Loose Tea

The tea leaves are packaged loosely in a canister or other container. Rolled gunpowder leaves, which resist crumbling, are commonly vacuum packed for freshness in aluminized packaging for storage and retail. The consumer for use in a cup, mug, or teapot  must individually measure the portions. This allows greater flexibility, letting the consumer brew weaker or stronger tea as desired, but convenience is sacrificed. Strainers, "tea presses", filtered teapots, and infusion bags are available commercially to avoid having to drink the floating loose leaves and to prevent over-brewing. A more traditional, yet perhaps more effective way around this problem is to use a three-piece lidded teacup, called a Gawain. The lid of the Gawain can be tilted to decant the leaves while pouring the tea into a different cup for consumption.

Tea Bag

In 1907, American tea merchant Thomas Sullivan began distributing samples of his tea in small silk bags with a drawstring. Consumers noticed that they could simply leave the tea in the bag, and better still re-use it with fresh tea. However, the potential of this distribution/packaging method would not be fully realized until later on. During World War II, tea was rationed. In 1953 (after rationing in the UK ended), Tetley launched the tea bag to the UK and it was an immediate success. Tea leaves are packed into a small (usually paper) tea bag. It is easy and convenient, making tea bags popular for many people today. However, the tea used in tea bags has an industry name - it is called "fanning" or "dust" and is the waste product produced from the sorting of higher quality loose leaf tea. It is commonly held among tea aficionados that this method provides an inferior taste and experience. Many can also taste the paper used for the bag, which can detract from the tea's flavor. Because fanning and dust are a lower quality of the tea to begin with, the tea found in tea bags is less finicky when it comes to brewing time and temperature.

Storage

Tea has a shelf life that varies with storage conditions and type of tea. Black tea has a longer shelf life than green tea. Some teas such as flower teas may go bad in a month or so. An exception, Pu-erh tea improves with age. Tea stays freshest when stored in a dry, cool, dark place in an airtight container. Black tea stored in a bag inside a sealed opaque canister may keep for two years. Green tea loses its freshness more quickly, usually in less than a year. Gunpowder tea, its leaves being tightly rolled, keeps longer than the more open-leafed  Chun Mee tea. Storage life for all teas can be extended by using desiccant packets or oxygen absorbing packets, and by vacuum sealing. When storing green tea, discreet use of refrigeration or freezing is recommended. In particular, tea drinkers need to take precautions against temperature variation. 

In summary: (black tea)

It is well known that fruit and vegetables are good sources of antioxidants; however what is less well known is the presence of antioxidants in tea. The major group of antioxidants in tea is flavonoids that appear to be digested, absorbed and metabolized by the body. Furthermore, as well as demonstrating antioxidant activity in vitro they also appear to have anti-oxidative potential in vivo. The benefit this action may have to promoting good health provides a promising area of research for future human studies. So as well as eating more fruit and vegetables, antioxidant intake can be topped up by drinking more tea, helping to promote overall health and well-being.