Tea is something I drink every single day. It’s sacred at my house – I even have a whole drawer devoted to it! I drink it because it is amazing for your health. There are so many varieties of tea that can improve digestion, metabolism and even prevent certain diseases. This investigation into tea ingredients has been in the making for a long time. What I’m about to share with you totally rocked my world forever and I’ll never look at tea in the same way again. Do you really want to know what’s in your tea?…Then read on.
The ancient Chinese tradition of drinking tea dates back thousand of years to the early Chinese dynasties and aristocrats who drank the beverage for its medicinal properties. In ancient times, leaves from the Camellia Sinensis (the tea plant) were either ground into a powder or placed as loose leaves directly into water to infuse it with herbal essence. Unfortunately, modern day tea is nothing like the unadulterated version of old tea. Many of today’s tea brands are operating under the guise of providing health benefits and promoting clean living, but are actually laden with pesticides, toxins, artificial ingredients, added flavors and GMOs.
Conventional Teas – An Abundance of Pesticides
Did you know that most tea is not washed before it is put it into bags? That means if the tea was sprayed with cancer-causing pesticides, those pesticides go directly into your cup. And this is the reason why tea is on my organic shopping priority list. To prove this point, here are some shocking facts about one of the most well-known tea brands – Celestial Seasonings.
A recent third-party analysis by Glaucus Research and discussed here found that 91 percent of Celestial Seasonings tea tested had pesticide residues exceeding the U.S. limits. For example, Sleepytime Kids Goodnight Grape Herbal contained 0.26 ppm of propachlor, which is a known carcinogen under California’s Propsition 65.
The “Wellness” tea line was found to contain traces of propargite, also a known carcinogen and developmental toxin. The FDA has already issued two warning letters to Celestial Seasonings in regard to poor quality control according to this source. Imagine what happens when pesticide-laden tea is steeped in boiling water.
If grocery store brands don’t provide a clean option for you, perhaps a high-end loose leaf tea would circumvent some of the issues of grocery store brands. Right? Wrong! Take Teavana, which is found in malls across North America for example. Teavana taps into tea culture with the “Teavana Experience.” Convincing their employees to take customers on a sensory journey – they open a huge canister of loose leaf tea and wave the top of the canister so you can smell the tea – touting all of the wonderful health benefits of tea complete with samples and manipulative demonstrations that end in an expensive visit to the tea shop. Is all the extra money worth it? Are customers getting a superior tea product? No.
Teavana tea was tested by an independent lab and 100 percent of it was found to contain pesticides. One tea in particular, Monkey Picked Oolong, contained 23 pesticides. 77 percent of the teas would fail European Union pesticide import standards, and would be banned from import. 62 percent of the teas tested contained traces of endosulfan, a pesticide that has been banned by the U.S., China, the E.U., and 144 other countries because it has been linked to impaired fertility and could harm unborn babies.
UPDATE (May 27, 2014): Glaucus Research funded the research done by Eurofins Scientific (an independent lab) and admits on their disclaimer that they are biased because they would make money if Hain’s stock declines. However – I am not sure that Eurofins’ research should be completely discounted on this point alone. Since I wrote this post, Celestial has been sued in a class-action lawsuit based on the pesticides that Eurofins found in their teas and for mislabeling of them as “100% Natural”. The jury is still out on whether Eurofins’ research will be considered legit, as this case is still active in California. The Plaintiffs contend that Celestial’s teas contain “pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, carcinogens, and/or developmental toxins (collectively, “Contaminants”)” and Celestial “did not dispute – and has never disputed – that the tea Products contained Contaminants. Nor has (Celestial) challenged the results of the Eurofins Tests” and “has not claimed that Eurofins was biased or that the Eurofins Tests were not, in fact, accurate”. Even if it is determined that Eurofins’ research was not accurate – it’s important to note that Celestial’s tea that was tested is NOT organic and some of this tea is sourced from China. Greenpeace issued a report on the alarming amount of pesticides found on tea from China, followed up by a detailed report on Lipton brand tea from China – in which they recommend only purchasing certified organic tea to avoid these pesticides. Reference law documents: Complaint; Plaintiff’s Memo in Opposition to Motion to Dismiss. Case 8:13-cv-01757-AG-AN
Teas Can Contain Artificial Flavoring, Natural Flavors, and Hidden GMOs
Furthermore, a majority of Teavana teas contain added flavor – specifically “artificial flavoring.” If their tea is so high end, why would they be adding ingredients produced by fractional distillation and chemical manipulation of various chemicals like crude oil or coal tar? Coal tar in my tea? No, thanks.
