Toxic Teas To Avoid

Although tea is widely thought to be a healthier source of caffeine than coffee, soda or energy drinks, conventional tea brands have been shown to contain high levels of toxic substances such as fluoride and pesticides, artificial ingredients, added flavors and GMOs(modified corn starch and soy lecithin).The levels found in these products are so high that they are considered unsafe for consumption. As with most products, all tea is not created equal. Opting to save a few dollars on cheaper tea can cost you a lot more when it comes to your health.

Conventional Teas May Contain Fluoride and Pesticides

Most tea isn’t washed before it is distributed into bags. If the tea was sprayed with pesticides, those pesticides will wind up directly in your cup. Many non-organic tea brands have been found to contain pesticides that are known carcinogens. Popular tea brands often get away with listing “natural flavors” as an ingredient, causing many consumers to think they are buying better, cleaner ingredients. But there is a whole list of what “natural flavors” could mean.

Reports from India and China find high levels of banned pesticides in tea products, pointing to a lack of enforcement on pesticide use in major tea exporting countries. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consistently finds high levels of illegal residues on imported Tea that eventually finds its way to the American consumer. These include permethrin (a synthetic pyrethroid, linked to cancer and endocrine system disruption), DDE (a metabolite of DDT, banned in the U.S. in 1972), heptachlor epoxide (a derivative of the pesticide heptachlor, which was banned in the U.S. for use in agriculture and as a termiticide due to its carcinogenicity and persistence in the environment) and acetamiprid (a bee-toxic neonicotinoid). These issues increase consumer exposure to a dangerous blend of pesticides in conventional tea.

Where Does The Fluoride Come From?

Tea plants absorb fluoride from soil and accumulate it as they grow, so older leaves contain the most fluoride. Cheaper quality teas are often made from older tea leaves, which contain more fluoride. These teas also contain the least amount of anti-oxidants, lessening the health benefits associated with drinking tea. See our full article on the dangers of neurotoxic Fluoride

Which Brands Contain The Most Toxins?

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation actually conducted an investigation on several popular international tea companies, including:

Tetley
Lipton
Twinnings
No Name
Uncle Lee’s Legends of China
King Cole
Signal

Alarmingly, the CBC found that half of the tea brands contained a level of toxins that exceeded the legal limit. The worst offenders were:

King Cole, which contained the monocrotophos – a chemical that is currently in the process of being banned, as it causes irregular heartbeat and even coma.
Uncle Lee’s Legends of China, which contained more than 20 types of pesticides. One was endosulfan, which causes nervous system damage.
No Name, which contained more than 10 pesticide types.

A study conducted by EuroFins (a worldwide analytic testing company) 91% of Celestial Seasonings teas contained levels of pesticides that exceed the US federal limits. Considering all of the other toxins and poisons that the FDA lets slide by, this is very alarming. When Celestial Seasonings started in 1969, it was “founded on the belief that all natural teas could help people live healthier lives.” Maybe that was the case in 1969 because there weren’t as many pesticides being sprayed, but in this day and age we have to be wary of the products we are consuming. <source>

How To Avoid Toxic Chemicals in Tea

You don’t need to stop drinking tea altogether to keep yourself safe from harmful toxins or pesticides that may be lurking in your cup. After all, tea is the source of some amazing health benefits. So what’s the solution?

Try switching to white tea. It has the least amount of fluoride because it’s made from young leaves.
Be sure to buy loose leaf tea or brew your own tea from scratch.
Buy organic! Choose a non-GMO certified brand of tea.
Check the ingredient list to make sure there are no added flavors or GMO ingredients added to the tea leaves.
Many restaurants use tea brands that are known to be full of pesticides, so be careful about ordering tea while out to eat.
Know the correct brewing times for certain types of tea. Black or Pu-reh teas should be steeped for 3-5 minutes; white or green teas should be steeped for 2-3 minutes; Oolong teas should be steeped for 4-7 minutes; and herbal teas should be left to steep for five minutes at minimum, longer for a stronger tea.