The discreet charme of water. A guide to choose the right water for herbal teas
Mineral, filtered, bottled... water is one of the factors that most influence the taste and yield of a herbal tea. In this article we explain why.
When preparing a herbal tea, there are many factors that come into play. First, the differences between tea, and tea infusion, infusion times, ingredients, etc. We have already explained how to make a herbal tea what we haven’t talked about yet is water.
Seemingly obvious, water is the first fundamental ingredient in the yield of your infusion. So let’s start from the basics to recognize and choose the water to prepare a herbal tea.
Prepare an herbal tea: tap water
Apart from the fresh water of the mountain stream and the good quality bottled spring water, filtered tap water is generally the best option for preparing an infusion and is undoubtedly the most sustainable hypothesis. For a correct extraction of your infusion, hard water must always be filtered. To evaluate the characteristics of your water, bring to boiling point, and if you can still feel the smell of minerals, it might mean that the water is too hard, maybe you should consider filtering it. A normal Brita filter is sufficient, but there are also more sophisticated water filters on the market.
Prepare an herbal tea: bottled water
If tap water is particularly calcareous, it is better to consider using bottled water to prepare herbal tea. Mineral water is too hard, because it is rich in minerals and can infuse a metallic flavor to the infusion. Distilled water, on the other hand, is too soft – as it is low in minerals – and will make herbal tea a flat drink. In short, as the ancients said, virtue lies in the middle.
The quality bottled spring water is therefore the optimal one for a perfect infusion.
The best spring water for your infusions should be neutral in pH (about 7) and flavor. It should have a low fixed residues of up to 100 parts per million (PPM) or less.
For passionate infusion drinkers, it is advisable to evaluate the cost and environmental impact of using bottled water and possibly choose glass water or a filter. Always remember that water is the main ingredient when preparing a herbal tea and is a very important detail, though often underestimated. Even an infusion or herbal tea produced with carefully selected raw materials, can in fact be ruined by an improper infusion.
Source of healthy and overflowing life, water is the starting point towards a sustainable and conscious lifestyle. It is therefore important to recognize and sublimate its value with awareness and naturalness. Just like a good cup of Wilden.herbals tea.