Many popular tea brands get away with using the ingredient “natural flavors” to trick the consumer into thinking they are buying better, cleaner ingredients; however companies are just covering up the inferior taste and low quality of their tea. Fortunately, there are brands that are putting the kibash on the use of natural flavors and using all real ingredients. I was happy to learn that Ahmed Rahim, CEO of Numi Tea is just as disgusted by this ingredient as I am. He said to me “You can breakdown anything that is found in nature and if it ends up tasting like the flavor you wish to use – you can add it to any product and call it NATURAL FLAVOR on the ingredient label. It could come from a stone in the ground and you’d never know.” This is why when I see the words “natural flavor” listed on a label – I put the product down and run far far away. I want to know what I am eating! Don’t you?
Additionally, the added risk of consuming possible GMOs is not something many people think about when consuming teas. Before this investigation and witnessing tea companies using modified corn starch and soy lecithin in tea (additives likely made from genetically engineered corn and soy), I didn’t think about it either! I can’t imagine having a serious soy allergy, considering all the places companies try to hide it.
Why The Tea Bag & Packaging Matters
A recent article in The Atlantic discusses the “silky sachet” and “luxurious mesh bags” that hold loose leaf teas (like in brands Tea Forte and Mighty Leaf). Turns out, these modern day bags meant to showcase the tea leaves, are made of plastic.
PLA (polylactic acid) is a (likely GMO) corn-based tea bag material that has attracted major tea companies due to its nice look and its claims of biodegradability. Terms like “silky sachets” and “corn-based biodegradable tea bags” mislead customers into believing a product is more natural and sustainable than it really is. While the processing for PLA removes all traces of genetic material, it is still made with genetically modified corn. Although the actual tea bag is not an ingredient like teas and herbs, it is an element that is put into boiling water.
According to The Atlantic, tea bags are most commonly made from food grade nylon or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which are two of what’s considered the safest plastics on the scale of harmful leaching potential. However, Dr. Mercola disagrees, he states:
“While these plastics are generally considered among the safest in terms of leaching potential, the molecules in these plastic tea bags may still in fact break down and leach out when steeped in boiling water…” Well, isn’t that how tea is prepared?
Another temperature consumers need to worry about in tea is the “glass transition” temperature. Here’s the science behind the glass transition temperature or, Tg, and why it becomes dangerous according to The Atlantic:
“That is the temperature at which the molecule in certain materials such as polymers begin to break down. As a rule, the Tg of a material is always lower than the melting point. In the case of PET and food grade nylon (either nylon 6 or nylon 6-6), all have a Tg lower than the temperature of boiling water. For example, while the melting point of PET is 482 degrees Fahrenheit, the Tg is about 169 degrees. Both nylons have a lower glass transition temperature than PET. (Remember that water boils at 212 degrees.) This means the molecules that make up these plastic tea bags begin to break down in hot water.”
So, while the plastic itself won’t melt in your tea, the glass transition temperature could potentially leak out harmful phthalates if there are such things in your tea. Another thing to worry about is that some of the newer tea bags are made with a variety of plastics. Some plastics are nylon, some are made of viscose rayon, and others are made of thermoplastic, PVC or polypropylene.
Beware of paper tea bags too, which can be worse than plastic tea bags.
