Infuse in hot or cold water: different properties
Before enjoying a cup of your favorite blend, preparing your tea is an essential step. Several methods exist: most often, the tea leaves are infused in hot water for just a few minutes. However, a recent study shows that soaking in cold water allows for better extraction of antioxidant compounds from green tea or black tea. Only drawback: the infusion time is much longer, up to an hour, the preparation obtained then contains less theine. The taste can also be different depending on the temperature of the water. It's up to you to test different brewing methods to find out which one suits you best.
Against cold snaps, hot tea in winter
If how you prepare it is important, is it better to drink your cold or hot tea ? Rest assured, the properties of your cold or hot tea will be generally preserved. Of course, it is best to avoid excesses: burning or frozen. The choice of temperature is a matter of taste and of the seasons, above all.
In winter, you love to snuggle up in a blanket with a cup of hot tea in your hands. This is an opportunity for you to rest, but also to stock up on vitamin C, present in tea. Thanks to it, your immune system, put to the test during the winter, is strengthened.
Cold or hot tea: in summer, it’s up to you
Conversely, on a hot summer day, the temptation is great to have a refreshing drink. Iced tea is a good way to quench your thirst in hot weather. But be careful, if you have spent your day under the blazing sun: the difference in temperature between your body and a drink that is too cold could stress your stomach or give you a migraine.
You can also drink hot tea during the summer period. The blend of Asian black teas, English Breakfast, for example, gets your morning off to a good start. During the day, hot tea is also perceived by your body as a source of heat. The body will then take care of regulating its temperature: freshness effect guaranteed!
Easy peach iced tea recipe
During the summer, prepare yourself a delicious peach iced tea, the ultimate seasonal fruit. A liter of water, 2 teaspoons of black tea from India Darjeeling #37, 2 very ripe peaches, a little powdered sugar and that's it.
1- In a large saucepan, heat the water
2- Off the heat, let 2 teaspoons of black tea steep for 5 minutes
3- Let cool
4- Pit and cut the peaches into small cubes
5- Pour the preparation, then the pieces of fruit into a carafe
6- Place in the refrigerator for several hours
Happy tasting! You now know everything about the difference between hot tea and cold tea: from the benefits, to the preparation to the infusion time. It's up to you to choose your drink according to the seasons!