The Long Hair Community - Is it OK to use a tea bag more than once?

Carolyn · February 11th, 2005, 05:02 AM

I've always been a tea drinker but I like it rather weak. So I've used my tea bags more than once. Sometimes I can get 3 cups of tea out of a bag. A friend of mine said you should never save a used tea bag and use it again. I'd never heard of this. She said something about the tannin in the tea is changed when the tea gets wet. I couldn't get more of an explanation out of her. Lately I've been having a cup of detox tea in the morning and a cup of cleasning tea with senna in it in the evening. The specialty teas are more expensive than regular old Lipton tea bags. So I'd like to get the most out of it. I keep the tea bag in the hot water for about 30 seconds so there is plenty of tea brewing left in the bag. Has anyone every heard that this is bad to do?

Hairstorm · February 11th, 2005, 05:16 AM

She probably just means how tea (black, green etc., not herbal) will get more bitter the longer it steeps, as more tannins are released. I've not heard tannins are harmful, just bitter.

Alva · February 11th, 2005, 06:30 AM

I've never heard something like that, I sometimes use teabags two times as well, and I never heard that it could harm anyone, I wouldn't know why either, so i don't think it is bad to do it

Baptista · February 11th, 2005, 06:54 AM

I highly doubt it. Traditionally, Chinese use tea more than once to appreciate the more subtle flavor of the tea leaves on the second brewing. Addionally, this came up on Dr Weil's site, and they (or him, whoever) said it was fine, plus, Dr Weil claimed that if you brew tea once, leave for 30 sec, dump it out, then brew that same bag again, you will have essetially decaffeinated your tea. I think your source is nutty

Ursula · February 11th, 2005, 07:48 AM

I've heard that, but I think it has to do with people who like strong tea objecting to reused tea bags, because they don't like the taste of tea brewed briefly, or a teabag used several times.

The other issue would be how long you keep the teabag in between uses. Using a teabag 3 times in an afternoon is no big deal. If you have tea every couple days, and hang on to the teabag for several days, that may not be as healthy, particularly if you leave the tea bag unrefrigerated.

There also may be health regulations about restaurants reusing tea bags, and your friend may have learned about that type of regulation, and applied it to life at home.

wtchmel · February 11th, 2005, 08:03 AM

Hmm, never heard this and i've been doing it for years. In fact i have a tiny little bowl just for this, i set the used bag in the bowl for further use. It sounds to me something a company who sells tea probably came up with, in order for you to use more of the product, Kind of like wash, rinse, and repeat directions on shampoos.

**Dianyla** · February 11th, 2005, 08:11 AM

It's a taste preference for me. I like to only use my teabags once to get a really good strong brew the first time and then discard. Overextracted tea (and coffee) are bitter, if it's brewed right you get rich flavor but no bitterness.

However, for "tea" that doesn't contain tea leaves (as many medicinal/herbal teas do not) this may not apply if the plants in the tea mix don't have tannins or other bitter substances that take a longer time to release.

Carolyn · February 11th, 2005, 01:22 PM

Thank you everyone for your replies. This friend is someone who can be a little paranoid about things. I like my tea very weak so I think it's such a waste to toss the bag after one use. I have a cup of tea in the morning and a different kind in the evening. So I'd be saving the bag about 24 hours. I'm going to keep on getting 2 days out of it. I've never seen a difference in taste with the second use.

Meg_Evenstar · February 11th, 2005, 01:30 PM

I use mine more than once and always have.

Meg

Scorpeo · February 11th, 2005, 05:49 PM

Very rarely do I only use a tea bag once. My parents also use teabag multiple times and have for a long time. They throw away a bag when they don't get any more tea.

**LisaJaney** · February 11th, 2005, 06:29 PM

I am a re-user, too. I'll save a bag for days, to be honest. The only thing that would occur to me is that perhaps the thing should be refrigerated (foods are not to be left in "the danger zone" - between 45 degrees and 150 degrees, I think it is - for more than 4 hours. But that may only be for FOODS and beverages to be served to the public, as it's a "health department criteria" thang that restaurateurs have to follow. I know that PERSONALLY I have never refrig'd my teabags, I just leave them on a saucer on the counter for a few days til they're too weak to give off any more flavor.

Chameleon · February 11th, 2005, 06:34 PM

I also use my teabags twice. Dh on the other hand likes a strong cup of tea so only uses his once.

I've found too that if the tea steeps to long with certain types of teas that the tannins make it bitter.

natural one · February 15th, 2005, 01:00 PM

i don't think it's changes the tea, per se, in a dangerous way, but i'd be worried about mould growing if it were left too long.

Daneille · February 15th, 2005, 04:21 PM

I am a once user. In fact for milder teas I will use two bags in one cup. I don't do this with spicier herbal teas, but with weak flavored ones for sure.
Daneille

ACrow · February 15th, 2005, 05:04 PM

I have heard that in the past people actually ate used tea leaves as a vegetable. They must have been pretty hungry. I can't imagine it. Waste not want not, I guess!