Some tea aficionados insist that squeezing the teabag can release tannins, which makes the tea taste bitter. But there is nothing special about tannins that keeps them safely trapped in the bag until you squeeze it.
Longer brewing times mean higher concentrations of all the flavour compounds, including tannins, which makes for a stronger cuppa. Squeezing just accelerates the process slightly because you don’t need to wait for the molecules to diffuse out passively. Some teabags are actually sold with drawstrings, to make squeezing the bag even easier.
Read more:
- Is it possible to drink too much tea?
- Does stirring a cup of tea make it cool quicker?
- Why does the clinking sound go down in pitch when I stir sugar into my coffee?
- Do tea and coffee dehydrate you?
Subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun facts.
