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    The Lowdown On Chemicals & Pesticides In Some Popular Tea Brands

    Post Modified: Jan 5, 2021 · Published: Sep 16, 2017 By Jacqueline 17 Comments

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    Chemicals and Pesticides Found In Popular Tea Brands & Tea Bags. Celestial Seasonings, Teavana teas

    Tea couldn’t possibly have any harmful chemicals or pesticides in it, right? I never, ever thought so, but I was…  well… Wrong!

    Still, I’m not giving up my tea anytime soon… whether its chai or green, oolong, white, pu-erh or an organic herbal tea.

    teas in my kitchen

    Since a recent investigation about tea (Camellia sinensis) being a highly sprayed crop, I’ve switched to specific all-organic tea brands, turning my back on some of my favorites due to tests showing high levels of carcinogens found in their products.

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    spraying a crop with chemicals

    Modern food technology is again rearing its ugly head and causing brand new health concerns over this otherwise healthful brew!

    It seems, many tea companies do not source their products from responsible growers. The pressures have mounted with the introduction of industrialized agricultural practices, added chemical fertilizers or engaged GMO practices to make the land yield more. The results of these practices have been environmental pollution, soil erosion, and loss of biological diversity.

    A while back, Vani Hari, founder of Food Babe uncovered unsettling facts about 8 popular tea brands:

    • Celestial Seasonings
    • Teavana
    • Trader Joe’s
    • Twinings of London
    • Lipton
    • Bigelow
    • Tea Forte

    Then, CBCNews/Canada tested black and green teas including Canada’s most popular brands: Lipton, Red Rose, Tetley and Twinings. Full test results can be found here. Of the 10 brands tested, only Red Rose pekoe came back free of pesticides.

    One of the chemicals found was Endosulfan. This chemical is one of the most toxic pesticides on the market today. They also found DDT. Eight of the 10 brands tested contained multiple chemicals, with one brand containing residues of 22 different pesticides.

     

    Celestial Seasons:

    EuroFins (an analytic testing company) found 91% of Celestial Seasonings teas contained levels of pesticides that exceed the US federal limits. Considering all of the other toxins that the FDA lets slide by, this is frightening.

    The Sleepytime Kids Goodnight Grape Herbal tea contained 0.26 ppm of propachlor, a known carcinogen. I may have given this to my children in past years!

    Other teas, including the whole “Wellness” tea line, were found to contain traces of propargite, also a known developmental toxin and carcinogen. Meanwhile, thousands continue to drink the popular teas.

    Author’s note: Traditional Medicinals has Nighty-Night tea and Yogi has Bedtime, as well. Although I don’t believe Yogi is as “clean” as Traditional Medicinal but still a great option.

     

    Teavana:

    Just as Teavana was bought by Starbucks in 2011, 100% of Teavana teas tested were shown to be filled with pesticides in the Glaucus Research study and they were taken to court in a class action lawsuit.

    It was cited that 77% percent of their teas would be banned from import in the European Union and 62% tested contained endosulfan, a pesticide banned in the U.S. and 144 other countries because it is linked to impaired fertility and may harm unborn babies.

    This year (2017), Teavana stores are all being closed but Starbucks is continuing to sell the tea as a flavored iced tea. 

     

    Are Plastic Mesh Tea Bags Dangerous? Gluten Avoiders Beware

    Increasingly popular ‘silk’ mesh bags and sachets are made of GMO corn-based plastic (polylactic acid) and can leach harmful chemicals like BPA. These bags have wooed major companies due to their fancy look and claims of biodegradability. Dr. Mercola explains, “While these plastics are generally considered among the safest in terms of leaching potential, the molecules in these plastic tea bags may still in fact break down and leach out when steeped in boiling water.”

    plastic bags, unbleached bags, 

    Are Paper Tea Bags Better or Worse?

    Imagine you could be consuming pesticides from your favorite tea’s bag… Yes this sounds crazy, but it’s true. Some paper tea bags contain the pesticide Epichlorohydrin, a compound used to keep the bags from breaking.

