Tea bag facts for kids
A tea bag is a small bag that holds tea leaves. People put it into a cup with hot, boiling water. This makes the tea. Tea bags can be made from paper or even silk. Many tea bags have a string to help you take them out of your cup. Sometimes, people use a teaspoon to remove the bag.
Contents
What is a Tea Bag?
A tea bag is like a small pouch for tea. It lets the hot water flow through the tea leaves inside. This way, the tea flavor mixes with the water. It's a very easy way to make a single cup of tea.
How Tea Bags Are Used
Using a tea bag is simple. First, you place the tea bag into an empty cup. Next, you pour hot water over the bag. The tea leaves inside the bag will release their color and flavor into the water. After a few minutes, you can take the tea bag out. You can then enjoy your fresh cup of tea!
Materials Tea Bags Are Made From
Most tea bags are made from special paper. This paper is thin enough for water to pass through. Some tea bags are made from silk or other materials. These materials are safe for food and do not change the taste of the tea. Some newer tea bags are even made from bioplastic. This is a type of plastic that comes from plants.
Different Shapes of Tea Bags
Tea bags come in different shapes. The most common shape is a small square or rectangle. But you can also find round tea bags. Some tea bags are shaped like a pyramid or a tetrahedron. These pyramid shapes give the tea leaves more room to move around. This can help the tea flavor come out better.
History of Tea Bags
Tea bags were first used in the early 1900s. A tea merchant named Thomas Sullivan started sending tea samples in small silk bags. People thought these bags were meant to be put directly into the hot water. They liked how easy it was to use them. Soon, tea companies started making bags just for this purpose. This made making tea much faster and simpler for everyone.
Images for kids
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Tetrahedron-shaped tea bags made of polylactide (PLA), a bioplastic, shown here containing dried peppermint leaves
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Three different teas in tea bags
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Circular tea bags
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Tetrahedral nylon tea bag
See also
In Spanish: Bolsita de té para niños
