Tea Knowledge

Recently, China declared the "Chinese traditional tea-making techniques and related customs" through the evaluation, inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Among them, Dehong Dai Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, Mangshi "De'ang sour tea production techniques" as a sub-project was selected.

Deang sour tea is divided into two kinds of edible tea and drinking tea. Edible tea is generally eaten as a dish, is a rare Deang cuisine; drinking tea is sour and sweet, its soup color is golden and bright, the tea of long years have olive fragrance, cinnamon fragrance, milk fragrance and other aromas.

Usually, De'ang people choose spring and summer to make sour tea, using fresh leaves of Yunnan big-leaf tea tree as raw materials, processed through the process of killing, kneading, anaerobic fermentation, pounding, etc.

Killing generally uses pot, drum and steam three ways.

After killing, the tea leaves are loaded into bamboo tubes for anaerobic fermentation.

Among them, anaerobic fermentation is very different from the aerobic fermentation of other teas. Anaerobic fermentation is a key process in the processing of Deang sour tea and an important part in forming the quality characteristics of sour tea. Food tea is generally fermented for about 2 months, while drinking tea must be fermented for 4 to 9 months.

Sour tea occupies a very important position in the life of the Deang people and has a very close connection with the social life of the Deang people.

Organic Chinese tea is tea that is produced using organic farming methods, which means that it is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Instead, organic tea is grown using natural methods that promote the health and vitality of the soil and plants. Organic tea is often considered to be of higher quality than conventionally grown tea, as it is grown in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

There are many types of organic Chinese tea available, including green, oolong, black, and pu'er tea. The flavor and character of organic Chinese tea may vary depending on the type of tea and the specific growing conditions. Some people believe that organic tea has a more natural, pure flavor and may be healthier due to the absence of synthetic chemicals.

If you are interested in purchasing organic Chinese tea, it is important to choose a reputable source and to look for teas that have been certified as organic by a recognized third-party organization. This will ensure that the tea you are buying has been grown using organic methods and meets established standards for organic production.

There are many factors to consider when choosing Chinese tea, and the best tea for you will depend on your personal taste preferences and needs. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right Chinese tea:

Consider the type of tea: Chinese tea is divided into four main categories based on the degree of oxidation of the leaves: green, oolong, black, and pu'er. Each type has its own unique flavor profile, and the best tea for you will depend on your preferences.

Look for high-quality leaves: Good-quality Chinese tea should have leaves that are well-shaped, unbroken, and free of any blemishes or impurities. The leaves should also have a fresh, clean aroma.

Consider the origin of the tea: Different regions of China produce teas with different flavor profiles and characteristics. For example, teas from Fujian Province are known for their delicate, floral flavors, while teas from Yunnan Province are known for their earthy, robust flavors.

Consider the age of the tea: Some types of Chinese tea, such as pu'er and oolong, are often aged to develop a deeper, more complex flavor. Aged teas can be more expensive, but they may also be of higher quality.

Consider the price: The price of Chinese tea can vary greatly depending on the type, quality, and age of the tea. While it is generally true that higher prices often indicate higher quality, it is important to do your research and choose a reputable source when purchasing Chinese tea.

 It is also a good idea to try a variety of different Chinese teas to find the ones that you like best. Many tea shops and online retailers offer sample sizes or small quantities of tea, which can be a good way to try a variety of teas without committing to a large purchase.

Lu Yu wrote in his monumental book The Classic of Tea: “Tea as a beverage, originated from Shennong.”

Shennong: The Mythical Father of Chinese Medicine.

The history of Chinese tea (茶 chá) begins with Shennong (神农 Shénnóng), a mythical personage said to be the father of Chinese agriculture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Legend has it that Shennong accidentally discovered tea as he was boiling water to drink while sitting under a Camellia sinensis tree. Some leaves from the tree fell into the water, infusing it with a refreshing aroma. Shennong took a sip, found it enjoyable, and thus, tea was born.

'Shennong' Definition: Meaning in Chinese

Shennong (神农) literally means “Divine Farmer” or “God of Agriculture” in Chinese. However, in fact he isn't a farmer, but a hobbyist who simply dried a lot of herbs to identify their benefits. Thus, we believe that the term 'herbalist' would fit him more.

