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Drinking tea might be the most British thing in the world; it seems to be a bit of a tradition.

According to Tea, the brits consume nearly 60.2 million cups of tea each day, as you can see at the top right of their page. Most of these tea drinkers will be using tea bags and not tea leaves.

This causes a massive problem due to the secret hidden within the teabag.

The Troubling Truth About Tea Bags

It’s a common misconception that tea bags are biodegradable and can be composted.

Unfortunately, the majority of tea bags won’t biodegrade, and this is because some of the major tea brands use plastic in the bag.

They use polypropylene to seal the tea bag, and in some cases, within the actual bag. They do this to stop the teabag falling apart.

The problem is:

This plastic is neither biodegradable nor recyclable, so there’s no way you can compost them without contamination.

Bags sealed with plastic are harder to spot due to it being a sealant, but bags made with plastic are very easy to spot. Mainly due to the plasticity shine to the material.

What makes plastic tea bags even worse is their ability to leach into your drink. A study showed that when a plastic tea bag is exposed to hot water, the tea bags can leak 11.6 billion pieces of microplastic and 3.1 billion nano plastics.

It’s important to note that these stats were based on tea bags made with plastic, not the ones sealed with polypropylene.

As you can see, tea bags aren’t just bad for the environment; they can also be pretty damaging to your health too.

How Can You Enjoy A Guilt-Free Cuppa?

I’m hoping the facts above haven’t scared you of tea completely, because there is still a way for you to enjoy a cuppa without the feeling of guilt.

Reusable tea bags are a great way to get your tea fix without damaging the planet or body. They come in a variety of styles, but they all use loose tea leaves.

Before we show you any products, I want to talk you through some things you should look out for before purchasing reusable teabags.

What To Look For In A Reusable Tea Bag

As I said earlier, there are some things you need to consider before you purchase a reusable teabag. The thing is, they come in sorts of shapes, sizes, and materials:

Materials 

You have a whole range of material options, from stainless steel to silicone or cloth. Each one provides its own benefits. For example, stainless steel tends to be the most durable, but it gets too hot to handle.

The cloth is, by far, the best at keeping the leaves inside the bag, but it gets clogged up quickly and needs washing. Silicone doesn’t get too hot to handle, but the leaves tend to leak more than the other two options.

Unbleached

If you’re making the switch for a healthier lifestyle, it’s a good idea to stay away from bags that have been bleached. This is in regards to cloth tea bags as they die the material to get the white color.

BPA-Free     

Again if you’re looking for health benefits, you should stay away from products with BPA inside. This chemical can cause serious harm to your body, from causing hormonal problems or infertility.

Quantity 

If you’re a family of heavy tea drinkers, chances are you’ll need more than a couple of teabags. Make sure you check out how many they include in the pack; it will avoid any fights on who gets the next cuppa.

The Top Reusable Tea Bags

Here are some of the top reusable tea bags the market has to offer to help point you in the right direction. I’ve included three different materials into the list so you can make your own decision on which one suits you the best:

EORTA Tea Strainer

This tea strainer is made using 100% cotton. They use food-grade cotton in order to keep the tea bag 100% toxin-free.

Each bag is 10 cm by 8 cm, which seems like a bit of an overkill, but as a matter of fact, they are perfect for pots of tea.

You get 50 teabags per pack, and each one is reusable and fully biodegradable. This is an excellent factor if you are looking for a guilt-free tea drinking experience.

Fu Store Tea Ball

The Fu Store ball is a tea strainer made from 304 stainless steel; This makes it safe for food and incredibly long-lasting. The tea ball uses clasps to seal the ball and keep all the leaves inside tightly.

The strainer has a hook at the end of the chain to ensure the chain doesn’t fall into the pot or cup tea. This allows you to secure the ball in place without the fear of it dropping inside.

It comes in a pack of two, so it’s not really for family use. Maybe it’s aimed more at a couple of avid tea drinkers. One thing that’s important to mention is tea ball isn’t designed to hold fine loose tea.

Emerald Heart Tea Infuser

This tea strainer is made using a food-grade silicone that is entirely free from the chemical BPA. Because it gets made with silicone, it can withstand high temperatures. This means you could also use it for cooking.

The bags are super easy to clean; all you have to do is turn the bag inside out and rinse it with warm soapy water.

You get six in the pack, so it’s great for family use or to share with your friends. But the best part is, there is no plastic in the packaging at all.

How To Use Reusable Tea Bags Safely

Really, there is only one thing you have to know here, and that’s how to clean a reusable tea bag. Luckily they can all get washed in the same way; all you have to do is follow this guide:

1. Empty any of the loose leaves into the bin, or your composting bin.
2. Turn the bag inside out and rinse away any leftover leaves.
3. Leave the bag to air dry
4. After a couple of washes, uses a little touch od dish soap to ensure any grim is gone.

It is that easy, it takes a couple of seconds, but will ensure no bacteria reaches your stomach.

Rounding It Up 

Remember, if you’re trying to help the environment, it’s time to ditch the plastic tea bags. And if you don’t want to do it for the planet, at least do it for yourself.

The plastic found in tea bags is incredibly dangerous for the planet and your body.

This is why it’s time we stop using products that are damaging our health just because it’s cheaper to manufacture.

With the amount of tea bags that get used in Britain alone, it’s time to make way, why we still can.