The internet has been lighting up over an article about one scientist’s claim that microwaving your tea was the best way to make tea. …Excuse me, what?
Yes, indeed. Food scientist Quan Vuong, PhD says that microwaving your tea instead of the traditional (correct?) method of pouring “kettled” water over leaves and steeping for a few minutes. How and why does this work?
Vuong says microwaving is actually better at pulling nutrients out of the leaves. A lot better in fact. Steeping tea the old fashioned way nets you around 60% of the catechins in your tea and 76% of the caffeine, whereas nuking your tea in the micro nets you 80% and 92%, respectively. Vuong’s method calls for steeping your tea for thirty seconds with hot water and then sticking your mug of tea in the microwave for one minute. So, to be fair, this is technically “microwave-assisted” and not simply putting a mug of water with a tea bag in the microwave. But if speed’s your thing, this is the way to go.
This research resurfaced after a recent episode of the British television program Broadchurch shows one of its lead characters microwaving his tea. Cue the internet’s tendency to explode into heated debates over what amounts to hot leaf juice.
Color me skeptical, but it’s hard to argue with a food scientist with a PhD. This research is from back in 2012, so the fact that it hasn’t caught on yet means that either his team’s science is wrong and we’ve been doing it right this whole time, or the idea of making your tea in the microwave is just so abhorrent that to do so is anathema no matter how healthy it is for you or how tasty it is. Vuong also claims it tastes better from the microwave. I can tell you right now that is false, but it’s certainly better than nothing.
With home brewed tea consumption slumping in the UK, the place where tea was introduced to the West, I personally don’t give a darn how people make their tea as long as they are drinking it and enjoying it. Use a kettle, a microwave, or, heck, wrap your mug in an electric blanket. Whichever way you enjoy your tea is the right way. Unless you mix your iced tea with soda. That’s just gross.
How do you make your tea? Do you use the microwave to make your tea? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
I have to agree with your upset Tony. Tea does NOT belong in the microwave. When reviewing the link, it appears he’s suggesting that one initially brew green tea in boiling water – talk about bad tasting tea! Also, this man is talking about tea bag tea, not whole leaf teas. This could be a game changer for his results. I see the microwave as an appliance of convenience but truth is, it’s creating radiation along the way. Don’t we have enough of that to go around these days with our cell phones? I’ve know people who heat up the hot water in a mug in the microwave and then put in their tea bag – I don’t even recommend that. Hopefully this 5 year old research will fade away. If taste is important to you, please disregard this research.
So glad you mentioned this article. I noticed it and also noticed it is making its way into the main stream media.
While it seems too weird to me to be using the micro for tea, I agree if it works for you then do it. With so many “CORRECT” practices to brew tea, who am I to say what is best. To me best is what works for you. So drink tea and make it the way you want. Just drink it.
As we all know, the internet is full of information for just about everything. Those considering heating up water in the microwave……this one’s for you.
“It’s practically an urban legend: a man heats water in the microwave for a cup of instant coffee. While taking the cup out of the microwave, he notices the water doesn’t have any bubbles…at which point, the water boils up and explodes, giving him burns on his face and hands. Is there any truth to this myth?
Technically, and somewhat surprisingly, yes! Microwaves are specifically designed to heat water molecules and to heat them very rapidly. This can end up heating the water faster than it can turn into vapor, causing it to become superheated. Bubbles of water vapor can then quickly form when the water is jostled as the cup is taken out of the microwave. This makes it boil up, seeming to “explode,” as all the vapor is suddenly released.”
I still say – DO NOT USE THE MICROWAVE TO BREW YOUR TEA. Tradition, taste and standards are worth upholding in my humble opinion.
An easy way to prevent super heating your water is to put a wooden spoon or something non metal in your cup. This allows water to bubble up properly and will keep your water from exploding.
Hi Michelle
I have never heard that urban legend. Too bad Myth Busters ended. They could have checked out that one for us all.
I’m happy to hear that you have a strong opinion on this matter and happy you weighed in. I’m sure most of T Ching readers feel the same way as we are not the average tea drinker.
Here is a true micro wave story from Wiki (or is it a legend? LOL)
In 1945, the specific heating effect of a high-power microwave beam was accidentally discovered by Percy Spencer, an American self-taught engineer from Howland, Maine. Employed by Raytheon at the time, he noticed that microwaves from an active radar set he was working on started to melt a candy bar he had in his pocket. The first food deliberately cooked with Spencer’s microwave was popcorn, and the second was an egg, which exploded in the face of one of the experimenters.[8][9] To verify his finding, Spencer created a high density electromagnetic field by feeding microwave power from a magnetron into a metal box from which it had no way to escape. When food was placed in the box with the microwave energy, the temperature of the food rose rapidly.
I wonder if he ever used it for coffee or tea. Making pop corn is brilliant.
Well all health concerns aside there is NO way I’m going to use a microwave to make my tea. I would rather not go through the extra hassle it would require to get my cup of tea.
You would first need to brew a while in a mug or something that can be put in the microwave. Then putting it in the microwave and after that is done getting the leaves out will be dangerous, because the mug will be super hot then. So even if the tea would taste a little bit better (not that I believe it will with cooking the water) it would be unpractical in my opinion.
So perhaps it really makes tea bags taste better but I like my loose leaf with a variable temperature watercooker and the lesser amount of steps involved in brewing my cup of tea.
This story has gotten more publicity throughout the media than any tea story I’ve seen in a long time! A customer tried it and said it tasted fine. We tried it and it was awful and weak. Do not recommend it..on the taste alone. And the really awful thing is that so many stories and so much tea is still bagged ‘dust’. You can’t brew dust in tea bags like loose tea, no matter how you brew it. Our mission, if we choose to accept it (dates me, I know)…is to spread the message of the huge difference between loose tea and bagged/sacheted tea and the right way to brew various teas to get optimum taste (and benefits).
I agree, loose tea is the way to go.
Here’s a 2013 article from The Smithsonian about microwaving water and making tea and why it’s not a good idea: http://bit.ly/2oMJCX9
I don’t care what anyone says….I’m with you. Do not brew your tea in the microwave…….period.
Great article from you . I dont brew Tea in the Microwave
I sometimes use the wonderful microwave only to get the water hot. then brew in a pot or cup the normal way by pouring the heated water over my tea leaves. works great if in a rush.
The microwave oven does help to make better tea
i always use loose tea leaves, because that is cheaper
I always initially boil the water in an electric kettle, and, yes, it should be fresh, that is previously unboiled water.
I pour the water over the tea leaves, let it steep for a minute, then microwave the pot (without its lid) for forty seconds. I let it stand for another minute with the lid on, and then repeat microwaving for 30 seconds. I then make my cup of tea with powdered milk and sugar. The tea is stronger, and certainly tastes better. flavour unaffected.
I live in Bandarawela, Sri Lanka, where really good tea is grown, but I know that the tea I get may not be the best, because that is exported. The most significant detail: the elevation here is 4,000 feet, so the boiling point of water would be slightly lower than 100dgrees Celsius.
I have served tea made so to guests, who say that the tea is excellent, want to know the estate it had come from.