"Joel Reicher" > wrote in message
...
> "Peter" > writes:
>
> > I see what you're saying, but what I really want to know is, if the tea
is
> > rich and full, can I assume that there are plenty of catechins, phenols,
> > etc? Or, do those properties weaken and become dilute at a different
rate
> > than the taste and color of the rest of the tea?
>
> You can't make that assumption. Each chemical becomes dilute at a
> different rate. I don't fully understand all the details, but I think
> it comes down to how quickly a chemical leeches from the leaves during
> infusion. If it leeches quickly, it will be present only in the first
> few cups and then the concentration will drop off sharply. Other
> chemicals may leech slower and maintain a more steady level from cup
> to cup. All this *might* come down to water solubility, but I expect
> it's more complex.
>
> Caffeine is the typical example of a chemical that drops off in
> concentration very quickly. That's why discarding an initial quick
> infusion works as an ad hoc decaffeination. I'm sorry, but I don't
> know how the other chemicals behave.
>
> Cheers,
>
> - Joel

Thanks very much. That definitely sheds some light on the subject.