Tea is relatively forgiving, and rarely spoils as long as it's stored properly. Old tea may simply be less flavorful and fresh than new tea, and will brew up a weaker cup with a stale flavor. In this sense, tea doesn't actually have an “expiration date” after which it will be unsafe to drink.
If you're worried that drinking expired tea after the best by date will make you instantly ill, don't worry - only in extreme cases will old tea make you sick. However, it's likely that any tea consumed beyond a recommended best by date will start to taste bad and bitter, a natural sign that your tea has gone bad.
The answer is yes, tea can expire. Most tea bags come with an expiration date, which is usually two years from the production date. However, this doesn't mean that the tea will become unsafe to consume after this date. The expiration date mainly indicates the time until which the tea will retain its flavor and aroma.
Most teas will keep well for many years if stored properly, and many drinkers even prefer the mellower taste of teas aged anywhere from a few months to several years. In particular, white tea and dark wulong teas like Wuyi rock wulongs and Dan Cong wulongs are capable of developing beautiful aged characters.
Steep the tea for too long, and you'll end up with an unpleasantly strong, bitter cup. Steep the tea for too short a time, and you'll have a weak, flavorless cup of tea. Making matters even more complicated, different teas require different steep times in order to bring out their best flavor.
If you have brewed tea that you're not going to drink right away, don't worry! You can still enjoy your tea iced or hot. Just transfer it to a clean, airtight container and store it in the fridge. Brewed tea will last 3-5 days in the fridge and will still taste great.
Tea is relatively forgiving, and rarely spoils as long as it's stored properly. Old tea may simply be less flavorful and fresh than new tea, and will brew up a weaker cup with a stale flavor. In this sense, tea doesn't actually have an “expiration date” after which it will be unsafe to drink.
If you find yourself brewing a tea bag that's a little old — maybe one or two years past the printed date — you likely won't have any problems. You might find that your cup of tea is just a little less flavorful, and it may also have less antioxidants (per Verdant Tea).
Summary to Can Children Drink Tea and Coffee
Our article has determined, once and for all, the question to “Is Tea bad for kids?” While there are a few unknowns, it is best to err on the side of caution and, therefore, you shouldn't give it to children under 12-years-old.
Experts do not recommend tea for kids since sweetened and caffeinated drinks often cause dental cavities. Children should consume alternatives to caffeinated drinks, such as milk or other pediatric supplements. Experts also recommend keeping caffeine intake minimum for adolescents and adults.
Any tea that is labeled caffeine-free are safe for kids. This includes herbal teas such as chamomile and herbal infusions such as roobois. Should children drink tea? Tea is a great way to help kids to soothe sore throats, offer comfort, and settle upset tummies including gas pain.
However, dried tea leaves that are kept dry will not spoil, and as long as they are stored away from heat, water, light and air, the flavor and phytochemical content can be maintained for up to two years. The more fermented and intact the dried leaves are, the longer they will last.
Tea will Turn Darker as it Oxidizes
As the process of oxidation occurs, chlorophyll breaks down so the color becomes less “green.” So, the basic rule with tea is, the longer the leaf is oxidized, the darker the leaf. However, oxidation doesn't only affect the color, but also the taste of the tea.
When you next make a cup of tea don't throw away the old bag because it has many uses that you might not know about. Black tea contains tannic acid and theobromine which removes heat from sunburn so rubbing cold tea water on sore skin will soothe pain. Old tea bags can also be used to flavour rice or pasta.
Poor quality water
If you find yourself wondering why your tea tastes funny there's a good chance that it's down to the water. For the best, liveliest cup of tea you want freshly drawn water which is rich in the oxygen needed to draw out flavour.
You should leave the tea bag in the water for about two minutes so that there is ample time for it to infuse the tea flavor. Poking and prodding should be avoided, let the process happen naturally and slowly.
Tea bags can grow mold on either the tea bag or the tea itself. Mold is found in any environment that contains a high level of humidity. Mold can be prevented in tea bags by keeping them in an airtight container and keeping your tea in a low-humidity environment.
25 seconds EXACTLY: Expert arrives at formula for perfect cuppa after drinking 400 brews in 48 hours. It's a debate that's been brewing almost as long as there's been tea: just how long should you leave the bag to stew?
When potting plants, place a few used tea bags on top of the drainage layer at the bottom of the planter before adding soil. The tea bags will help to retain water and will also leach some nutrients into the potting medium.
A little effort means better tea for you year-round: Protect tea from air and moisture: Do not let your tea oxidize. Instead, store green tea and greener oolong teas in an airtight container to keep your tea fresh. Protect green teas from light: Do not use glass canisters to store your tea.
Protect tea from its enemies: Store tea in a cool, dark place away from light, heat and moisture. Light and heat can activate enzymes that will start to degrade your tea. And tea is shelf-stable because it's completely dry.
Fermented tea is black tea which has undergone fermentation. In addition to oxidation, common to all black teas (i.e. the blackening of the leaves on contact with air), a new step is added, that of fermentation. This has a significant impact on the taste and brings the fermented tea its originality.