GET THIS: Also according to Dr. Mercola, many “paper tea bags are treated with epichlorohydrin, a compound mainly used in the production of epoxy resins. Considered a potential carcinogen by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2 (NIOSH), epichlorohydrin is also used as a pesticide. When epichlorohydrin comes in contact with water, it hydrolyzes to 3-MCPD, which has been shown to cause cancer in animals. It has also been implicated in infertility (it has a spermatoxic effect in male rats) and suppressed immune function.”
So what do you do the next time you want a cup of tea? Antioxidant rich teas aren’t going to do much to counterbalance the chemicals, additives and artificial flavorings in today’s modern teas.
First, I recommend looking at this chart below to see how your favorite tea brand stacks up:
And then when brewing and picking out the safest tea remember these tips:
1. Choose an organic & non-GMO certified brand of tea. (My favorites are Numi, Traditional Medicinals, and Rishi Tea (loose leaf)).
2. Check the ingredient list on the back of the tea package to make sure there are no added flavors, GMO ingredients like soy lecithin and corn starch added to the tea leaves.
3. Make sure the brand you buy uses a safe form of packaging material or buy loose leaf tea and use a stainless steel or glass tea strainer. Have the company verify that bags do not contain epichlorophydrin, and avoid plastic tea bags all together. (Numi and Traditional Medicinals are some of the only brands I trust in this category because they have publicly stated they do not use this harmful ingredient or GMO packaging and are Non-GMO Project verified.)
4. The majority of restaurants use some of the most pesticide ridden tea and brands that have harmful packaging like Celestial Seasonings, Lipton, etc. Don’t fall victim to this. Bring your own tea when eating out or going to restaurants and ask for pot or cup of boiling water (remember to leave a good tip if you do this). I even do this at Starbucks because I like to vote with my dollars and not buy tea brands that are harmful. If you drink iced tea, brew your own at home and carry an insulated water bottle with you.
5. Remember these temps and times for brewing the perfect cup of tea
If you know someone who loves to drink tea, please share this post with them. I was just as shocked as you probably are about all of this craziness – knowing what’s in our tea and what we put in our body matters! Let’s change the world together.
Xo,
Vani
FLUORIDE CONTENT IN TEA
http://fluoridealert.org/studies/tea02/
There are arguments that the fluoride in green and white tea are damaging, however, the content is greatly affected by geography and the age of the leaves. For instance, the fluoride content is generally higher in China’s soil compared to Japan. The main issue again, mostly comes down to the quality of the leaf. If you choose younger leaves from a country that has a lower fluoride content, and brewed with water from a trusted source, you should be taking in enough antioxidants to negate the effects of the fluoride. Moderation and educated choices are the best ways to enjoy the benefits of tea while avoiding fluoride toxicity, and do keep in mind that the recommended amount for daily water consumption is also much higher than that of tea when reports compare the fluoride contents of the two.
If the author drinks tea in teabags she clearly knows nothing about quality tea. Teavana is hardly a “high end” loose tea. None of the teas in her chart are quality teas. Marriage Freres, Fortnum & Mason, Harney & Sons sell true tea leaves of good quality.
Emily, I thinking your missing the point here. Most people can not afford high end tea and usually buy their tea at the grocery store. I know lots of people that still buy Lipton’s and make sun tea with it. This is great info to pass on to them.
Emily,
One word…snob.
Emily I am a tea drinker and have never heard of these companies before. Thanks for the suggestions I will be checking them out soon.
This site has the best teas I’ve come across. They are tested for pesticides.
http://www.teavivre.com/
Nah, Emily’s not being a snob or anything, telling the truth. As far as “missing the point” if it’s to vilify a bunch of brands that probably weren’t tested correctly, then I think we all got that too.
Thank you for your comment. We all come from different backgrounds and belief systems. Some people just can’t seem see that. Unless we step outside our box, the obvious will be missed.
Numi is organic and fair trade certified, your mentioned brands do they have these certification?