Life was tough 5,000 years ago, people suffered from hunger and numerous diseases. Shennong felt for them deeply. As he was determined to find safe food and remedies for his people, he started to hike among the mountains and tasted hundreds of herbs to test their medical value. Thanks to his see-through belly and organs, Shennong was able to tell the way herbs worked in his body. He tested different parts of the plants to find out the best use of the roots, stems, leaves etc. Then wrote down his observations.

One day, he encountered seventy-two poisonous herbs; it was too much even for him. He felt so weak, stumbled, and grabbed some leaves as he fell. Lying on the ground, he thought that he would taste the leaves in his hand, and then he could die without regret. The leaves swam around in Shennong’s body as soon as he put them in his mouth. They swiftly checked the infected areas and performed wonders. Shennong was saved by their healing power, he pleasantly surprised and decided to name this plant “cha” (Chinese: 查) meaning “examine” or “check”. Since then, Shennong often used cha as an antidote. Cha was known by people because of him, but with a different character “茶”, which means tea in Chinese.

Chaling County, Hunan Province is one of the earliest regions to develop and use tea trees in China. It is the birthplace of tea culture. Tea culture has a long history. The Emperor Shennong found tea on the ancient and magical land of Chaling and created the pioneer of tea drinking, so it was called "Chinese tea ancestor".

Oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar are one of the basic material living materials for living at home. Only with firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea, can we live a peaceful, rich and pleasant life.

For the Chinese, the significance of tea is not the same. Because it was the earliest Chinese people discovered tea, used tea, and gave tea to the cultural connotation beyond its own practical value, thereby forming a tea culture unique to China. It is also the Chinese to push the tea and tea culture to the world, present it in front of the world, make tea blessed human beings, and make tea culture an integral part of human civilization. This is an indisputable fact.

In China , tea has a very long history and has formed the Chinese tea culture. At the same time, tea is beneficial to our health, thus it is well received by many people. Chinese tea culture is both extensive and profound, which not only contains the level of material culture,but also includes a deep level of spiritual civilization. Referring to Chinese tea, we can trace it back to ancient times, which flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, Since then, the spirit of tea has penetrated into the court and society, going deep into Chinese poetry, painting,calligraphy , religion and medicine. For thousands of years, China has accumulated a great deal of culture in tea cultivation and production, moreover, enriching the spiritual culture of tea.

Tea Leaves, commonly known as tea, generally includes the leaves and buds of the tea tree. Tea ingredients include tea polyphenols, amino acids, catechins, caffeine, moisture, ash, etc., which are good for health. Tea beverages made from tea leaves are one of the three major beverages in the world.

Historical source

More than 6000 years ago, the ancestors who lived in Tianluo Mountain, Yuyao, Zhejiang, began to plant tea trees. Tianluo Mountain is the earliest place where tea trees were planted artificially in China, discovered so far by archaeology.

After Emperror Qin unified China, it promoted economic exchanges between Sichuan and other regions, and tea planting and tea drinking gradually spread from Sichuan to the outside, first spread to the Yangtze River Basin.

From the late Western Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period, tea developed into the court's premium beverage.

From the Western Jin Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty, tea gradually became an ordinary beverage. There are also increasing records about drinking tea, tea has gradually become an ordinary beverage.
In the 5th century, tea drinking became popular in the north. It spread to the northwest in the sixth and seventh centuries. With the widespread spread of tea-drinking habits, tea consumption has increased rapidly, and since then, tea has become a popular beverage of all ethnic groups in China.

Lu Yu (728-804) of the Tang Dynasty pointed out in the "Tea Classics": "Tea is a drink, originated from the Shennong clan, and heard by Lu Zhougong." In the Shennong era (approximately 2737 BC), tea trees were discovered. The fresh leaves can detoxify. "Shen Nong's Materia Medica" once recorded: "Shen Nong tastes a hundred herbs, encounters 72 poisons a day, and gets tea to relieve it." This reflects the origin of the discovery of tea to cure diseases in ancient times, indicating that China has used tea for at least four thousand years history.

To the Tang and Song dynasties, tea has become a popular drink that "people can't live without."

