The foaming of tea soup is mainly attributed to three high-quality components:
1. Tea saponin (core reason)
This is a natural substance inherent in tea leaves, with an exceptionally strong foaming ability and a slightly bitter and astringent taste. It is not a bad thing; on the contrary, it has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and is also the key to the rich flavor of tea. Simply put: the richer the foam, the more flavorful the tea.
2. Tea leaves and tea hairs
For tender bud teas like Biluochun and Maojian, the tea leaves come with fine and dense hairs on their surface. After pouring water, these hairs will float on the surface and mix with the foam, making it look turbid. However, this is actually a testament to the freshness and tenderness of the tea leaves, and it is completely harmless.
3.Natural extract of tea leaves
When brewing broken tea or broken black tea, nutrients are released more quickly and it is easier to create bubbles, which is a normal brewing phenomenon.
❌ Misconception: Does the presence of tea foam indicate poor-quality tea leaves?
Absolutely wrong! The quality of tea foam has nothing to do with the quality of tea leaves.
Compared to the quality of tea leaves, the brewing technique has a greater impact: high-speed pouring and agitation of water flow result in more foam; gentle low-speed pouring and steady water injection result in less foam. The quality of tea leaves cannot be fundamentally judged solely based on the amount of foam.