Emily is not being a snob, just pointing out other teas. Some people are willing and able to pay more for their tea; I rarely eat meals out but I will splurge on good tea to make at home. I drink tea almost constantly. This article is useful and informative, and Emily is letting us know about some of the other brands. My not expensive, but convenient at work as it’s tea bags, Barry’s Tea (Irish Breakfast), doesn’t list any of these bad items on their package. Are the paper bags themselves bag? Am I willing to overlook that unknown possibility as I love my tea and I like this brand, and it’s convenient in tea bags here at work? Any tea should be looked at more carefully by those who care about such things, not only those with higher sales volumes.
Very important. Most people have no idea how much fluoride can be found in tea, especially green tea – toxic levels.
I agree Emily. One wonders why she did not include companies such as Harney and Sons or Upton Tea Imports in the report. I might also say that buying good tea doesn’t make you a snob, and if people would bother to investigate, Harney and Sons is quite affordable and in many cases more so or equal to Rishi, Teavana, and Republic of Tea.
Admitted tea snob here – Harney and Sons (my former favorite) uses artificial and natural flavorings in their tea. Sorry to disappoint.
Emily (and others):
Mariage Freres is my favorite tea place. It is high end but you do get what you pay for. It cheaper than buying Starbucks everyday ( like way too many people do). I was afraid this post was going to say it was bad too. It’s unfortunate that all the cheaper selections (like everything) are not good for you. It is frustrating for everyone. I do still make ice tea with bags so I do need to be smarter about that. As a tea snob myself I do what to know if Mariage Freres has additives. I will be so unhappy if they do.
what about Bright Tea
http://www.thebrightteaco.com/home.aspx
To Allisa, not to worry, i am sure the reason that you “threw the cookies” had nothing to do with the tea itself, but the fact that it was two bags for $47. But for everyone else, on the other hand, my grandparents enjoyed either iced or hot tea, daily, for 88 years and 93 years until their passing and never got sick from it. If you can’t enjoy the simpler things in life, what is there? If it makes you sick as apparently some does, then for crying out loud, don’t drink it! It’s not rocket science. I don’t drink soda and not because according to social media it cleans a rusty bumper up like nobody’s business, but because I prefer healthier drinks. Is there such a thing? Well folks, all I can do is drink my choice beverages ( juice, distilled water, milk, coconut water and soy milk sometimes and occasional coffee and yes…TEA) and hope for the best. And I do just that. Just my opinion and thanks for letting me voice it.
The food industry has completely changed… it is killing America with cheap food and high profits. We in-turn are paying for it in medical expense, hence the exorbitant costs of health insurance. I am sure when your grandparents were young the name brand teas were fine. People need to stand up and take responsibility and educate themselves as to where their food is coming from. http://www.realtimefarms.com/
Eat in season and local, know where your produce, meat and grains are coming from and do not eat anything that is not in it’s natural state. simple
I found this article informative and appreciate the energy you put into it. I am always wondering about teas. There is so much information out there.
Good to determine all people posting! Great luck to all, except against me!
Why did you leave out the flouride levels? Due to the high fluoride content in pesticides, and teas natural propensity to concetrate the mineral in its leaves, fluoride content has been skyrocketing over the past decades as pesiticide residues build up in the soils from overuse.
All true! Especially green tea, which is often touted as a health food or supplement.
What about Organic India teas? I bought their ginger tea and later discovered it has “Natural Flavors” in it?!? I was under the impression that Organic India was a pretty decent company but now I have my doubts!
Hmmm i think i will have a cup of tea!!! Thanks for all the info. Did not do much to change my mind about drinking tea. Everything in moderation. Plus, tomorrow another study will show up debunking this one etc. Etc.
Absolutely!
Do yo know of any research done on any of the direct sales companies that sell tea? Tealightful or Steeped?
Tea is made with water….now I’ve really gone and complicated things. Finding quality water is even harder than finding quality/pure tea. I thank everyone for their comments. I’m a bit of a tea hoarder and this article and comments has inspired me to dump mostly all of it. Some teas really do give me an instant headache, especially peach flavored. Lesson learned, if I want peach tea, I’ll cut up a real organic peach… the chemicals are everywhere… best we can do is minimize and trust our own bodies.
