While tea purists will scoff and insist that loose leaf tea is superior to tea bags, you might be surprised to know that the humble tea bag does indeed have several advantages over loose leaf - including possible health benefits! Read on to learn how to get the most out of tea bags - then don't forget to check out our online tea shop to find your faves!

1. Choose the right bag.

Tea bags get a bad rep for being environmentally unfriendly and for potentially leaching toxins into your tea. The good news is this can be avoided by opting for tea bags that are biodegradable, compostable, and plastic-free. Another common gripe against tea bags is that they don't provide enough room for loose leaf tea to expand while steeping. Again, the right tea bag can help give your loose leaf tea the room it needs to be the best it can be. A wide variety of fill-it-yourself tea bags are available, allowing you to choose exactly what kind of tea and how much of it to put in the bag. However, if going the DIY route negates the convenience of using tea bags, look for roomier pyramid-shaped tea bags.

2. Be patient.

When it comes to tea, good things come to those who wait - specifically, bioactives. Bioactives are compounds in tea that are potentially beneficial, including antioxidants. An effective way to bring out the most bioactives in your tea is to steep it in boiling water for two to three minutes. Usually just following the directions on the package will do nicely. If you really want to wring out the most bioactives possible, research suggests brewing for 20-30 minutes! However, that's an awfully long time to wait, and brewing tea for that long can potentially ruin the flavor of some varieties of tea, so be patient - but not that patient!

3. Use your microwave.

This one is definitely a shocker, but according to research, it will get you the highest amount of bioactives in the shortest amount of time while preserving the flavor and integrity of the tea. Simply pour boiling water over your tea bag, steep for 30 seconds, then pop it in the microwave on medium power for one minute and voila!