The natural conditions for tea planting include landform, climate, soil type, etc. The terrain is dominated by hills and the drainage conditions are better. Plenty of precipitation, small annual temperature difference, large day and night temperature difference, long frost-free period, and good light conditions. Such climatic conditions are suitable for the growth of various types of tea trees, especially for the growth of large-leaf tea trees. From the end of winter to the beginning of summer, there are more sunshine, summer and autumn rain and foggy (Yunnan tea area), less sunshine is conducive to the overwintering and nutrient accumulation of tea trees, which is conducive to the quality of summer and autumn tea. Latosol, latosol red soil, mountain red soil or mountain yellow soil, brown forest soil, these soils have a relatively deep development degree and good structure, suitable for the growth of tea trees.

Green tea:

non-fermented tea (zero fermentation). Representative teas are: HuangShan MaoFeng, PuLong Tea, MengDing GanLu, RiZhao Green Tea, LaoShan Green Tea, Liu An Gua Pian, LongJing DragonWell, MeiTan Green Tea, BiLuoChun, Meng'Er Tea, XinYang MaoJian, DuYun MaoJian, LiPing QueShe , GuanZhuang GanFa Tea, ZiYang MaoJian Tea.

Yellow tea:

slightly fermented tea (fermentation degree is 10-20m) HuoShan Yellow Bud, Meng'Er Silver Needle, MengDing Yellow Bud

In the process of making tea, tea leaves and infusion are formed after being piled up. It is divided into "Yellow Bud Tea" (including JunShan YinYa in Dongting Lake, Hunan, Ya'an, Sichuan, Mengding Huangya in Mingshan County, Huoshan Huangya in Huoshan, Anhui), "Yellow Tea" (including Beigang in Yueyang, Hunan, and Weishan in Ningxiang, Hunan Maojian, Pingyang Huangtang in Pingyang, Zhejiang, Luyuan in Yuan'an, Hubei), "Huangdacha" (including Dayeqing in Anhui, Huoshan Huangdacha in Anhui).

Oolong tea:

also known as green tea, is a semi-fermented tea, which is properly fermented during production to make the leaves slightly reddish. It is a kind of tea between green tea and black tea. It has the freshness of green tea and the sweetness of black tea. Because the middle of the leaves are green and the edge of the leaves are red, it is called "green leaves with red borders". Representative teas are: Tieguanyin, Dahongpao, Dongding Oolong tea.

Black tea:

fully fermented tea (with a degree of fermentation of 80-90m) Qimen black tea, lychee black tea, Hanshan black tea, etc. There are three main types of black tea: Souchong black tea, Gongfu black tea and broken black tea. Gongfu black tea is mainly distributed in Guangdong, Fujian, and Jiangxi, mainly from Chaoshan.

Dark tea:

post-fermented tea (with a degree of fermentation of 100m) Pu'er tea Liubao tea Hunan dark tea (Qujiang flake golden tea) Jingwei Fu tea (originating in Xianyang, Shaanxi)

The raw materials are rough and old, and the accumulation and fermentation time is longer during processing, so that the leaves are dark brown and pressed into bricks. The main varieties of dark tea include "Shanxi Xianyang Fuzhuan Tea", Yunnan "Pu'er Tea", "Hunan Dark Tea", "Hubei Old Green Tea", "Guangxi Liubao Tea", Sichuan "Bian Tea" and so on.

White tea:

lightly fermented tea (with a degree of fermentation of 20-30m) Baihao Yinzhen and white peony. It is processed without stir-frying or rubbing, and only the delicate and fluffy tea leaves are dried or dried on a slow fire, the white fluff remains intact. White tea is mainly produced in Fuding, Zhenghe, Songxi and Jianyang counties in Fujian. It is also grown in Liping County, Guizhou Province. There are several types of "Silver Needle", "White Peony", "Gong Mei" and "Shou Mei". The white tea Pekoe reveals itself. The more famous Baihao silver needles from northern Fujian and Ningbo, as well as the white peony.

Spring tea refers to the tea that was harvested from late March to mid-May of that year. In spring, the temperature is moderate, the rainfall is sufficient, and the tea trees have been recuperating in winter for half a year, making spring tea buds plump, green in color, soft in leaf texture, and rich in vitamins, especially amino acids. It not only makes the spring tea taste fresh , but also has a pleasant aroma and is full of health care effects. Tieguanyin of Anxi County Yinxiang Tea Cooperative is a representative of Oolong tea spring tea. Its appearance and soup color can be described as "a must." (Another example is Liu an gua pian and Shanlong black tea).