    After each tea bag is filled it is sealed with a type of thermoplastic and coated in epichlorohydrin so that it can withstand being in water without dissolving.

     

    Epichlorohydrin becomes active when it is in contact with hot water. This pesticide is known to cause infertility and can harm your immune system. This pesticide also causes cancer in animals. So….why are we drinking tea made in little pesticide bags?

    For perspective, the E.P.A. allows up to 20 parts per million in drinking water, and epichlorohydrin-containing bags may include 50 parts per million.

    comparison chart of Celestial Seasonings, Teavana, Tazo, Trader Joe’s, Twinings of London, Lipton, Bigelow, Lipton, Red Rose, Tetley, Numi, Organic Traditional Medicinals, EDEN Organic, Organic Stash, Organic Yogi Teas(Source) Last updated 2015.

    Natural Flavors Are NOT Natural

    And those “natural flavoring” additives…labeling laws allow them to hoodwink us with this now; crude oil is natural, but do we want to drink it? It’s still artificial flavoring, but because it began from a natural product its allowable.

    So, now, have these companies made sure their teas are not compromised? There is really only one way to know, and that is to go to certified (meaning tested) organic tea.

     

    Organic Tea

    The following companies have excellent quality control reputations, and all tea bags are free of epichlorohydrin, as well as pesticides and artificial flavorings:

    • Organic Numi Tea: “Our teas are pesticide-free and non-GMO verified,” confirms a company rep. “Our tea bags are made from manila hemp cellulose, and free of epichlorohydrin. The tags are made from 100% recycled material.” And Numi has a great black tea for those who want to make a pure kombucha.
    • Organic Traditional Medicinals: “Our herbal teas are put into unbleached bags made from abacá (Musa textilis), also sometimes known as manila hemp,” says its website.
    • EDEN Organic: “The bags are made from oxygen washed manila fibers with no polluting whiteners used,” confirms company rep.  “Once filled, the bags are crimped and sealed with 100% cotton string.”
    • Tazo organics: (note the chart above: their conventional (non-organic) teas have tested for possible pesticides).
    • Organic Stash: “The filter paper used for the bags is made from 100% cellulose fibers (wood) and is made to appear white by forcing air between the fibers. No bleach is used,” explains Stash’s website. “The filter paper is not coated with the compound called epichlorohydrin.”
    • Organic Yogi Teas: “The filtration paper does not contain epichlorohydrin, nor plastic or polypropylene. It is oxygen bleached using a natural process that is completely free of chemicals or toxins, including dioxin,” says a Yogi representative.  (source)
    • Red Rose pekoe was tested clean in the above test. I make my own kombucha with Red Rose.
     

    For an even more pure tea:

    • Select a Non-GMO Project verified brand of tea. The best way to avoid GMOs is to support organic producers. Look for country of origin and avoid China.
    • Read the labels to make sure there no “natural flavors” or “added flavors.”  There is no regulation on the word “natural”. Even MSG, fake sweeteners, and other toxins can be called “natural” on the packaging.

    Fluoride in your tea? This is so interesting!

    Knowing where our consumable products come from is becoming ever so much more important!

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    The Lowdown On Chemicals & Pesticides In Some Popular Tea Brands
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    Hi! I'm Jacqueline!

    Thanks for being part of this journey with me.
    Welcome to my own little place on the internet! Home is where I love to be. I feel there is no greater place to incubate souls. These days you’ll find me using my experiences here to write about herbal remedies and natural health research — a big passion of mine. But being a wife and mother is not easy. It is challenging and potentially lonely. I get that. I wanted to create a place to connect with and support other moms for creating a natural, healthy, and fulfilling home life.
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    Previous Post: « Grow a Lemon Tree from Seed in Your Own Home
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alicia Mae

      September 17, 2017 at 1:48 pm

      Oh no!! Thank you so much for posting this, Jacqueline. Off to cull my tea collection.

      Reply
    2. Katie

      September 17, 2017 at 2:42 pm

      My favorite tea has become red raspberry leaf and nettle which I collect and dry myself from our yard. For black tea, green tea and red rooibos (my second favorite!) I buy from the Bulk Herb Store. For a treat, I’ll make my own chai by adding cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel, and peppercorns to black, green or red rooibos.

      Thanks for sharing this.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        September 17, 2017 at 3:12 pm

        Katie, the way you are doing it is the best way! 😀 Knowing where our products come from is becoming ever so much more important!
        Blessings! J

        Reply
    3. Charlotte Moore

      September 18, 2017 at 3:18 pm

      Thank goodness I don’t drink tea. Unreal all the things that we think are good but they are not.

      How are you doing Jacqueline? GOD BLESS you and your family.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        September 20, 2017 at 9:29 pm

        Hi, Charlotte! Seems we’ve found a way to keep in touch just a little bit 😀
        You know, sometimes I wonder why the Lord seems to put all the warnings in my hear to write about! I will never know, but I will just keep following what I think I’m supposed to do!
        Are you safely away from fires and hurricanes and floods where you live?
        Praying for you and thank you for your steady encouragement!!
        Blessings!
        J

        Reply
    4. Stephen Harden

      October 19, 2019 at 12:15 am

      Thank you for this object & enlightening article. I will certainly make some better choices. I have bought Tazo. It has a funny taste, which incented me to look up chemical in tea.

      Reply
    5. Julie

      October 28, 2019 at 7:00 pm

      I just came across this website. What do you know about the manufacturer called Pique is this a recommended brand?

      Sincerely,
      Julie

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        October 28, 2019 at 10:04 pm

        Hi, Julie! I do not. I am sorry! I just was able to vet those in the article. You will need to call the company to get their statement and ask if they had independent testing available to see!
        I hope that helps! ~j

        Reply
    6. Michelle

      November 21, 2019 at 11:36 pm

      Hello and thank you for this info! I’m sickened by the facts and was wandering if uncle lee green tea organic has the pesticides as the original. I’ve been drinking the organic for years . I feel sick ! Thank you for your time

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        November 22, 2019 at 2:07 am

        Michelle, I do not know about the company Uncle Lee, but the fact that it is organic is a step in the right direction! I would advise you to call the number on the product if it is listed and ask them if there is any testing that they do. I hope that helps! ~J

        Reply
    7. motivation456

      December 11, 2019 at 11:16 pm

      “very nice christmas-day/christmas-eve
      “

      Reply
    8. Mila

      September 01, 2020 at 5:23 pm

      Dear Jacqueline,
      I have no enough words to express how grateful I am to you for this article! Our family has been traditionally great tea-drinkers! Originally I am from RUssia and in my childhood we had a very good Georgian tea, of a high quality and terrific taste, very pure. As far as I know now Western companies destroyed their tea industry, some Georgians whom I met in Paris and Brussels complained that their unique tea had vanished. WEll, I drank a lot of Starbucks tea while I returned from Europe to Canada and felt myself terribly, though we eat only organic food. Recently I switched to Allegro black organic tea…. Now after reading your article I realized everything. Thank you, you help, as I believe, to thousands of people… Bless you. Mila

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        September 01, 2020 at 5:41 pm

        Yes, Mila, we are in a pretty bad place bc we can’t trust the products we buy to be “clean” or pure anymore! But we can trust the Lord Jesus! He will never let us down and we are just passing through on this earth anyway! Thank you for your sweet encouragement!
        God bless you!
        Jacqueline

        Reply
    9. Holly

      October 24, 2020 at 8:59 pm

      Hi. What are a few recommended tea brands that do not have so many chemicals?
      I like herbal teas.
      Thanks,
      Holly

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        October 24, 2020 at 11:26 pm

        Hi, Holly! There is a whole list in this post! I hope it is helpful! I think you must have missed it.
        Blessings, J

        Reply
    10. Maltoni Richards

      December 06, 2020 at 2:24 pm

      I am so thankful for this information. I drink tea several times a day. Lipton snd Tetley my favorites since strong.
      I am now dumping everything and send your article via whatsapp.
      Love n blessings!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        December 06, 2020 at 3:38 pm

        Maltoni! I am sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news!
        I am glad that you are making the switch!
        Here’s to your health! Enjoy!
        Jacque

        Reply

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