6 replies to this topic

[pars]

If I make some bulk herbal tea and keep it in a plastic bottle /or maybe glass bottle is better?/ for several days up to a week to use it in the office, will that damage the active ingredients in any way. In particular I have in mind green tea, mate tea and chamomile.

I also have a question about the chamomile tea itself. I like it a lot, when taken consistently for some time @ 3-4 cups a day, I start feeling its effect as tonic for the body and relaxant for the mind, which for me is close to amazing /given also absolute absense of side effects/. After realising its effect I did some research on the internet to dig some more info on it. Not much on the scientific side though, and I read in a few sites that regular use in the long-term is not recommended, but the reason why was not indicated, anyone happens to know more about that?

[mitkat]

Fairly infrequent usage is okay, certain species/blends of chamomile are high in azulenes, which may theoretically cause problems with serotonin and acetylcholine levels with long term, frequent use. I also read once about not mixing with anticoagulent drugs, vitamin k, etc.

As for the tea in a bottle (glass, for sure), I can't see any big problems as long as it's out of light, kept at a stable temperature, and you don't mind a weird taste during the end of the week. I can't think of anything else, there may be degredation of polyphenols.

[Pablo M]

I may be stating the obvious, but why not brew it everyday?

[FunkOdyssey]

I've wondered about the safety of storing things long term in plastic containers. I've noticed with water for example, I can distinctly taste the plastic in the water after awhile, ESPECIALLY if it was stored in the presence of sunlight. I think that accelerates the process of seeping plastic crap into the liquid. Can't be good for you... so glass is always preferable.

If you have to go with plastic, the hard and clear type of plastic is alot better than cloudy plastic as far as taste, probably corresponding with less plastic chemical crap seeping into your drink.

[mitkat]

I work outside, and many people I work with bring a plastic water bottle to work everyday in the summer. Not only is this incredibly wasteful, as those cheap bottles get tossed everyday and have to be recycled, but like funk said, it's got to be a lower quality of plastic being used in most crap bottles, with a much easier chance of [airquote] contaminating [/airquote] up your water in the blaring sun, and some people do re-use them somedays. I use a wide-mouth polycarbonate nalgene bottle (http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com). They make some pretty awesome products, some can even be washed in an autoclave, hardcore.

And yeah, brew it everyday!!


That's right, I rock the airquotes.

[pars]

I know it's better to brew it everyday, but then I was thinking of saving some time and not carry bags to the office everyday. Thanks for your opinions anyway

[FunkOdyssey]

Get an electric tea kettle. I have one on my desk and it is the best thing that ever happened to my cubicle (until I got my two 20" dell LCD screens). I have one that looks stylish and best of all, when the water is heating up, it sounds like a rocket preparing to launch... guaranteed to produce feelings of awe and envy in your co-workers. It can even sense when the water is boiling and shuts off automatically. Its smarter than some of the people I work with.

Hamilton Beach Stainless-Steel Electric Kettle 40886 Review
April 26, 2005

Styled in stainless steel with black trim, the Hamilton Beach Stainless-Steel Electric Kettle resembles a traditional stovetop or electric percolator. Don’t be fooled by its appearance, though. The features are all modern--from the anti-scale mesh filter inside the spout to the exterior water-level indicator and ergonomic stay-cool handle. The best feature, however, is the cordless operation. A flat disk base supplies power to the kettle. When you’re ready to serve, just lift the kettle off the base and leave the cord behind. The unit has a powerful 1500-watt heating system for rapid boiling so you’ll be ready to enjoy a cup of instant coffee, tea, or cocoa in just minutes. A full pot (1.7 liters or just more than 7 cups) takes roughly 7 minutes to reach a full boil. Additional features include auto-shutoff plus boil-dry protection, concealed heating element, and wraparound cord storage.

I named mine "The New Hotness"