Is it true that boiling water “kills” the beneficial properties of tea?

It is common that tea cannot be brewed with too hot, boiling water, as this destroys the beneficial substances that it contains. We decided to check if this is so.

Cautions not to brew tea with boiling water so as not to “kill” all useful properties, you can find in the media (for example, in ”Russian newspaper", "Arguments and facts" and others publications). Eat Such information and specialized resourcesdedicated tea, on sites online stores tea and related goods, entertaining Portals. 

We are already They wrote The fact that tea contains a large number of different beneficial substances - from EGCG catechins in green to theatlavins in black. Do they really disappear if you pour tea leaves with boiling water? The influence of too hot water on green tea and its beneficial substances were really studied by scientists. Several experiments were conducted, during which the water temperature and the brewing time of tea changed, and then its composition and active substances were studied. 

So, as a result research, conducted by Chinese scientists, it was found that green tea has the greatest antioxidant ability if it is brewed for five minutes at a temperature of 90 ° C. The number of antioxidants at 95 ° C was only a little lower - it cannot be said that hot water "killed" them.

To a little different results Scientists from Turkey came: they revealed that the largest number of EGCG catechins (namely, as we already wrote, green tea owed a majority of their beneficial properties) in the drink if tea is brewed at a temperature of 85 ° C. Hot water leads to the degradation of catechins and a significant, according to scientists, reducing the amount of EGCG in tea. True, too cool water is also bad, because at 75 ° C, the antioxidant potential of tea leaves does not pass into the water.

Slovenian scientists Identified Two options for optimal brewing green tea, which led to the maximum concentration of antioxidants: 20 minutes at 80 ° C or 10 minutes at 95 ° C. Higher temperatures and for a long time brewing led to the degradation of catechins.

However, there were studies with other results. So, for example, scientists from the USA, on the contrary, came to conclusionthat the brewing of tea at 100 ° C is more efficiently released by antioxidants than at 80 ° C. Perhaps it depends on a specific type of tea.

With them agree and Polish scientists: they compared the composition of infusions brewed at 65, 85 and 100 ° C, and came to the conclusion that the higher the temperature, the more successfully the antioxidants from tea leaves are released. However, too long the exposure to high temperatures can adversely affect the beneficial properties of tea.

Surprisingly, although there are not so few scientific works about the methods of brewing green tea and their influence on beneficial properties, it was not possible to find such studies about black tea. On thematic portals dedicated to tea, Consult Boil black tea and dark oolong boiling water, since hard oxidized leaves need to be “broken” to release taste, aroma and antioxidants. Some varieties Puera It is necessary not only to pour boiling water, but also boil for several minutes.

Specialized publications Offer Such optimal temperatures for brewing different types of tea:

• White tea - 71–85 ° C;
• Green tea - 60–88 ° C;
• Ulun - 82–93 ° C;
• Black tea - 88–93 ° C;
• Puer - 93–100 ° C.

British tea association advises Bred black tea at a temperature of 90–98 ° C (that is, close to boiling), and green at 80 ° C. At the same time, you should always read the instructions on the package.

Herbal infusions, strictly speaking, are not tea, but we will also say about them: just their experts advise boiling. So, for example, the antioxidant ability of the Roybush tea is significantly increases After boiling compared to brewing with cold or even hot water.

German scientists at the same time They thinkthat brewing tea is not dangerous enough enough, since pathogens can be in the leaves that die only in boiling water.

Thus, there is no consensus among scientists, at what temperature it is best to brew green tea, the research results vary - perhaps it depends on a specific variety of tea. Someone believes that the temperature of the water should be no more than 85 ° C, and someone-which is the hotter, the better. In any case, even in the studies of supporters of lower temperatures, the beneficial antioxidant properties of green tea in boiling water were only slightly reduced, and they were not completely “killed” at all. Authoritative scientific studies on the effects of water temperature on the beneficial properties of black tea were not found, but many specialized publications and organizations claim that it is 100 ° C and close to this - the optimum temperature for brewing these types of tea. And Puer is completely advised to boil for several minutes. Moreover, if you brew tea in a traditional way, pouring boiled water into a teapot, it is quite difficult to get 100 ° C, since this temperature is at the time of boiling - as soon as the water stops boiling, it immediately sharply cools down a few degrees.

Most of the untruth

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. Is it true that green tea is more useful than black?
2. Is it true that honey in hot tea becomes poison?
3. Teaclass-online tea course (English)
4. British association of tea and herbal infusions (English)