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A tea enthusiast from Denmark, Alexis, sent to Leo a question which should be posted here for more to share:
I am a tea enthusiast who runs a small business in Scandinavia. I am often approached by customers on the subject of tannic acid in tea. This myth is being strengthened by numerous web shops stating that their teas are free of tannic acid, implying that other teas are not. I would like to bury this myth once and for all and I am in the process of writing an article in Danish about tannin contra tannic acid in tea.Like most tea people I was under the assumption that there is in fact tannin in tea (Proanthocyanidins, a different chemical to tannic acid with a longer carbon chain), however I have tried to research tea tannin but cannot find any documentation that it actually exists in tea. There is no reference to tannin in books on tea chemistry and it is not mentioned on your website either. Is this something you can help me with?Does tannin actually exist in tea? If so how and why does it occur?Does it have a taste, an odour or colour, and are there any benefits/downsides from this chemical?Any ideas on how tannin became tannic acid?I have read somewhere that the word tannin is derived from the German “Tanna” meaning oak or pine as in Tannenbaum (Christmas tree). Tannic acid is pressed from the bark and leaves of an oak tree to tan hide. I can’t imagine any cup of tea tanning leather.
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Alexis,
Tannins are a subclass of phytochemicals under the class of polyphenols. Polyphenols and tannins are found in almost all plants.Depending on chemical definition of the subclass, tannins exist in tea. Examples are gallic acids and various flavones. Some scientists define certain catechins as tannins and some do not agree.To me, the terminology does not really matter.It is scary to think that one would be drinking something that contains the chemicals that would tan the leather of one’s shoes, but it really is a matter of clarification of concepts. Same as you would not wear a charcoal ring for the wedding or burn diamonds for your barbecue; both are carbon.Generally tannins are astringent in taste. They are a major reason for the astringency in almost all fruits, particularly the skins, as well as veggies and, tea. Tannin is present in almost all plant products that we consume, in various amounts.In order to avoid confusion, we always group the tannins in tea with the other major polyphenols, such as flavonoids and catechins, and understand them as polyphenols, which they are.If the tannic acid you talk about refers to the chemical that they use to tan leather, it is extracted from the tree barks of certain species (depending on the manufacturer) and mixed in a formula of various other chemicals. Tea, or your fruits and veggies, are not involved in this 😉 -
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I like that saying! Thank you for explaining a much worried question that have been in the back of my mind in such a humorous way. 
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