Out of the bag: A primer

Philadelphia Inquirer, The, August, 2008 by Dianna Marder Inquirer Staff Writer

Tea is credited with lowering cholesterol, protecting bones, bolstering the body's immune defenses, and accelerating metabolism. Not only that, it reportedly softens your skin, adds shine to your hair, soothes tired feet and eyes, cures minor rashes and bug bites, and can be useful as a garden fertilizer.

Add it when you're cooking to enhance the flavor of rice or poached fish. Tea can even be used in fortune-telling. But tea is perhaps best as a beverage, and tea-drinking is definitely on the rise in this country, with 55 billion cups served in 2007, the 16th year consumption has increased. Only a taste will tell if you agree with the experts who insist that loose leaves make a far superior cup of tea. But if you're thinking of making the switch from bagged to loose, here...