Summer tea refers to the tea that is harvested from early May to early July. The summer weather is hot. The new shoots and leaves of the tea tree grow rapidly, which makes the water extract content that can dissolve the tea soup relatively reduced. Especially the reduction of amino acids makes tea soup taste and aroma less intense than spring tea . Because the content of bitter and astringent anthocyanins, caffeine, and tea polyphenols are more than that of spring tea, it not only increases the color of purple buds and leaves, but also has a bitter taste. (Such as Pu'er tea, maple tea).

Autumn tea harvested after mid-August. The climatic conditions in autumn are between spring and summer. Tea trees grow through the second season of spring and summer, and the contents of new shoots are relatively reduced. The leaf size is different, the leaf base is brittle, the leaf color is yellow, and the taste and aroma appear relatively peaceful. (Such as Tieguanyin, Yuemeixiang).

Winter tea began to be harvested approximately in late October. Winter tea is grown after the autumn tea is picked and the climate gradually turns cold. Because the new shoot buds of winter tea grow slowly and the content gradually increases, it has a mellow taste and strong aroma (such as Dongding oolong).

Reprocessed tea is called reprocessed tea from all kinds of Maocha or refined tea, including: scented tea, pressed tea, extracted tea, fruit tea, medicinal health tea, tea-containing beverages, etc.

Scented tea (jasmine tea, pearl orchid tea, rose tea, sweet-scented osmanthus tea, etc.)

Scented tea, this is a rare tea variety. It is a product that uses floral fragrance to increase the fragrance of tea, and it is very popular in China. Generally, green tea is used to make the tea base, but a few also use black tea or oolong tea . It is made from fragrant flowers and scented materials according to the characteristics of tea's easy absorption of peculiar smell. There are several flower varieties such as jasmine and osmanthus, with jasmine the most.

Pressed tea (black brick, fuzhuan, square tea, cake tea, etc.)Extracted tea (instant tea, concentrated tea, etc., this is the type of tea cream popular in the past two years)

Fruity tea (lychee black tea, lemon black tea, kiwi tea, etc.)

Medicinal health tea (weight loss tea, eucommia tea, eagle tea, etc., these are mostly tea-like plants, not real tea)

Compatibility of medicines with tea leaves to make medicinal teas to exert and strengthen the efficacy of the medicines, facilitate the dissolution of the medicines, increase the aroma, and reconcile the taste of the medicines. There are many types of this kind of tea, such as "afternoon tea", "ginger tea powder", "longevity tea", "weight loss tea" and so on.

Tea beverages (ice black tea, ice green tea, milk tea, etc.)

From the perspective of the world, black tea has the largest quantity, followed by green tea, and white tea is the least.

Matcha originated in the Sui Dynasty of China, flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties, and died out in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. At the end of the ninth century, it entered Japan with the envoy of Tang Dynasty and became the quintessence of Japan. It was invented by the Han people and was ground into superfine powdered, covered, steamed green tea with a natural stone mill. Green tea is covered and shaded 10-30 days before picking. The processing method of matcha is grinding.

Tea processing technology

Tea processing, also known as "tea making", is a process in which fresh leaves of tea trees are processed into various semi-finished or finished teas. According to different processes, it can be divided into primary processing (primary processing), refined (finishing processing), reprocessing and deep processing. Different processing techniques result in different types of tea. The quality of each tea type depends on the coordination of the processing procedures; high-quality fresh leaf raw materials can only produce high-quality various teas under excellent processing conditions. 

China is the hometown of tea, with a long history of growing tea, strict tea-respecting etiquette, and peculiar tea-drinking customs. Chinese tea drinking has a history of more than 4,700 years since the Shennong era. Tea ceremony has a predestined relationship since ancient times.

Guests come to offer tea, which is the earliest traditional virtue and etiquette of Chinese Han people who value hospitality. Until the 21st century, when guests arrive home, the host always have to make a cup of fragrant tea. Festive activities, but also like to entertain with refreshments. Having a tea party is simple, economical, elegant and solemn. The so-called friendship between gentlemen is as light as water, which also refers to tea with a pleasant fragrance.

There are also various customs of Chinese Han people using tea in lieu of rituals. In Hangzhou, the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, every family makes a new tea at the first day of summer, and mixes them with fine fruits of various colors, which is called seven families tea, which is given to relatives and friends next to each other. This custom is to put two green fruits, namely olives or kumquats, in the tea cup, which means that the New Year is auspicious.

