WHEN brewing your perfect cuppa, could you fathom putting the milk in first? New research recommends doing just that.

 

You said ‘no’, right?

Most of us surely would not put the milk in the cup before even the teabag, but new scientific research advises it is the best method of making a perfect cup of tea.

 

How so?

According to Professor Alan Mackie, Chair of Colloid Chemistry at the School of Food Science and Nutrition at Leeds University, the milk first method ensures a superior flavour as the milk helps counteract hard water - an issue which affects more than half of Britons.  

 

But the process is sacrosanct?

For most Brits, making a cup of tea is a ritual, involving getting your favoured cup, a tea bag, boiling water, removing the bag, adding milk and enjoying.

 

The science says otherwise, though?

Water increases in hardness as the level of minerals increases, with more than 350 parts per million deemed to be 'aggressively hard', according to water filter firm Aqua Cure. Below 100ppm is regarded as soft and water above 101ppm is hard. And Prof Mackie says this is where the milk can play a key role.

 

The minerals can affect flavour?

Prof Mackie says: “Flavour by and large is produced by the different compounds in tea, including tannins in particular. The more minerals present in water the more difficult it is for these compounds to develop the flavour - resulting in the dull cuppas you get in hard water areas. Making tea the traditional way - steeping a bag in hot water before removing it and adding milk - results in the tannins turning into solids before they can develop the flavour properly.”

 

But?

He says “if the milk is added at the start of the steeping process then its proteins can bind to the tannins and other minerals in the water - preventing them from turning solid - which in turn gives you a far superior flavour.”

 

Social media was outraged?

It doesn’t take much to spark outrage on social media, but this did set the heather on fire. Among those to be stunned was BBC Breakfast host Louise Minchin. Her co-host, Dan Walker, tweeted: "This has well and truly appalled Louise.”

 

It became a class issue?

The milk first rule is said to have become a status issue in the 18th century after potter Josiah Spode created bone china teacups that were high quality and expensive and didn't crack when filled with boiling hot tea. However, those who could not afford Spode continued to put milk in first and status became an issue.

 

Tea is still tops?

According to the UK Tea & Infusions Association, 98% of people take milk with their tea, but only 30% take sugar, while 96% of tea taken in the UK is from teabags. And in a single day, approximately 100 million cups are enjoyed - almost 36 billion per year - compared to 70 million cups of coffee.

 

Good news?

New research has found that just two to three cups of tea a day can help boost brain and mind health. The benefits are outlined in a study in the Journal of Human Nutrition. One author Dr Gill Jenkins, a Bristol-based GP, said: "We found clear benefits across a range of measures including blood flow to the brain, attention, focus, mood and stress reduction. We instinctively know a cup of tea can make us feel better - now we know there's science to show tea really can make a difference.”