Thousands of us can’t wait to start each morning with a hot cup of tea, but have you looked into what sort of tea you are drinking? A lot of people are unaware that your tea bags may be unbiodegradable and could contain microplastics.

A few tea brands use polypropylene which acts as a sealant to prevent the bags from splitting. However, this means that they are not biodegradable and can cause major issues for those who compost their tea bags as this they will be leaving microplastics in your soil. You may be thinking, how can this possibly have a big impact? It’s just a tea bag, right? If you think about it from a larger perspective, in the UK alone we drink around 36 billion cups of tea a year, so those microplastics can add up to a lot.

So, why not make a switch. Take a look at your favourite tea bag brands and find out more about what materials go into them. Luckily over the past few years a lot of companies are starting to take this issue on board and are making a change. When you next go to the supermarket, make sure you look our for plastic free and biodegradable logos on their packaging.

If you are ready to ditch tea bags all together then why not delve into the world of loose leaf tea. Loose tea has so many benefits and people are only just starting to popularise this market.

The benefits of loose leaf tea.

1. For starters by using loose leaf tea you are cutting out the worry of having microplastics in your tea bags and you can add the leaves directly on your compost heap for them to naturally degrade into your soil.
2. If you are an avid tea lover and want to try new flavours then loose leaf is the way forward. Their are heaps of different types and flavours to try which you would never find down your regular supermarket shelves. Ranging from different flavour combinations inspired by geography, climates and production, there is     something for everyone.
3. Tea is a great source of antioxidants and anti inflammatory properties which is great for your overall health. These nutrients can be found in higher concentrations when using fresh loose leaves in your drinks.
4. There are wellness benefits surrounding tea making. Similarly to the way coffee making has become an art to some avid brewers, loose tea can take a lot of time and care to reach your personal preference. Whether you make your own blends or are making pre-blends brewing tea is a calming activity which has a delicious final result.

Will yoube making a change? Let us know by tagging us @erpignhamhouse

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