How many tea bags can be used per liter? 

In this article, we will answer the question “How many tea bags can be used per liter?”, and how to calculate how many tea bags you should use for a liter of water.

How many tea bags can be used per liter?

You should use 3-4 tea bags per liter. However, the water-tea bag ratio is a personal preference and may vary, according to cultural and personal aspects. 

Although the length of time for steeping and the amount of water in which the leaves are steeped can vary widely, these factors generally control the amount of solids extracted, and to a lesser extent influence the composition. 

How to calculate how many tea bags to use per liter?

To calculate how many tea bags to use per liter you should know that a typical brew of one tea bag in one cup of water produces a solution of 0.35% wt/wt solids, and from this value the dose expected from consumption of one cup of tea can be calculated (1).

There are 4.2 cups in one liter water. That means that you will need 4 bags of tea to produce a similar result as one bag per cup. 

Should you always use the same number of tea bags per liter?

No, the number of tea bags that are necessary to use per liter varies according to the following factors (1,3,4):

  • the amount of tea leaves in the bag – some tea bags are heavier than others
  • the water temperature – higher temperatures yields more concentrated beverages
  • the time of the infusion – a longer steeping time yields a more concentrated tea
  • the tea quality and the water quality – the origin and processing of the tea and the purity and pH of the water
  • your personal preferences

What affects the number of tea bags per liter?

The number of tea bags used per liter to prepare a tea beverage will determine the concentration of the extracted tea compounds to the drink and as a consequence, the possible effects of this drink to the consumer.

It is expected that a higher number of tea bags to the same water amount will produce a more concentrated beverage (4). 

In addition to the tea variety, the growing environment, the manufacturing conditions and particle size of the tea leaves, the preparation method, including the amounts of tea and water used, the infusion time, and amount of agitation, are the key point that determine the concentrations of soluble solids extracted of the tea beverage to be consumed.

The solids extracted during the preparation of tea are sugars, caffeine, amino acids, catechins and polyphenols.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of using a high number of tea bags per liter?

The benefits of using a high number of tea bags per liter of water are related to the several health benefits provided by tea. Because a high tea-to-water ratio results in a higher concentration of extracted tea solids in the drink, the effects of drinking tea are more evident.

Tea infusions contain polyphenols and flavonols, which are antioxidants related to several health benefits, such as to reduce cholesterol levels, reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Antioxidants may help protect against these diseases by minimizing the negative effects caused by the action of free radical damage to cells and tissues (1,3).

The drawback is the higher amount of caffeine, which has possible negative effects, when ingested in large quantities. The caffeine content of a typical tea beverage will range from 20 to 70 mg per 170 ml of infusion, with a typical infusion being prepared from about 2 to 2.5 g of tea leaves (1).

The negative effects of caffeine at higher doses, especially in sensitive individuals are anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, dysphoria, insomnia, excitement and psychomotor agitation (5).  Some epidemiological studies have suggested a link between a high caffeine intake and the risk of spontaneous abortion (4).

Other FAQs about Tea which you may be interested in.

Can green tea cause diarrhea?

Can tea ferment?

Conclusion

In this article, we answered the question “How many tea bags can be used per liter?”, and how to calculate how many tea bags you should use for a liter of water.

References

  1. Harbowy, Matthew E., et al. Tea chemistry. Crit rev plant sci, 1997, 16, 415-480.
  2. Danrong, Zhou, Chen Yuqiong, and Ni Dejiang. Effect of water quality on the nutritional components and antioxidant activity of green tea extracts. Food Chem, 2009, 113, 110-114.
  3. Kosińska, Agnieszka, and Wilfried Andlauer. Antioxidant capacity of tea: effect of processing and storage. Processing and impact on antioxidants in beverages. Academic Press, 2014. 109-120.
  4. Astill, Conrad, et al. Factors affecting the caffeine and polyphenol contents of black and green tea infusions. J agric food chem, 2001, 49, 5340-5347.
  5. Lara, Diogo R. Caffeine, mental health, and psychiatric disorders. J Alzheimer’s dis, 2010, 20, S239-S248.

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