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Red Blossom Blog

5 Teas That Don't Need Sugar

5 Teas That Don't Need Sugar

Adding sugar to tea is a time honored tradition in the western world. And historically, this makes a lot of sense. Teas imported to western Europe were produced in mass quantity, chopped and compressed for maximum space efficiency, and then spent several months on a humid ship, inevitably going a bit stale in the process. For stronger flavor, the broken tea leaves were steeped for longer periods, after which milk and sugar were added to offset the bitterness inherent in the brew.

So while there’s nothing inherently wrong with adding sugar or milk, we often compare tea with additives to sangria. Adding fruit to a cheap wine is likely to improve the flavor, but adding fruit to an high quality bottle only masks the subtle complexities in the wine itself. Basically, it's a waste. 

Luckily, there are many teas with complex flavor and an undeniable natural sweetness. Here are five options in a wide range of styles that don’t need any sweeteners to feel like a treat.

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What is Royal Courtesan Tea?

What is Royal Courtesan Tea?

Among the poetic English names given to Chinese teas, Royal Courtesan is a relative newcomer. According to legend, the leaves of this bug bitten oolong had the grace and poise of an imperial concubine, inspiring the name. But as with Milk Oolong, or any other generalized tea name, “Royal Courtesan” doesn’t offer much information about the tea you’re drinking. Vague labels like this are often used to increase the perceived value of mediocre tea.

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What is Milk Oolong Tea?

What is Milk Oolong Tea?

In the world of tea there are many poetic names. Usually, tea varieties are named for either a key characteristic of the tea’s appearance or taste, or the tea’s legendary origin.

However, there are also names that refer to broad categories of teas. These nonspecific terms can easily be misused. "Milk Oolong" and "Silk Oolong" are general terms that are commonly used, but not commonly understood. These terms are applied to teas across a wide spectrum of quality. In this article, we’ll be clarifying just what kinds of teas these terms are actually describing.

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