Eating tealeaves

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    • 2012.02.05 at 5:07 am #8439
      Tea Man Bill
      Participant

      Is it okay to eat tealeaves

      A reader sent us a question to ask whether tealeaves can be eaten so as to get the maximum benefits. We have the answer here.

      Tealeaves has always been part of some cuisines

      It is true that you ingest all of what is in the tealeaves by eating them. There are traditional and new dishes/desserts in various cuisines to have include the tealeaves, ground or in whole. Some obvious examples are green tea ice cream, Longjing stir-fried with shrimps etc. People in Southeast Asia (Burma, Thailand etc) use tealeaves as a key ingredient in certain salads.

      You ingest a different concentration of tea substances

      However, it is crucial to note that it is unknown as to the health effects of the much higher concentrations of tea substances, when large amount of the leaves are ingested. Since some tealeaves, such as Longjing and Phoenix oolongs, are actually quite tasty, it is easy to eat quite a lot, as compared to the amount you would use for a cup of tea.
      Leo has a habit of eating a few Phoenix oolong leaves when he needs a perk or when he needs some tea but making tea is not possible.

      The tea selection matters

      If you are intending to try this, choose a selection that is of fine quality, not only for better health constituents, but also for lesser risks of contaminants. Some teas are innately not good tasting, either the texture or the the taste itself, some are. 
      Good luck and have fun!
    • 2012.02.05 at 7:38 am #9242
      Upupa epops
      Participant

      I was told once that in parts of China, I think Hunan, it is customary to eat the used (green) tealeaves when the tea is finished. Can anybody verify this?

    • 2012.02.05 at 1:28 pm #9243
      Amuk
      Participant

      I do not particularly like the taste of used tea leaves. I tried the Burmese tea salad and not too fond of it either, though better than used tea leaves. If I am to eat tea, I rather eat some Longjing, before infusion. 

    • 2012.02.06 at 2:59 pm #9245
      Leo
      Participant

      I don’t like the taste of infused leaves either. Some rural people in different parts of China still do that, but not anything popular.

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