Scientists from University Hospital Wales have discovered that choosing the right biscuit and brewing method can save time while drinking tea. Study published in the Christmas issue BMJ.
By observing how medical staff avoid breaks due to lack of time, the researchers set out to determine the ideal parameters for a quick tea. Most workers paired the tea with biscuits, so the scientists evaluated the four types of biscuits for nutritional value and crispness after soaking in tea.
Each type of biscuit received penalty points if eaten, resulting in negative events such as breaking while dunking. In total, the scientists conducted six different tests, and the oatmeal cookies won by a wide margin. It had the highest energy content (70 kcal per cookie). Also, the oatmeal cookies lasted 34.3 seconds in hot tea.
Scientists have found that a cup of tea reaches its optimum temperature (61ºC) in 420 seconds with 30 ml of low-fat cow’s milk, and in 370 seconds with 40 ml of milk. Also, dipping the cookies in the tea allowed the drink to cool faster. Based on these results, the researchers suggest that busy workers can easily enjoy tea and biscuits in less than 10 minutes.
The authors acknowledge some of the study’s limitations: opinions differed on how to make a delicious cup of tea. They also used a limited number of biscuit types.
Although the researchers did not evaluate changes in staff mood and productivity, they believe that tea drinking is an important daily ritual that promotes team bonding.