Unveiling the truth: Why your tea develops an unsightly film
You leave a cup of tea for a few minutes, come back, and see an ugly film? This scenario happens to many people. It's a natural occurrence resulting from the properties of tea, so there's no need to worry. The film is not harmful, but if you want to avoid it, you can try three practical tips.
Leaving tea in a cup for a few minutes after brewing can lead to an unsightly film. The source of this phenomenon is a chemical reaction between oxalates present in tea and calcium from the water. This is what causes the characteristic film on the surface of the hot drink. Although visually unattractive, this phenomenon is not harmful to health.
Film on tea due to the presence of polyphenols
Some researchers suggest that this film may result from the presence of polyphenols in tea leaves. There are theories that the more polyphenols, the greater the risk of film formation. However, paradoxically, the amount of polyphenols indicates the high quality of tea because these are antioxidant compounds beneficial to health.
Green and white tea, which are minimally processed, contain the most polyphenols. There are slightly fewer in black tea, because they are lost during the leaf oxidation process. A large amount of polyphenols is found in Chinese fermented pu-erh tea, which can also aid in weight loss.
How to avoid film on tea?
You can avoid unwanted film by filtering the water before boiling it. The presence of a large amount of calcium, which is common in hard water, is responsible for the film. In this case, filtering is an effective solution. You can also use spring water for brewing tea, which reduces the chances of film formation.
Hard water not only affects the appearance of tea but also its taste. Therefore, it's worth considering changing your habits. Spring or filtered water will make the drink more delicate and its aroma much fuller.
