Teas, infusions and herbal teas: What are the differences?

To help you become an expert on tea, infusions, and herbal teas , we've put together a little truth-and-fake from behind the scenes. It's time to learn more and ditch some preconceived ideas!

No! Theine, the stimulating molecule also found in coffee, is not present in herbal teas (unless they contain cocoa ).

It's quite true. All teas come from the same plant called Camellia sinensis . However, they are not all harvested and dried in the same way and do not all have the same terroir characteristics. The bottom line is that a single plant will give rise to several types of tea .

That's not true! Often referred to as "red tea," rooibos is actually a tea that comes from a small African shrub (while all other teas come from a single plant: the tea plant). Rooibos is therefore more likely to be classified as a herbal tea.

While tea and herbal tea are two distinct types of hot beverages, infusion is more of a method of pouring hot water directly over leaves or flowers. Infusion is therefore a method of preparation or technique (much like decoction or maceration).

Bingo! Tea comes from tea plant leaves, while herbal tea is made from extracts of various other plants (leaves, flowers, bracts, etc.).

This is quite true, because tea ( green tea or black tea ) contains flavonoids which play a significant antioxidant role.

That's right: in general, a tea will be enjoyed after 3 or 4 minutes in water at around 100°C. For herbal tea, you will have to be a little more patient: most plants need more time to give the best of themselves, reveal their flavors and reveal their virtues.

It's generally false, but at Les 2 Marmottes it's true! All our infusions are 100% herbal, with no added flavors and no sugar.

That's right: it all depends on the bouquet of plants it's made of. Some flowers are known to soothe stomach aches, while other plants will relax stressed souls !

It's true and it makes sense. We're more likely to choose a tea in the morning for its energizing effect and an herbal tea in the evening to reduce our stress and settle down before going to bed.

Totally wrong! It's all about the quality of the plants. That's why at Les 2 Marmottes, our master infusers strive to find the best plants with the greatest natural flavor and taste.

You don't know us well :) You may not know this, but we also have some teas on the shelves.

• In its primary sense, infusion refers to a method of making a hot beverage by pouring boiling water over certain plants. The word is also used to refer to the resulting beverage.
• Tea refers to the beverage obtained by infusion from the leaves of the tea plant.
• Herbal tea refers to a drink obtained by infusion from any other plant.
• Both tea and herbal tea are infusions.