There’s nothing better than a nice steaming hot cup of tea, am I right? I don’t know about you, but I love tea, and drink it pretty much whenever I can and almost always in the evening. Tea can offer so many different health benefits that give you antioxidants and nutrients, can boost the immune system, help burn fat, aid in digestion and even protect against cancer. All these benefits  you may miss out on if your tea just happens to be soaked in toxic pesticides  like most generic brands are, unfortunately.

CBC News conducted an investigation to test the pesticide levels in some of the most major-tea brands that we see in supermarkets, at restaurants and what many of us have in our homes. They found that over half of all of the teas that were tested had levels of pesticide residue that were above what was accepted legally. A wide variety of chemicals were found in 8 or the 10 teas that were tested, one contained over 22 different types of chemical pesticides.

Pesticides Linked To A Variety Of Ailments

Numerous studies have revealed that various pesticides are linked to cancer, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, reproductive issues, birth defects and more. Pesticides can cause harm to the nervous and endocrine system disrupting hormones. Pesticides can harm babies in utero and even cause birth defects.

The use of pesticides is generally accepted because they are supposed to be below a legal limit, but what is often not considered is that pesticides can accumulate within the body and cause severe damage over time.

A study conducted by researchers from RMIT university, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that following an organic diet for just one week significantly reduced pesticide exposure in adults.

Thirteen participants were randomly selected to consume a diet consisting of at least 80% organic or conventional food for seven days, afterwards crossing over to the alternative diet from which they started. Scientists analyzed urinary levels of pesticides and discovered that urinary dialkylphosphates (DAPs) measurements were 89% lower when participants ate an organic diet for seven days compared to a conventional diet for the same amount of time.

The researchers also discuss the complicated history of pesticide use:

“To understand this controversial issue it is helpful to look at the history of pesticide use. Prior to World War II, the pesticides that we use now did not yet exist. Some pesticides currently in use were in fact developed during the World War II for use in warfare. The organophosphate insecticides were developed as nerve gases, and the phenoxy herbicides, including 2,4-D (the most commonly used herbicide in Canada), were created to eradicate the Japanese rice crop, and later used as a component of Agent Orange to defoliate large areas in jungle warfare. After World War II, these chemicals began to be used as pesticides in agricultural production, for environmental spraying of neighbourhoods for mosquito eradication, and for individual home and garden use.”

The Most Toxic Tea Brands

• Lipton (Pure Green Tea, Yellow Label and Black Tea)
• Tetley
• Twinning
• Red Rose
• No Name
  Uncle Lee’s Legends of China (Green and Jasmine Green Tea)
• King Cole
• Signal

It’s kind of ironic because some of the names like “Pure Green Tea” are nothing more than a marketing ploy to make you feel believe that it is all natural, this is exactly why organic is always a better choice.

Toxic Tea Bags

So, if the alarming levels of pesticides wasn’t enough to get you to make the switch, perhaps the epichlorohydrin that is used to treat these tea bags to ensure that they do not disintegrate or tear, will. This chemical, epichlorohydrin is a chlorinated epoxy compound that is used as an industrial solvent. It is not only a strong skin irritant, but also a known carcinogen. According to Dow, it is a very dangerous chemical that requires a special handling procedure, and yep, that’s right – the tea bag companies mentioned above use this chemical to spray their bags. That chemical is not only being absorbed into our skin, but it’s being extracted in hot water and then consumed. Yuck.

So, What Are Our Options?

Your absolute best bet is to purchase organic lose leaf tea and a stainless steel or silicon strainer. This will ensure that you aren’t sipping back a slew of toxic pesticides and chemical laden teabags. This option is obviously much less wasteful as well and in turn better for the environment.

L0ose leaf teas are also much less processed, and while purchasing organic teas from the store can get expensive, you can very easily make your own blends by purchasing organic herbs in bulk and concocting your very own creations.

Tea can either be very medicinal and great for your body, or it can be a hot cup of chemicals that can interfere with the natural processes of your body and accumulate in it over a long period of  time. If tea is something that you like to consume on a regular basis, like me, then it is probably a good idea to get good quality, organic teas from ethically sourced and sustainable companies.

Be Change

Making this decision to know what you are purchasing, putting into your body and contributing to is something that you can implement in every aspect of your life. The more people who seek out and choose organic teas from companies that support global sustainability will inevitably cause the generic tea companies to either shut down or change their ways as well as adopt better business practices. Vote with your dollar and put your money where your mouth is! This is one way that we can all BE CHANGE.