There was also a grand tea etiquette in ancient Chinese weddings. The ancients used tea as their knowledge when they got married. They thought that tea trees could only germinate from seeds and could not be transplanted, otherwise they would die. Therefore, they regarded tea as a symbol of invariability. Therefore, the men and women get engaged with tea as a gift, and the woman accepts the man’s betrothal gift, called order tea or tea settle, some are called accepting tea, and there is a proverb that one family does not have tea from two families. At the same time, the etiquette of the entire marriage is collectively referred to as the three teas and six rituals. Three teas are tea for engagement, tea for marriage, and tea for the bridal chamber. When tea is served, it is also known as male tea and female wine, that is, at the time of engagement, the male family will send back a few cylinders of Shaoxing wine in addition to the wishful press. At the wedding, there are three tea ceremonies. For those with three courses of tea, the first cup of Baiguo, the second cup of lotus seeds and dates, the third cup is tea. The way of having tea, after receiving the cup, hold it in both hands, make a deep stroke, and then touch the lips to the family to take it away, the same is true for the second one. The third way, you can drink only after you have made it. This is the most respected etiquette. These vulgar customs and tea ceremony for weddings are still used as custom.

While all true tea begins as Camellia sinensis, there are six main types or categories of tea. Each type is determined by the level of oxidation, or enzymatic change, the leaves undergo after they are harvested. The five types, in order of least to most oxidized leaves, are:

Green Tea

Application of heat—dry heat such as pan-firing or baking, or wet steam heat—de-enzymes the leaves and fixed them in a green state.

Yellow Tea

Leaves are heated gently then covered and left to swelter over a short period of time.

White Tea

Freshly harvested leaves are left to wither and naturally begin to oxide. Leaves retain some original green color, but also undergo some enzymatic change.

Oolong Tea

Leaves undergo repeated rolling and shaping to break down some their cellular structures and encourage oxidation. Leaves retain some green color.

Black Tea

Full, rigorous rolling breaks down the cell walls in each leaf so full oxidation may occur.

Pu-erh Tea

There are several styles of pu-erh, each requiring the leaves to sit for an extended amount of time so natural fermentation and oxidation may occur. This process is similar to that of other traditionally fermented foods such as kimchi or sauerkraut.

In all types of tea production, once the desired degree of oxidation has been reached, the tea leaves are fired at high temperatures to remove any remaining moisture and stabilize them for transport and storage.

For more information on tea types, see our Master Tea List.

A tea’s grade indicates the size of its leaves. Since different leaf sizes infuse at different rates, the final step in quality tea production is grading, or sifting leaves into uniform sizes. One significant marker of quality is how thoroughly and consistently a tea has been graded—a well-graded tea results in an even, reliable infusion, while a poorly-graded tea will have a muddy, inconsistent flavor.

The most common industry grades and their acronyms are:

Whole Leaf

TGFOP

Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe: one of the highest qualities grades, consisting of whole leaves and golden leaf buds

TGFOP

Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe

GFOP

Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe: an open leaf with golden brown tips

GFOP

Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe

FOP

Flowery Orange Pekoe: long leaves that are loosely rolled.

FOP

Flowery Orange Pekoe:

OP

Flowery Orange Pekoe: long, thin, and wiry leaves, more tightly rolled that FOP leaves.

OP

Flowery Orange Pekoe:

Pekoe

Sort, small leaves, loosely rolled.

 Souchong

Broad, flat leaves.

Broken Leaf

GFBOP

Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe: broken, uniform leaves with golden bud tips.

GFBOP

Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe

FBOP

Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe: slightly larger than standard BOP leaves, often containing golden or silver leaf buds.

FBOP

Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe

BOP

Broken Orange Pekoe: one of the smallest and most versatile leaf grades, with a good balance of color and strength. BOP teas are useful in blends.

BOP

Broken Orange Pekoe

BP

Broken Pekoe: short, even, curly leaves that produce a dark, heavy cup.

Tea Bag and Ready-to-Drink

BP

Broken Pekoe

Fannings

Much smaller than BOP leaves, fannings should be uniform and consistent in color and size

Dust

The smallest leaf grade, very quick-brewing

At the beginning of the 19th century, the composition of tea gradually became clear. After modern scientific separation and identification, tea contains more than 450 organic chemical components and more than 40 inorganic mineral elements.

