Gluten in teas - other Celiac or Gluten-Intolerant people want to start a master list?
We use gluten-free flavorings. I’m pretty sure that all of our teas are gluten-free but feel free to ask us any questions and we can verify that. Also, our chocolate chips are gluten-free and our fruits have nothing added to them.
Welcome to the community Trinity,
As you’ve no doubt found through your research—tea is naturally gluten free. Gluten issues arise when packers/blenders use additives for flavor—this is especially true for fruit-flavored teas. (as a side note—the fruit you see in those teas is just-for-looks, the real flavor from those teas comes from the the natural and artificial flavors doused on the leaves). Also, issues can arrive in manufacturing if the teas are processed on equipment contaminated by wheat.
There are many, many great tea companies selling gluten-free tea. Hugo Tea (www.hugotea.com) is one of them as well. We don’t use any flavoring or additives of any kind—everything is 100% Organic and Natural Tea.
We know that pallets differ. If you like flavored tea, you should consider testing out some non-flavored teas that have sweet or fruity notes naturally. Our Steamed Cloud, for example, is quite sweet and airy despite being 100% tea. Our Morning’s Journey has notes of chocolate and grape. Of course, these tastes will be more subtle than flavored teas, but we think there is something to be said about drinking tea and only tea. 100% tea.
Thanks for being a Tea-Drinker.
Cheers,
Hugo Tea Team
www.hugotea.com
“the fruit you see in those tea is just-for looks”. That statement is not necessarily accurate. Before I put any ingredient in a tea, I brew it and taste test it on its own. Freeze dried fruits in particular can add a substantial amount of flavor. Fruit rinds can also be quite flavorful. For instance, our Blueberry Purple Tea has very little flavoring. The majority of flavor is coming from the freeze dried fruit. We also have an herbal blend that uses only fruit & chamomile with no flavoring and that is pretty fruity. Most fruits that I have tasted on their own have at least imparted some flavor. Regular dried fruit tends to add only a little flavor and fruits with sugar will bring out the flavorings more but there are many fruit ingredients that do add a fair amount to the flavor.
What’s to be said about drinking only 100% tea? Why does drinking flavored tea have such a stigma yet drinking plain tea is somehow righteous? While, 95% of the tea I drink is unflavored I can certainly appreciate a well crafted flavored tea. There is an art to flavoring tea and creating a flavor that works with the tea. Just posing a question to think about.
We certainly drink flavored teas as well—we’re suckers for blueberries. And of course there is no right way to blend tea. And no wrong way. And just the same there will be those that appreciate drinking 100% tea, and those for whom the makeup doesn’t matter at all.
I suppose what is to be said is that, more often than not, we prefer to taste tea and only tea. Not that flavorings can’t add their own excitement. We, for one, respect your blending quite thoroughly.
Cheers!
I agree, I do prefer drinking my teas plain for the most part as well. Though I certainly enjoy indulging in a flavored tea too. Thank you, that is nice of you to say.
“We know that pallets differ.”
Palates do also. ;-)
(Sorry, feeling snarky today)
Yes! That is so great. Pallets do differ—we have seen them in many colors and varieties. :-)
@trinity. I was about to offer that correction myself! I’ve actually seen a (very small) tea co. use “pallet” instead of “palate” in their marketing materials and it made me cringe!
Culinary Teas says via email that all their tea is gluten-free. No info available on their web site.
Not to be a jerk, but, if you get tea that’s, well, tea (that is, no flavors or additives), I think this shouldn’t be a concern.
Will – trust me, when you’re on a restricted diet, sometimes a little variation is fun. And besides, pure tea could be processed and packaged in a building where gluten or other allergens are present. Employee goes to lunch and eats a peanut butter sandwich then doesn’t wash and cover appropriately = problems for us.
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