There are often some common misconceptions when it comes to tea bags, but the truth is they can provide a convenient way of brewing the perfect cup of tea. Some people believe that tea bags contain leaves that are of inferior quality to loose leaf tea, but this is certainly not the case. Chairman of the UK Tea Council Bill Gorman explains: "During the tea-making process, the tea leaves will naturally break up into pieces. "About 150 years ago, as these different grades, or sizes of leaf were being standardised, the very small particles that were produced at the end of the process were named dust." As a result, people took this to mean that tea bags contain sweepings from the floors of tea production factories - but this simply isn't true! The tea used is the same quality as loose leaf tea, but as you'll soon find out, there are some benefits to choosing tea bags when you want a quick and easy brew.
Advantages of tea bags
One of the main advantages of the tea bag is its convenience. Not everybody has time to brew their loose leaf tea to perfection, which is where bags come into their own. If you want a quick cup of tea during a five-minute break at work or feel like putting your feet up in the evening, tea bags are the ideal way to make this happen. You don't need to measure out how much tea you need, as the right amount is handily contained in the bag - just leave it in your cup for as little or as much time as you want. They are also really easy to dispose of - simply remove from your cup with a teaspoon and place in the bin.