Is Your Teabag Still Good to Use After Its Expiration Date?
Wondering if those expired teabags buried in your pantry are still good to drink? The answer may surprise you! Even
though teabags have expiration dates, the fact that it’s past the date doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gone bad. Before
you
throw in the tea towel, find out if your old teabags are still safe to drink and how to store different teas properly to help
them stay fresher longer.
Are teabags safe to drink after they expire?
Yes, tea is safe to drink after the date on the package.Tea actually has "best by" or "sell by" dates, not expiration dates. Manufacturers place “best if used by” dates on
beverages such as tea to estimate when they will start to lose flavor and freshness, whereas expiration dates tell you
when a product will be unsafe to consume.
Teabags can still be safe to drink after the "best by" date. Some teas may stay flavorful for many months after
the “best if used by" date passes. So don’t be put off if you pull old teabags out of the cabinet and discover
they’re 2, 5, or even 10 years old. They may still make delicious cups of brew.
Some teabags can go bad well before the "best by" date. That date means nothing if the tea has been
improperly stored and allowed to absorb too much moisture. Always check teabags thoroughly before you brew with them to ensure they haven’t spoiled.
The term “go bad” can be subjective when it comes to old teabags. Any bags with mold or discoloration on them or a rotting smell should go in the trash. But if the only thing wrong with it is a lack of smell or flavor, you can
feel safe drinking it.
Signs Your Teabags Have Gone Bad
Mold growth is almost always a bad sign, whether it’s in tea or any other food or beverage. If you see any
green, white, or black spots on the teabag or on the leaves, discard it immediately! Consuming moldy tea will
expose you to mycotoxins and make you sick.
Even fresh storebought teabags can grow mold. The presence or lack of mold often depends on factors
outside of your control, like where the tea leaves were grown and how the manufacturer processed and
stored them.
No scent or moldy, stale smell
Most teas lose their scent the longer they’re stored. If your teabags don’t have any smell whatsoever,
that means the tea you brew with them won’t taste like anything, either. You can still drink it, though, if
you don’t mind the lack of flavor.
Meanwhile, a moldy, smoky, or stale smell means your teabags are moist and the tea has degraded
With certain types of tea, you may be able to tell if it’s optimal for brewing by the color of the
leaves in the teabag. Color changes are most obvious in green tea, as fresh green tea leaves should
be light green, not brown or golden.
If the appearance and smell of your old teabags don’t tell you anything, try making a cup. Take a sip, and if the flavor is stale or bitter, you know it won’t be pleasant to drink.
Tips for Storing Teabags to Keep Them Fresh
Store teabags in an airtight container.This will minimize their exposure to oxygen, sunlight, and moisture, all of which can encourage your tea to spoil faster. It will also help your tea stay pleasant to drink for as long as possible!
Choose a tin, glass, ceramic, or metal container with a strong lid.Avoid a plastic container, since that material absorbs smells and could alter the flavor of your tea. Purchase separate containers for each variety of tea to keep their flavor and scent profiles distinguishable.Avoid exposing your teabags to sunlight.The light and heat from the sun will degrade the tea and cause it to lose its color, scent, and flavor faster. Use an opaque container that fully blocks light from penetrating through to your teabags.Keep teabags separate from other items with strong odors.Tea leaves absorb flavors from whatever they’re stored with that has a potent scent. Don’t, for example, store your black tea next to an herbal tea or a coffee tin.Avoid storing your teabags in a hot area like the stove.Heat encourages oxidation in tea leaves, which causes them to change flavor. The only heat you want to
apply to your teabags is boiling water!
Store teabags in a cool, dry pantry or cabinet. The closed in environment will enhance the tea’s
freshness and provide an extra layer of protection against the elements.
How Long Different Teas Stay Fresh
Green tea and white tea have a 1-year shelf life.These are mellow drinks that don’t undergo any fermentation during processing, unlike black and oolong tea. Drink them before they lose their potency to take advantage of their health benefits.
Green tea, in particular, has several health benefits, including cancer-fighting antioxidants.
Matcha, which is green tea as a powder, loses flavor after 3-6 months.After that, its color, taste, and scent will begin to deteriorate. Fresh matcha has a strong green color and a
prominent grassy flavor that some find offputting and others can’t get enough of!
Black tea stays fresh for approximately 2 years.Black tea leaves are completely oxidized after they’re picked, giving them a bolder, stronger flavor than
green or white tea. Drinking this variety has been shown to reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, and the risks of stroke and cancer.
Some oolong teas are good to drink for 2 years.Their leaves are only partly fermented and fall between green tea and black tea in their flavor profile.
Oolongs have also been linked to reducing the risks of hypertension and death from cardiovascular disease.
Herbal teas remain fresh up to 2 years after purchase.These aren’t made of tea leaves, but different types of herbs that are boiled in water to extract their flavors. Those herbs include popular flavors like peppermint, spearmint, chamomile, ginger, vanilla, and fruit
essence.
Pu’erh tea is fermented and can last for decades.During processing, the leaves are left to dry with microbial bacteria still in them. The bacteria remain in the
leaves after they dry and, if you keep it long enough, will ferment the tea and transform its flavor.