your Tea Cup
Squeezing can make the tea bag to disintegrate. As a result, all the dust and small leave pieces will enter into the liquid. They will float around your teacup. You will certainly not like this experience. This is possible if you are using paper teabags. So, take extra caution and make sure that your tea is drinkable. Avoid squeezing regardless of the type of tea bags you are using.
3. Burns Your Fingers
This is a rare possibility. But it can happen and can cause burn injuries. While squeezing in hot water, your finger might come in contact with hot water causing burn injuries. Now, you can even imagine the pain. Better to avoid it, right?
4. Wrong Method
You are enjoying your tea in a public place and will start squeezing the tea bag in your cup. It might not create a good impression. This method is not considered sophisticated. So, avoid this uncomfortable situation.
5. Cloudy Appearance
There is no doubt that squeezing will affect the taste significantly. But at the same time, it will make your tea look cloudy. The appearance might not be favorable for you and can create a bad experience as well.
Is Squeezing Bad for All Tea Types?
Your doubt is obvious when different types of tea bags are available. You will notice a major difference in the taste of different types of teas. Also, all the tea types do not contain a large number of tannins. For example, if you are drinking black tea, you will have to take extra caution since this type contains a deep concentration of tannins and can affect the taste most if you squeeze it in hot water. So, if you are using black tea, never squeeze it into the hot water. It will affect both the taste and appearance of your tea. Also, it can cause stains on your teeth.
Some herbal teas such as the green and white teas are considered better. You will find little to no tannins in these tea types. As there are no tannins, squeezing will not make the taste bitter. However, it might affect the look of your tea and the taste will also vary slightly. You might love the taste if you like strong teas.
Never Squeeze a Tea Bag
From the above, you might have realized that you should never squeeze your tea bag. There are many downsides. The taste comes first and then it will affect your teeth. More importantly, this act will create a negative impression. If you love a bitter or strong taste, you can soak your tea bag in hot water for more time to get the same benefits. You should remember that some manufacturers print it not to squeeze the tea bag in the liquid. All these things prove that squeezing a tea bag is not a good idea.
Tea bags are designed to soak in hot water to prepare teas. By doing so, you can get the benefits of tea. Squeezing is not required as it does not offer any benefit. It will only cause some adverse result when you consume more quantity of tannins regularly. Next time, do a conscious effort to avoid squeezing your tea bag in your cup and enjoy your tea to the fullest both in public and private places.
