Gastroenterologist Ekaterina Kashukh, an expert at the Gemotest medical laboratory network, said it is wrong to assume that all loose leaf tea is healthier than all bagged tea, challenging a widely held belief among tea drinkers.
Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, sold either as loose leaves that drinkers measure out themselves or as pre-portioned bags containing more finely cut leaf. Loose leaf tea has long carried a reputation among enthusiasts as the more premium option.
Speaking to the Russian news outlet Lenta.ru, Kashukh said disputes over which type of tea is better usually end in favor of loose leaf, since it is widely seen as more natural and better at retaining nutrients. However, she said this assumption does not hold up in every case, and no loose tea can automatically be considered healthier than a bagged one.
Kashukh stressed that the form of the tea leaf by itself does not determine how healthy the finished drink is.
What actually determines tea quality
According to Kashukh, what really shapes the nutritional value of a cup of tea is the quality and variety of the raw leaves, the conditions under which they were processed and stored, and the method used to brew them. She said large, attractive-looking leaves do not guarantee that the tea made from them will be beneficial to health.
The doctor also addressed a common criticism of bagged tea, that it is made from more finely crushed leaves than loose tea. She said this does not mean bagged tea contains fewer beneficial substances. In fact, she said, smaller tea particles can allow certain compounds to dissolve into the water more quickly during brewing.
Green tea and cancer risk
Kashukh's comments follow earlier remarks from oncologist Amar Revari, who named a drink he said could help lower the risk of cancer. Revari pointed to green tea, saying it contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Green tea is made from unoxidized leaves and is commonly associated with catechins, a class of antioxidant that has drawn wide scientific interest.
About the expert
Gemotest operates a network of laboratories and clinics across Russia, offering blood tests, diagnostic screening and consultations with specialists in fields including gastroenterology, the branch of medicine focused on the digestive system and how the body processes food and drink.
