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| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
 BBC | 2019-01-14 14:30:00 |  3,969,361 Views |
How You've Been Making Tea WRONG Your Whole Life – BBC
Even though tea has been around for centuries people still can’t seem to agree on the best way to brew a cup of tea. If you ask 10 different tea drinkers what the best way to brew a cup of tea is you’ll get 10 different answers plus a huge argument. Luckily science has held its ground when it comes to decaffeinated tea. For the best brew that won’t keep you up until 5 a.m. on a workday according to Michelle Francl Ph.D. in her book “Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea” you should brew it twice. That’s because tea releases caffeine quickly though the amount of caffeine can vary based on the heat of the water the brewing time and technique and the oxidation level of the leaves. (In general the hotter the water and the longer the steeping the higher the caffeine concentration.)
Start by steeping one teaspoon of loose green tea leaves in ¼ cup (1½ ounces) of plenty of hot water for three minutes. For tea bags (which can even be made from coffee filters) Francl advises that an initial steep of 30 seconds is sufficient. Discard this caffeine-rich liquid but don’t throw away the leaves or tea bags just yet. Now you can pour fresh hot water over it and brew as you normally would and voilà a cup of green tea with 80% caffeine reduction!
Decaf often gets a bad rap compared to regular caffeinated substances. But if you really love the smell or taste of your beloved can of Japanese Hojicha green tea but still have to get up early tomorrow the good news is that by understanding the science behind caffeine you can make it at home with almost any type of tea you have.