Take with a grain of salt. Glaucus Research Group may well be full of it. http://www.businessinsider.com/teavana-pesticides-2012-11
I am currently drinking Yogi Green Tea Super Antioxidant all the ingredients listed are identifiable, acceptable (to me) products & 90% are organic.
wow I can’t believe this, anyways if you are looking for a good tea store there is one in houston texas call Ten Yen Tea it has really good loose leaf tea, the tea is not too expensive, and thet don’t push you to buy more tea than the one you need or want also its really fresh and the employees are really nice, they speak different languages like English Spanish, Mandarine, Cantonese, Japanese, and Taiwanese look for tecatea.com I buy my tea there.
Wow! I’m fairly new to foodbabe and to improving my health with better choices of what goes into my body. Now I’m concerned about the coffee I drink every day..
Article from yesterday in the Economic Times about pesticides found on tea in India: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/pollution/pesticides-present-in-tea-says-report/articleshow/40072456.cms
I wish you did a British version of y0ur tea expose. We of course have Liptons, Twinnings, and Tetley but I wonder how some of the other teas stand up like Clipper and Teapigs. Thank you for all you do though. You are the best!
Hi Vani. Do you have any information on Murchie’s teas. They don’t have a list of ingredients on either their packaging or on their website. I called the 1.800 number and was told they were not required to disclose.
At this point everything is going to kill us I like the idea of organic but unfortunately the closest store selling organic is over thirty miles away so lipton it is for my family
Katy you should try the vitacost website. They have organic and non-gmo products – tea included (and the brands Vani recommended). I don’t work for them or get anything from this recommendation, just a suggestion to help you. I’ve been using them for years. They have great shipping costs (very low to nothing), excellent customer care (unlike Amazon you actually get to speak to a human), as well as an overwhelming product selection. Hope this helps.
I second that. Vitacost.com is awesome! Some of the lowest prices on organic food and supplements. Shipping is super fast too.
Hi
You never said anything about STASH Tea or DAVID’S Tea.
I would like to know about these.
Thanks
Barb
To Barb,
As a fellow Stash fan, I went and checked some of the boxes I had. Of course, the samplers couldn’t provide any ingredients because of how many teas listed along the box but the peppermint and mellow moments do no have “other natural” or artificial flavorings. In fact, there was only one ingredient on the peppermint and that was peppermint leaves, meaning it is a tisane and tea leaves do not come into play. With how peppermint grows, I would not be surprised they harvest what they can so it doesn’t take over the land.
So I would stay that, at least, is safe. Not sure about the packaging and not sure about pesticide use but it is better than what is up there. I would recommend, however, staying away from their stoneware. I am having a heck of a time breaking it in as it smells like cat pee after use for at least a hour. The time, however, seems to be shortening so up to you really.
From,
Casey
Thank you.
Barb
Thanks for this, I love everything you post! I wanted to reach out and see if you’ve heard of Teatulia? I found them at my local Target and it’s an organic brand. They only have a couple of teas but they taste great and I love that the container and the stringless, tagless bags are compostable 🙂
I also forgot to mention if your in the Orange county, CA area there’s a great tea place that sales local organic teas. http://www.zenstea.com!
One company from Seattle (TeaVert) is truly concerned about the environment and only sources products that are cultivated using sustainable practices. They even developed there own tea delivery system that is a fully biodegradable.
I appreciate this blog and the useful information in this article, and those that provided additional resources and links. I’m curious about Tazos brand teas (originally sold at Starbucks) and if there are any studies which have tested and/or included this brand.
Thanks for all help.
How about Equal Exchange’s tea? Well, I’ve stopped purchasing Celestial Seasonings (and Bigelow and Yogi) ever since I read this article, and now I purchase Teatulia instead. I always had a feeling that Celestial Seasonings wasn’t of high quality because it was always super cheap, it didn’t taste that great, and consuming it always made me feel a little sick afterwards. Teatulia’s tea definitely is different; GOOD different. Thanks for this.
Er, wait, Teatulia isn’t on the list and they use corn-based, biodegradable bags! D: I read somewhere that Teatulia was fine, but now that I’ve reread this… Are all corn-based bags bad?
