Tea producers in Türkiye address ‘salty tea’ controversy

ISTANBUL

Tea producers in Türkiye have chimed in on an American chemist’s seemingly outrageous suggestion to put salt while brewing tea which sparked controversy on social media saying, "tea should be drunk in its purest form, without altering the taste."

"When tea is drunk completely unsweetened and additive-free, it is more enjoyable and less irritating. We drink tea with lemon, bergamot, milk, but not with salt. I don't know what it tastes like when salt is added, as we haven't tried it, but we have drunk tea with excess salt many times, and that was only when we were joking with our friends," Mustafa Mavi, president of Tea Producers Association (ÇAYÜDAD) stated.

Michelle Francl, a chemistry professor at Bryn Mawr University in the U.S., mentioned the idea of brewing tea with salt in her book, The Chemistry of Tea, during the press introduction for her book.

Francl said that she did not expect her suggestion to create so much controversy, and explained that the idea of brewing tea with salt dates back to eighth century China, and that she only meant to use a very small amount of salt to remove the bitterness of the tea and create a more balanced brew.

The diplomatic missions of the U.S. and the U.K. exchanged humorous words in the debate.

In its message, the U.S. embassy in London said, "Rest assured, the good people of the U.K. that the unthinkable notion of adding salt in Britain’s official drink is not official U.S. policy. It never will be. The U.S. Embassy will continue to make tea the proper way - by microwaving it."

The U.S. embassy received a response from the U.K. Cabinet Office saying that tea can only be made using a kettle.