How Safe Is Your Tea?

Tea lovers, listen up!

We all know that there are many health benefits associated with drinking tea, but did you know that there could be pesticides, artificial flavors and possible additives (and more) lurking that could reverse those benefits?

If you love drinking tea, check out Mamavation’s investigation into toxic teas, which makes this somewhat intimidating process easier. Before we talk about safer tea ingredients, you’ll want to first ensure the brand you choose uses safer bags. Of course, organic loose tea is a wonderful option, but sometimes you need the convenience of safer, bagged tea. Not only do you want to avoid plastic tea bags for possible leaching, you also want to steer clear of recycled or coated paper, which could contain bisphenols (BPA/BPS) or even be treated with possible endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

So, now that we’ve got that covered, what should you look for to ensure ingredient safety? Definitely opt for organic tea, as that will eliminate pesticide exposure and ensure you’re drinking the highest quality tea. Also, be sure to read the box to see if any possible flavored tea contains any “natural” flavors – if so, put that box down and choose better! While there are many, better brands included in this investigation, my go-to for tea has been Traditional Medicinals – I love their vast, organic, non-GMO variety, compostable tea bags, sustainable practices and that they’re a B Corporation, too.

Finally, don’t drink your tea when it’s steaming, instead be sure to give it time to cool off to minimize risks for esophageal cancer.

Cheers to safer tea!