It turns out there's a scientifically correct way to make the perfect cup of tea - and hardly any of us have been doing it right.
A chemical engineer has run the numbers and we hate to say it, but it's actually better to pour your milk in before your water. We were shocked too.
Dr Andrew Stapley of Loughborough University conducted the research and found that there are a few benefits to making your tea milk first.
.png)
Not only that, but we should be pouring tea into the milk - not the other way around!
Advert
The scientist's research found that if you pour milk into a piping hot cup of tea, the milk will heat unevenly.
This will cause the proteins in your milk to 'denature' (alter the natural quality of), which is the main culprit for the floaty bits that appear at the top of your mug.
It also causes the milk to lose its flavour in the tea-making process.
On top of that, pouring your milk into the mug before the hot water can help to counteract hard water! The proteins in milk can lower the mineral content of your water and bring back the flavour to an otherwise dull cuppa.
Dr Stapley's scientifically tested guide to a perfect cup of tea is as follows:
- Use Assam tea
- Use a clean, warm china or earthenware pot
- Add one spoonful of tea (or tea bag) per cup
- Use freshly drawn water, boiled once only to retain as much oxygen as possible to bind with tea polyphenols
- Avoid hard water (calcium ions) to prevent tea “scum”
- Best flavour is achieved using a high temperature, but short time infusion
- Stir the teapot
- Leave to brew for 3 minutes
- Add the tea to the milk – rather than the other way around
- Add sugar if you like but only use white sugar and not too much
- Drink tea at 60-65°C
.png)
While we can all appreciate Dr Stapley's hard work and research devoted to helping us make the best cup of tea, we're probably going to stick to our usual method!
Featured Image Credit: Pexels/ShutterstockTopics: Food and Drink