Many green and black tea bags contain pesticide residues, some of which are banned in France or Europe alert 60 million consumers. What other undesirable substances are present in these products? Which teas to avoid? We take stock.
“Undesirable substances found in tea bags” alerts 60 million consumers. Among the “foreign bodyfound themselves in: pesticides, insect residues, plastic, rodent hair… “This new study confirms the persistent presence of pesticides, with no less than sixteen substances detected” reports 60 million consumers. The study focused on four families of products, organic and conventional, purchased in large areas and specialized stores: 16 black teas, 12 green teas mint. For each reference, they carried out research on pesticides, heavy metals, foreign bodies, pyrrolizidine alkaloids (toxins produced naturally by several species of plants) and polyphenols (complex molecules that plants produce naturally to defend themselves against various attacks). “Three neonicotinoids, three other insecticides and a fungicide (substance preventing the development of fungi) banned in France or Europe were found in eight tea samples conventional“details magazine but”none of these substances exceeds the maximum residue limit“. Glyphosate was found in 30% of the products studied, especially black teas. Most teas contain alkaloids (produced by plants to defend themselves against herbivores, some of these molecules are known to be carcinogenic in the long term) but in very minimal quantities “not really posing any worrying health risks.” “In view of our results, only organic teas provide the guarantee of zero pesticides.“
Which teas to avoid?
The results of the study conducted by 60 million consumers give a ranking by references. Of the 3 most bad students in black tea we find :
- The brand’s Original English breakfast Twinings
- The Earl Gray of U mark
- The breakfast black tea of the Auchan brand
On the 3 worst students in green tea we find :
- Mint green tea from Cotterley brand (Intermarché)
- mint green tea Twinings
- mint green tea Britley (E. Leclerc)
On the other hand, the magazine ranks among the best black teas :
- The breakfast of Terra etica
- English breakfast organic black tea from Clipper
- The Earl Gray of Kusmi Tea
And the best green teas :
- Le Marrakech Mint green tea Clipper
- Mint green tea from Terra etica
- Fair Trade Green Tea, Mint organic garden
The study by 60 million consumers also looked on herbal teas and detox infusions. She reports the presence of rodent hair and stone and plastic fragments (especially in verbena-based infusions). Sweet Night Infusion references from Lord Nelson (Lidl) and the Green Tea Detox from Lipton are among those to avoid.
Source: “Teas, herbal teas. Cleanliness does not always infuse!“, 60 million consumers, March 2022 issue