I love Food Bebe’s dedication on researching the real truth about foods. I already knew the facts about teas (pesticides etc.) so this is not a surprise to me. But I still appreciate her effort of informing “innocent” consumers including myself about dirty hidden secrets of food industry. I’m hoping to get my own tea line as an expansion to my current business. Strictly all organic loose leaf teas grown in Korea. This article really inspires me on pursuing my dream 🙂
Such an impsersive answer! You’ve beaten us all with that!
Dude, right on there brrtheo.
Hello
Thanks very much for tell us about tea I drink a lot of most ice tea but brew it myself. I hope to find safe tea we mostly use organtic foods that says non gmo.
Thanks for making us aware of the dangers in tea.
Robert
Houston,Texas
I just read an article last week that stated Tetley tea bags were safe! Don’t know who to believe anymore!!!
What about Adagio?
What about Stash and Asian Gourmet tea?
I appreciate the effort it took to research all of the information about tea that is readily available at retail markets. I have tossed out all my Lipton and Celestial Seasonings tea. Luckily my local health food store, the two Fred Meyer stores available in my area and the Yoke’s Fresh Market stores carry loose leaf tea and/or a better brand of tea. There are also two to three local companies that sell loose leaf tea online and at local Farmer’s Markets. Thank you for doing such a super job of keeping the public informed. I watched Food Babe on my morning news the Today Show earlier this summer and have been following since that time. I have also changed oils, butter and will continue to purchase the great brand of bread, recommended by Food Babe, that I have purchased for the past nine years.
Bobbie, I would love to know what that great brand of bread was that was recommended by Food Babe. Thanks.
Annmarie – there’s a list of recommended breads at the end of this post:
https://foodbabe.com/2014/02/24/healthiest-bread-on-the-market/
I wanted to know what you think of Equal Exchange Fairly Traded teas? Thanks!
Thanks for sharing the true facts of tea. That is why i only drink herbal tea like rooibos and camomile. I also discard the paper bag and put straight into the hot water. I shall look into organic certified brands next time. Btw, does teekanne from germany consider organic?
Why doesn’t the author give us a list of TEAs that ARE safe to drink?
I am also concerned about teas grown in Asia, especially Japan due to contamination from Fukishima….any way to tell where the Tea is grown?
What about Swanson Vitamins brand of Liquid Stevia? It is less expensive than Trader Joes.
Will just say that while I appreciated the article, I particularly loved your tea caddy the most! Did you make this yourself? I will be D’ng IMyself soon! 🙂
Very interesting article. On another note, where did you get your drawer organizer for you tea?
Vani,
I noticed in your “drawer o’ tea” you have Yogi tea included, yet in your chart of offenders you list Yogi as a company that includes “natural flavors” in their tea. Can you explain? (hoping it’s wrong because I’m LOVING their Stress Relief tea right now!!)
I only drink Aveda tea. Wonder how this one holds up?
Wow, I’m amazed I grabbed the right tea on my own! I drink Traditional Medicinals Green Tea Ginger.
So thankful for your significant research. I love tea, and I am so sad to hear about all of these dangers! I’m afraid I am going to have to do some pantry dumping :(. I am a Rep for the coolest organic company in the U.K… Yes, soil certified organic, and their teas are amazing! (….so is the skincare!). Thank you again!
I have been drinking Salada White Tea. Just looked the ingredients. It says : Ingredients: white tea. nothing else. How does Salada rate?
I buy my tea from Indian grocery store, though not sure how pure or contaminated it is. Usually a Darjeeling or assam tea.
I still didn’t see anything on Stash tea.
What about Stash Tea?
Food Babe,
Do you know anything about Mariage Freres teas? They are out of France. The can usually only be found in specialty stores in the US. I am curious to know if they have any additives.
What about “Stash” tea?
Do you know about “David’s Tea” – if it is a safe tea for us? Not sure if it’s just a Canadian product. I buy the loose tea and enjoy all the different flavours, so hope you say it’s safe. 🙂