Ever read through your tea ingredients and felt totally lost? You’re not alone. We know science-y words like “citric acid” and “dextrose” can be a total turn off. But what if we told you these weird-sounding ingredients are just another way of saying “lemon juice” and “simple sugar”? We think a lot about everything that goes into your tea – and we know you do too. So we wanted to give you the lowdown on those mysterious ingredients you might have seen in your favourite teas or snacks. Read on to get the deets!
Citric Acid
You know that glass of lemon water you like to drink every morning? You might be surprised to know it contains one of our most popular tea ingredients: citric acid. Sounds scary, but this ingredient is actually a natural preservative found in citrus fruits. Simply put, citric acid is just another fancy nutrition word we use for lemon juice.
We add citric acid to juicy blends like Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait, Honeycrisp Apple and ME to WE Tea to keep your tea extra fresh and make sure those delicious fruit pieces don’t brown . It’s like squeezing fresh lemon juice onto your avocadoes to keep them from browning – works like a tart little charm.
Sulfites
Sulfites are like the unsung heroes of the beverage world. They’ve got preservative and antioxidant superpowers that help those dried pieces of apple, pineapple and mango from browning and losing their amazing flavour. Bonus: they also prevent harmful bacteria from setting up camp in your favourite blend!
Sulfites are pretty common in dried fruit, especially brightly coloured gems like apricots and cranberries. Did we mention they’re also found in wine? Surprise!
Dextrose
Meet glucose’s twin, dextrose. Derived from starchy plants like corn, this simple sugar serves an important purpose in loose leaf teas. Love those creamy coconut blends we create? Dextrose’s supernatural abilities make sure those gorgeous coconut flakes stay extra crisp and delish.
It also has a cooling taste that perfectly complements the flavours of the ingredient it sweetens, and natural preservative qualities – so that big ol’ tin of Chocolate Macaroon stays fresh for as long as it takes you to drink it (ours usually don’t last that long, tbh). Talk about a powerful ingredient!
Stevia extract
Fun fact: stevia extract is more than 10 times sweeter than sugar – with none of the calories! This succulent natural ingredient comes from the stevia plant, and has been used to sweeten teas and medicines in Brazil and Paraguay for over 1,500 years.
You guys know we love a good classic (Earl Grey with a splash of milk? Pure comfort) – but we also can’t get enough of sweet and fruity iced teas like Goji Green or Pink Lemonade, which is why we’re big fans of stevia as a natural sugar alternative. Many of our teas and infusions contain stevia extract because its sweetness helps bring out the delicious flavours in our iceable blends – especially the ones that are packed with juicy fruit. It’s the perfect way to stay cool and satisfy those afternoon cravings at the same time.
