Organic Tea
Is Certified Tea Better?

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For tea lovers living in the Western hemisphere, here is a conundrum: We love tea. But we can't grow it in our own backyard.

We rely on third world countries in Asia, South America and Africa for much of our supply. We know there are pollution and regulatory problems in some of these places.

The questions are:

• Is organic tea higher quality?

• Does it justify higher prices?

• Does it taste better?

• What can go wrong in our quest for pollution-free tea?

• And finally, how do we position ourselves as well-informed consumers without falling prey to opportunistic merchants?

In the United States, any organic certified food must meet the National Organic Program (NOP) standards set by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Here is what USDA defines as organic:

• The farm emphasizes the use of renewable resources.

• It does not use most conventional pesticides.

• It does not use fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge.

Organic tea does not necessarily mean higher quality. There are two reasons for this.

• Teas that are grown free of conventional pesticides and synthetic fertilizers can still be contaminated. The air and soil might have been polluted by factories and road traffic around.

You can grow your own organic tea in your own backyard not using any insecticide or fertilizer.

Even if you live in cities like Beijing or Los Angeles, you can get your tea certified organic, but this won't protect you from the environmental pollution.

Higher quality teas are found in high altitudes away from human activities.

• Camellia sinensis tea plants like it wet. They thrive in high mountain areas with their moderate climates, damp conditions and rich soil.

Clearly there are not a lot of these places left. A low-lying plantation that follows organic farming will compare poorly to its high altitude cousin.

Many experienced tea drinkers I know don't buy organic. They rely on their palates, which leads to this question: Does taste correspond to quality?

Personally, I think it does, especially when you are drinking loose tea without adding any sweeteners or flavorings.

If your organic tea doesn't taste good, listen. Your body is trying to tell you something!

Sometimes, a so-called organic tea is just a marketing gimmick.

This is especially true in third world countries, where laws are difficult to enforce and corruption is rampant.

Personally, I will buy only from reputable vendors, and sell brands that are transparent about their tea gardens.

I will also be guided by my palate.

When buying teas online, you can choose either to buy from a US website or from a tea shop based in China or India.

Some people perceive a locally based tea shop to be higher quality. They feel that low quality is more likely to sneak through mail parcels than cargoes.

I think there is some truth in this. However, let's straighten it a bit more.

Whether you buy tea from a Western or Asian merchant, you are just choosing who you want to do business with.

As long as your tea shop is open and transparent about their tea gardens, you are safe in the knowledge of the ultimate source of your cup of tea.

Whether your tea shop is based in America or India, does it make a difference?

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