Background to the Procedure
Tea leaves consist mostly of cellulose, a water-insoluble polymer of glucose, which
is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). Cellulose performs a function in plants similar to
that of fibrous proteins in animals: it is structure building material. Along with the
cellulose are found a number of other things including caffeine, tannins (phenolic
compounds, compounds that have an -OH directly bonded to an aromatic ring) and a
small amount of chlorophyll.