Question about loose leaf teas?!

Question:

Question about loose leaf teas?

if you use loose leaf teas, is it normal to have stems and twigs and little leaf pieces? I don't know if there are any whole leaves in my tea or is it normal to just have small pieces. Or is it the brand I got..what's your experience..Thanks.

Additional Details

3 months ago
don't get me wrong, it tastes wonderful..i was just observing the tea while it was infusing..(I have a clear plastic mug thing that is used for loose leaf teas)

Answers:

---

3 months ago
don't get me wrong, it tastes wonderful..i was just observing the tea while it was infusing..(I have a clear plastic mug thing that is used for loose leaf teas)

---

---

a rule of thumb for Chinese tea(I can't speak for other kinds) is that the higher the quality, the fewer broken pieces/twigs/stems there should be. The top notch teas have mostly whole leaves(and you can see them very well after brewing), because that's how the taste/fragrance stays most intense. if there are lots of small pieces of leaves, it means the tea is from the end of the sifting process and the taste is greatly reduced.

---

---

Source(s):
I have been drinking tea and knowing about tea(real tea, that is, not your lipton crap)since I was a teenager.

---

---

Yes, this is normal. Most loose leaf teas are use for medicinal purposes so the stems and twigs are part of the healing process.

---

---

---