Over the last couple of months, me and my husband have grown to love loose leaf tea. It's so much fun exploring all the different varieties of loose leaf teas! As our collection of teas grows, so has my collection of tea infusers. I vowed that I already had more tea infusers than I needed and would not order any more, however then I saw these absolutely adorable Mr. and Mrs. ManaTea on Amazon and I simply couldn't resist! These are by far the cutest of my tea infusers and they also work so well to make an enjoyable cup of tea!
The silicone is thick and the surfaces both on the inside and the outside of the manatees is smooth – clearly a high quality product. The shaping of the manatee's face and the fin/arms resting on the arm of the cup is so well done – really well detailed. I appreciate that it is extremely easy to open and close the infuser. The two silicone pieces fit together perfectly.
The holes in the infuser are a good size to make sure the hot water blends thoroughly with the tea leaves.This is a great tea infuser gift set for any tea lover.
Drinking loose leaf tea also makes me feel very trendy and healthy since this is an emerging trend in the US. And using really cute silicone tea infusers are a great conversation starter in any circumstance.
Here are some interesting facts about tea drinking habits in the US (souce Tea Association of the USA):
Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water, and can be found in almost 80% of all U.S. households. It is the only beverage commonly served hot or iced, anytime, anywhere, for any occasion. On any given day, over 158 million Americans are drinking tea.
In 2014, Americans consumed over 80 billion servings of tea, or more than 3.60 billion gallons. About 84% of all tea consumed was Black Tea, 15% was Green Tea, and the small remaining amount was Oolong, White and Dark Tea. USA is the second largest importer of tea after Russia.
On any given day, over one half of the American population drinks tea. On a regional basis, the South and Northeast have the greatest concentration of tea drinkers.
In 2014, over 77% of the tea brewed in the United States was prepared using tea bags. Ready-to-Drink and iced tea mix comprises more than one half (52%) of all tea prepared in the U.S., with instant and loose tea accounting for the balance. Instant tea is declining and loose tea is gaining in popularity, especially in Specialty Tea and coffee outlets.
Green Tea is growing at a much higher rate than Black Tea – up more than 60% volume over the last ten years.
Black, Green, Oolong, Dark and White teas all come from the same plant, a warm-weather evergreen named Camellia sinensis. Differences among the five types of tea result from the various degrees of processing and the level of oxidization. Black tea is fully oxidized and Oolong teas are partially oxidized. After withering and rolling, the tea leaves undergo natural chemical reactions resulting in taste and color changes and that develop the teas distinguishing characteristics. Green & White teas are not oxidized after leaf harvesting. Oolong tea is midway between Black and Green teas in strength and color. Dark teas are fermented after manufacture.
Tea is an all-natural and environmentally sound product from a renewable source. The tea plant is naturally resistant to most insects; oxidation of the tea leaf is a natural process; and, many tea packers use recycled paper for packaging.
Tea is a refreshing beverage that contains no sodium, fat, carbonation, or sugar. It is virtually calorie-free. Tea helps maintain proper fluid balance and may contribute to overall good health. Tea contains flavonoids, naturally occurring compounds that are believed to have antioxidant properties. Tea flavonoids often provide bioactive compounds that help to neutralize free radicals, which scientists believe, over time, damage elements in the body, such as genetic material and lipids, and contribute to chronic disease.
Every day, new findings from the international scientific community lend credibility to tea’s healthy properties. Recent research has explored the potential health attributes of tea through studies in humans, animal models and through in vitro laboratory research. For the most part, studies conducted on green and black tea, which are both from the Camellia sinensis plant, have yielded similar results. Recent research suggests that tea and tea flavonoids may play important roles in various areas of health and may operate through a number of different mechanisms still being explored.
So there are really so many reasons to drink tea! It's tasty, it's healthy and with a cute tea infuser it is also fun. Besides Mr and Mrs ManaTea, Mollitiem offers Mr and Mrs Tea Infuser which is also really cute. It is similar to the ones designed by Fred and Friends and the products are of very high quality.
Drink tea, be healthy and be happy!