Nature at Its Finest: Organic Teas (Part 1)

Nature is God's greatest gift to mankind. It is meant not only to sustain us, but to be enjoyed and appreciated for all its beauty and splendor. Nature is not merely a place. It is a living force, welcoming us, beckoning us to be one with it and embrace the magnificence of all the things it is readily offering to us.

But nowadays, it is very hard to find products that are "natural"- untouched and unblemished by artificial chemicals and methods that tamper to the very essence of its natural components. In this fast-paced and ever changing world, nothing is spared. From technology, to infrastructures and even food itself is filled with "unnaturalness". And one may even come to a point to be exasperated and just shout; "Where has nature gone?"

And so every day is an unending quest to find a certain balance. We try as much as we can to create a healthy lifestyle. And the only way to do that is to find food that is natural or something closest to it.

And there is still hope. For despite the modernization, there are still products that have still maintained a sense of naturalness.

For instance, Organic produce. They can be found everywhere. We can still purchase organic fruits and vegetables. And also there are also organic beverages that are slowly becoming a hit and a trend globally. And what is great about it is we can also enjoy these beverages at any moment in any day at the comforts of our homes. This is no other than organic teas.

What is it anyway?

Organic Tea

As the name suggests, organic teas are those products that are produced naturally. By naturally, we mean the products, or the ingredients used in the tea are grown and cultivated without the use of any artificial chemicals or products such as synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, growth regulators or chemical food additives.

How do they make organic teas? What do they do to achieve this?

Besides avoiding the use of artificial chemicals to the plant themselves, the environment to which the crop will grow is also taken care of.

The soil is also natural. Also, a layer of mulch also makes sure that moisture is preserved as well as giving extra nutrients to the tea plant. The land used for cultivating these plants is without the aid of chemicals for at least 3 years before it is used. It should be labeled environmental free zone. It is also enriched only with natural compost. Composting is the process used to make the plants not only grow well but be healthy as well. Another ways they do is with the use of crop rotation. This is done to minimize the pests and diseases. Other processes are also done in accordance to certain standards they have to abide. Like inspection and certifications of certain agencies covering this. These processes not only protects mother nature's natural resources by preventing pollution and the land from being compromised.

What countries do organic teas come from?

Most of the major tea producers like China, Taiwan and Japan have preferred using organic teas for making their renowned teas.

What makes organic teas special?

Despite being more meticulous than the non-organic types (for it is more labor-extensive), still the superior quality of the tea is maintained. This is the reason why such teas produced by these countries remain at the top. For it is only the natural aroma, taste and color that people can taste out of these teas.

Moreover, not only does the natural aroma and flavor maintained, these kinds of teas also offer and promote more health benefits from the others. They are higher in terms of having catechins and polypherols - nature's potent anti-oxidant. It is also noteworthy that these two compounds are the main players as to why tea is very popular not only to health buffs but to other ordinary people as well.

On a side note, cultivating organic teas is also more beneficial to tea farmers. For tea plants have a life span of 100 years. And with the use of only organic farming methods, these plants can live longer and prolong in this life span. If this was the case, then these tea farmers only spend lesser than those others.

How can we be so sure the tea we are buying is organic?

There is one thing for sure. There are many government and non-government agencies that make it their jobs to ensure and certify whether or not a certain product is organic. Some of them include the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (or IFOAM) and also the United States Department of Agriculture (or USDA).These agencies have developed programs for certification that scrutinizes specific practices of a certain tea plantation and gives out certificates to those who have met and passed the requirements.

But it should not end there. There is a sure possibility that other tea vendors will, go to the extent of just placing "organic" in the tea packages despite it being otherwise. How do we really know for sure then?

Reading the word "organic" to the package is not enough. Be more observant and cautious in choosing and buying certain products. One way is to inspect the packages whenever you purchase an organic tea. And look for the seal of those organizations mentioned above. For it there is a seal, and then you can be sure it has passed the standards. Just make sure those seals are not faked or tampered with.

Another thing you should consider is the price. Organic teas are usually more expensive than the non-organic ones. So if a certain organic tea is sold at a very low price range than the other brands, you should be suspicious about its authenticity. This is the price to pay for having only the best quality drink. And if its otherwise, then you will not get the best the teas have to offer.

Last, but not the least. Try it for yourself. Trust in your taste buds. They do not lie. For it is by actually tasting it that you can know for sure. If it smells and tastes natural- then it must be organic!