What is loose leaf tea?

Quick Answer

Loose leaf tea is simply whole or lightly broken tea leaves, rather than the crushed tea dust you'll find in most tea bags. It's the same plant but less processed, and with a lot more flavour to give.

A Little More

When tea leaves are crushed into tiny pieces for tea bags, they lose a good deal of their natural oils and flavour before the water even hits them. Loose leaf keeps the leaf whole, so it has more room to open up, more flavour to release, and more character in the cup. It's not a different type of tea, it's the same tea, just treated with a bit more respect.

Teaspoon Tip

If you've only ever had tea bag tea, your first loose leaf cup might genuinely surprise you, it's a bit like the difference between instant coffee and freshly ground.

Fancy Trying It?