Naturally Flavoured Tea

Back to the tea cupboard (yes, I literally have a tea cupboard) for today's musings. I recently purchased some new teas. Like books and movies, I have a bit of a ... um ... problem with buying more even though I have scads waiting to be consumed.

But I digress.

Among my tea purchases was Celestial Seasonings * brand "Bengal Spice" tea. Upon reading the ingredient list, I had reason to pause.

And now, presented for the first time ever on dullgloomy, I give you THE INGREDIENT LIST!

cinnamon, roasted chicory, roasted carob, natural cinnamon flavours, natural vanilla flavours, natural flavours, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, cloves and nutmeg

Ah, yes.

Not only does the number one ingredient, cinnamon, require the assistance of the number four ingredient, natural cinnamon flavours, but that little run of ingredients from number four to number six makes one scratch one's head.

Natural cinnamon flavours (plural, might I add).

Natural vanilla flavours (also plural).

Natural flavours (plural and nonspecific).

Now, we all know, by now, that "Natural Flavours" may have nothing at all to do with the real item whose flavour is being emulated. I have "Mango Jango" tea from Teaopia ** and it contains no mango at all, the mango taste being provided by carrot and orange. The lemon flavouring in your iced tea or salad dressing may be provided by cat urine, cockroach shells, or sunshine drops, for all you know. (Okay, this may be a slight exaggeration. Look it up for more specific information. I'm not going to link everything for you, lazybones.)

I can only assume that the good folks at Celestial Seasonings *** are differentiating from natural flavours which come from ... well ... the actual substance (i.e., cinnamon and vanilla) from those which are more creatively sourced. Still, sort of draws attention to the shadier flavours, doesn't it? Hmmm

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* This website, as of the time of posting, is useless.

** This website, however, is very much operational and useful.

*** This website is still useless (as of the time of posting).