Many people scoop tea directly with their hands, which not only disrupts the tea's natural elegance but may also waste treasured tea leaves, causing them to spoil faster. Tea is highly sensitive to moisture and foreign odors.

In daily life, our hands touch many surfaces, inevitably picking up bacteria or microbes, along with sweat and moisture.

Directly handling tea leaves introduces moisture and contaminants, creating an environment where bacteria can thrive—conditions entirely unsuitable for tea storage.

So, what is the correct way to take tea?

In tea ceremony traditions, a dedicated tea scoop is used—made of stainless steel, wood, or bamboo. The scoop should be stored in a dry, clean space, such as a utensil cabinet, or ideally, a sterilizer.

Using a scoop allows precise portioning without hand contact. If too much is poured, never return the excess to the tea container, as it may carry moisture or impurities, accelerating spoilage.