Are you an avid-tea drinker? Do you heat up a kettle every morning and stock your pantry up with various tea bags and tea leaves? Maybe you even have a loose-leaf tea steeping tool!
You may think you have this tea-brewing thing down to an art, but recent research suggests that we might all be drinking tea wrong!
Food scientist Dr Quan Vuong, from the University of Newcastle in Australia, says that the key to the best hot tea is actually a microwave. Apparently, microwaving a cup of tea has had the best results in getting the most health benefits from your beverage. After years of research, Vuong says, "Microwaving is one of the advanced technologies to get more bioactive compounds from the products."
Dr. Vuong explains that the best method of tea steeping is to leave a tea bag in a cup of water, microwave it for 30 seconds on low heat, and then VOILÁ—your best tasting, most efficient cup of tea awaits. This method actually activates 80% of the caffeine, theanine, and polyphenol compounds. The antioxidant properties of polyphenols, after long-time consumption, lead to protection against the development of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative diseases.
Unfortunately, people aren't taking this news very well. Check out some of the Twitter war below!