Food labels contain misleading language which tricks us into eating food containing various chemicals. Many popular tea brands also use this tricky label to convince the customers that their products are better and cleaner than their counterparts.
However, it turns out that all these companies do is covering up the low quality and bad taste of their tea. The good news is that there are brands that still use all-natural flavors and real ingredients, such as Ahmed Rahim, CEO of Numi Tea. In fact, he is as disgusted just as we are by fake labels.
“You can breakdown anything that is found in nature and if it ends up tasting like the flavor you wish to use – you can add it to any product and call it NATURAL FLAVOR on the ingredient label. It could come from a stone in the ground and you’d never know”- he said.
Therefore, the next time you see “natural flavor” listed on a label, put the product down.
Most people rarely think about possible GMOs when consuming their tea. However, the studies showing that some tea companies use soy lecithin and corn starch, genetically engineered corn and soy, shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Most tea brands, such as Tea Forte, Mighty Leaf, Trader Joe’s, Tetley, Allegro, Lipton, Celestial Seasonings, Tazo, Teavana, Twinings, Yogi, Bigelow, Republic of Tea, contain high levels of toxic substances, including pesticides and fluoride. We are not referring to calcium fluoride which is a natural element, but to synthetic fluoride, a toxic byproduct.
CHEAP TEA BAGS CAN CONTAIN FLUORIDE AND PESTICIDES
Given the fact that most non-organic tea plants are not washed prior being dried, they contain pesticide residues. It has been recently found that some tea brands contain pesticides which are known carcinogens, in quantities above EU and US allowed limits.
According to a recent study published in the journal Food Research International, cheap blend contain enough fluoride to endanger people`s life and increase their risk of kidney problems, bone tooth, and even malign tumors.
Some brands of cheap tea contain 7 parts per million (ppm) and the allowed level of fluoride is only 4 ppm. This is terrifying revelation as fluoride accumulates in the body and it can stay there for years.
HOW FLUORIDE GETS INTO THE TEA?
The tea plant accumulates fluoride as it grows, meaning that older leaves contain more fluoride. Low-quality teas are often made from old leaves.
WHAT ABOUT DECAFFEINATED TEA?
In fact, it has been shown that decaffeinated tea contained higher fluoride levels when compared to caffeinated tea. So, what should you do?
– Stick to white tea as it has the least amount of fluoride
– Opt for organic tea because the methods for cultivation are more conscious and safer.
– Buy loose leaf tea and brew your tea from scratch as bagged teas are usually made from low-quality leaves and contain more fluoride.
BEWARE OF PAPER TEA BAGS TOO AS THEY CAN BE WORSE THAN PLASTIC TEA BAGS
Many paper tea bags have already been treated with epichlorohydrin, a compound mainly used in the production of epoxy resins. This compound is used as a pesticide and the National Institute for Occupation Safety and Health (NIOSH) considers it a potential carcinogen.
When it comes in contact with water, epichlorohydrin, hydrolyzes to 3-MCPD, an organic chemical compound which is carcinogenic and highly suspected to be genotoxic in humans. It has been also linked with anti-fertility effects and suppressed immune function.
The antioxidant-rich teas simply cannot do a huge difference when it comes to balancing the chemicals, artificial flavorings, and additives. Therefore, here is a piece of advice for you:
First, check out the following chart to find out how your favorite tea brand ranks. Since this table doesn’t do the whole job, you need to work on building your knowledge of labeling tricks and getting more in-depth information on the subject.
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