Earlier this week, a news involving tea went viral on X, formerly Twitter. Chemistry professor Michelle Francl, who works at the Bryn Mawr College in the United States, claimed that adding a pinch of salt improves the overall taste of tea to brew a perfect cup. Her observations are published in the book, Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea, published on Wednesday by the Royal Society of Chemistry, reported the news agency the Associated Press (AP). The story also noted, “The product of three years' research and experimentation, the book explores more than 100 chemical compounds found in tea and “puts the chemistry to use with advice on how to brew a better cup,” its publisher says. Francl says adding a small amount of salt - not enough to taste – helps cut bitterness. She also advocates making tea in a pre-warmed pot, agitating the bag briefly but vigorously and serving in a short, stout mug to preserve the heat. And she says milk should be added to the cup after the tea, not before – another issue that often divides tea-lovers.”
Francl's findings brewed quite a storm amidst tea lovers in Britain. They were outraged, and took to X, to share their love for tea and the ritual of adding sugar. Their ire drew a response from the US-embassy in London who shared a witty post on X that said: “Let us unite in our steeped solidarity and show the world that when it comes to tea, we stand as one. The US Embassy will continue to make tea in the proper way - by microwaving it.”
While social media wars continue to brew, the practice of adding salt to tea is an ancient wisdom. In India, Kashmiris and Bengalis have been stirring in salt to make noon chai and lebu cha for decades. To know how to make a perfect cup of lebu cha, take a look at the video:
