Tea bags: black, green, herbal and fruit

Tea bags by type

• Black tea – English Blend from Sunleaf, Tea of Life and Tea Cultures, and Earl Grey, a black tea flavoured with bergamot. See all black tea.
• Green tea bags – plain green tea and versions with mint, lemon or jasmine, plus Green Tea Matcha Strawberry from Tea of Life. See green tea and jasmine tea.
• Rooibos – from Sunleaf and Tea of Life, and Red Rooibos Chai from Tea Cultures. Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free. See rooibos tea.
• Chai – spiced blends: Chai from Tea of Life, Original Black Spice Chai from Tea Cultures and Golden Chai No.35 from Bradley's. See chai tea.
• Herbal tea – camomile, Star Mint, Ginger Lemongrass, Ginger Lemon Infusion and Vervain. See herbal tea, mint tea and ginger tea.
• Fruit tea – Forest Fruit, Strawberry and Apple Cinnamon. See fruit tea.

The brands

• Sunleaf – everyday flavours in packs of 25, from English Blend and Earl Grey to Forest Fruit and Apple Cinnamon.
• Tea of Life – classics and flavoured teas, such as Earl Grey, Chai, Rooibos and Green Tea Matcha Strawberry.
• Tea Cultures – blends such as Finest Jasmine, Original Black Spice Chai and Pacific Dreams, and a Discovery Box if you want to try several.
• Bradley's – Golden Chai No.35.

How to choose

• With or without caffeine: black and green tea contain caffeine. Rooibos, camomile and other herbal teas do not, which makes them a good choice for the evening. Fruit blends vary, so check the ingredients on the product page.
• Milk or no milk: English Blend is made to take milk. Green, herbal and fruit teas are drunk without.
• Organic tea bags: grown under organic farming rules, which allow only a short list of approved pesticides. Much of the Tea of Life range, and Golden Chai No.35 from Bradley's, is organic; the product name tells you which.
• Sustainable and Fairtrade tea bags: produced with respect for people and the environment.
• If sustainability matters to you, look for organic or Fairtrade certification.
• Several flavours at once: assortment packs such as the Sunleaf assorted display (12 x 10 tea bags), the Sunleaf assortment sleeve (12 x 25 tea bags) and the Tea of Life assortment display (120 tea bags) put different teas in one pack, handy at the office or for guests.

Brewing a good cup

• Black tea and rooibos: freshly boiled water, three to five minutes.
• Green tea: let the water cool a little first, to around 80 °C, and steep for two to three minutes. Boiling water makes it bitter.
• Herbal and fruit tea: boiling water, five minutes or more.
• Take the bag out when the tea tastes right. Left in too long, black and green tea turn bitter.

Prefer loose tea? See our loose tea, or try tea sticks for a single cup.