Organic chemical components mainly include: tea polyphenols, plant alkaloids, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, pectin, organic acids, lipopolysaccharides, carbohydrates, enzymes, pigments, etc. The content of organic chemical components in Tieguanyin, such as tea polyphenols, catechins, and various amino acids, is significantly higher than other teas. Inorganic mineral elements mainly include potassium, calcium, magnesium, cobalt, iron, aluminum, sodium, zinc, copper, nitrogen, phosphorus, fluorine, iodine, selenium, etc. The inorganic mineral elements contained in Tieguanyin, such as manganese, iron, fluorine, potassium, and sodium, are higher than other teas.

Ingredient function

1. Catechins

Commonly known as tea tannins, it is a unique ingredient of tea with bitter, astringent and astringent properties. It can be combined with caffeine in tea soup to relax the physiological effects of caffeine on the human body. It has the functions of anti-oxidation, anti-sudden mutation, anti-tumor, lowering blood cholesterol and low-density ester protein content, inhibiting blood pressure rise, inhibiting platelet aggregation, antibacterial, and anti-product allergy.

2. caffeine

It has a bitter taste and is an important ingredient in the taste of tea soup. In black tea tea soup, it combines with polyphenols to form a compound; the tea soup forms an emulsification phenomenon when it is cold. The unique catechins and their oxidative condensates in tea can slow down and continue the excitatory effect of caffeine. Therefore, drinking tea can help people who drive long distances to keep their minds clear and have more endurance.

3. Minerals

Tea is rich in 11 kinds of minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium and manganese. Tea soup contains more cations and less anions, which is an alkaline food. It can help body fluids maintain alkaline and keep healthy.

① Potassium: promote the elimination of blood sodium. High blood sodium content is one of the causes of high blood pressure. Drinking more tea can prevent high blood pressure.

②Fluorine: It has the effect of preventing tooth decay.

③Manganese: It has anti-oxidation and anti-aging effects, enhances immune function, and helps calcium utilization. Because it is insoluble in hot water, it can be ground into tea powder for consumption.

4. Vitamins

B vitamins and vitamin C are water-soluble and can be obtained from drinking tea.

5. Pyrroloquinoline quinone

The pyrroloquinoline quinone component in tea has the effects of delaying aging and prolonging life.

6. Other functional components

①Flavone alcohols have the effect of enhancing the walls of capillaries to eliminate bad breath.

②Saponins have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects.

③Aminobutyric acid is produced by forcing tea leaves to undergo anaerobic respiration during the tea making process. It is said that Jiayelong tea can prevent high blood pressure.

Tea medicine and tea therapy:

Tea has very good medical effects, and the term "tea medicine" was used in the Tang Dynasty

Tea has at least the following effects:

(1) Sleep less; (2) soothe the nerves; (3) improve eyesight; (4) clear mind; (5) quench thirst and produce fluid; (6) clear away heat; (7) relieve heat; (8) detoxify; (9) eliminate food; (10) anti-hangover; (11) lose weight; (12) lower the breath; (13) diuresis; (14) laxative; (15) treat dysentery; (16) remove phlegm;(17) dispelling wind and relieving forms; (18) strengthening teeth; (19) treating heartache; (20) treating sores and fistulas; (21) treating hunger; (22) replenishing vitality; (23) prolonging life; (24) sterilization beriberi.

Other effects of tea: treatment of rotten mouth, acne

Anti-cancer: Tea brewed in a pot is more conducive to health. Compared with simply brewing tea in a cup filled with boiling water, the method of brewing tea water can release more anti-cancer chemicals.

Disease prevention: Black tea has strong antibacterial power. Gargle with black tea can prevent colds caused by filtering viruses, prevent tooth decay and food poisoning, and reduce blood sugar and high blood pressure. Studies have shown that black tea is not inferior to green tea and is more beneficial to the heart.

1. Chewing tea dregs after drinking tea to help maintain health

Some people chew the tea dregs after drinking tea, because the tea contains more carotene, crude fiber and other nutrients. However, considering safety, this method is not recommended. Because tea dregs may also contain traces of heavy metal elements such as lead and cadmium, as well as water-insoluble pesticides. If you eat tea dregs, these harmful substances will be taken into the body.

2. The fresher of the tea, the better

Fresh tea refers to new tea that has been roasted with fresh leaves for less than half a month. Relatively speaking, this tea does taste better. However, according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, freshly processed tea leaves have internal heat, and this heat will disappear after being stored for a period of time. Therefore, when drinking too much new tea can make people get the internal heat. In addition, the new tea contains high levels of tea polyphenols and caffeine, which are prone to irritation to the stomach. If you drink the new tea regularly, gastrointestinal discomfort may occur. People with a bad stomach should drink less green tea that has been stored for less than half a month after processing. Another thing to remind is that not all types of tea are newer than old ones. For example, dark teas such as Pu'er tea need to be aged properly and have better quality.

3. Drinking tea before going to bed affects sleep

The caffeine contained in tea has the effect of stimulating the central nervous system. Therefore, it has always been said that drinking tea before going to bed will affect sleep. At the same time, caffeine is also a diuretic, and drinking a lot of water in tea will inevitably increase the number of times to go to the toilet at night, thereby affecting sleep. However, according to consumers, drinking Pu'er tea has little effect on sleep. However, this is not because Pu'er contains less caffeine, but because of other unclear reasons.

4. The tea leaves need to be washed, but the first infusion can’t be drunk

Whether you can drink the first tea liquid depends on what kind of tea you drink. Black tea or oolong tea should be washed quickly with boiling water first, and then drained. This can not only wash the tea, but also warm the tea, which is conducive to the volatilization of the tea fragrance. But green tea, black tea, etc. do not need this process. Some people may be worried about pesticide residues on tea, and want to wash the tea to remove the residues. In fact, all tea is planted with water-insoluble pesticides. The tea soup used for making tea will not contain the residues. From the perspective of avoiding pesticide residues, tea washing is not necessary.

5. Tea is best after a meal

Drinking tea immediately after a meal can easily cause the polyphenols to react with iron and protein in the food, thereby affecting the body's absorption of iron and protein. Drinking tea on an empty stomach before meals will dilute the gastric juice and affect the secretion of gastric juice, which is not conducive to the digestion of food. The correct way is to drink tea at least half an hour after a meal, preferably 1 hour later.

6. Tea can anti-hangover

Drinking tea after alcohol has pros and cons. Drinking tea can accelerate the decomposition of alcohol in the body, and its diuretic effect can help the decomposed substances to be excreted, thus helping to hangover; but at the same time, this accelerated decomposition will increase the burden on the liver and kidney. Therefore, people with poor liver and kidney is best not to use tea to hangover, especially not to drink strong tea after drinking.

7. Use paper cups or thermos cups to make tea

There is a layer of wax on the inner wall of the paper cup, which will affect the taste of the tea after the wax is dissolved; the vacuum cup sets a high temperature and constant temperature environment for the tea, which will make the color of the tea yellower and darker, the taste will become bitter, and the taste of water will appear. It may even affect the health value of tea. Therefore, when going out, it is best to make it in a teapot first, and then pour it into a thermos after the water temperature drops.

8. Make tea directly with boiling tap water

In different regions, there are big differences in the hardness of tap water. Hard-water tap water contains high levels of metal ions such as calcium and magnesium, which can cause complex reactions with tea polyphenols and other

components in tea, which in turn affects the aroma and taste of tea, as well as the health effect of tea.

9. Use boiling water to making tea

High-grade green tea is usually brewed with water at around 85°C. Overheated water can easily reduce the freshness of the tea soup. Oolong teas such as Tieguanyin are best brewed in boiling water for better tea fragrance; pressed dark teas such as Pu'er cake tea can also be considered to brew tea, so that the characteristic quality ingredients in Pu'er tea can be fully leached.

10. Make the tea with a lid, it tastes fragrant

When making scented tea and oolong tea, it is easier to make the tea fragrance with the lid, but when making green tea, it will affect the purity of the aroma.

Buying tea is not an easy task. To get good teas, you need to master a lot of knowledge, such as the grade standards, prices and market conditions of various types of tea, as well as the evaluation and inspection methods of tea. The quality of tea is mainly distinguished from four aspects: color, aroma, taste, and shape. However, for ordinary tea drinkers, when buying tea, they can only look at the shape and color of dry tea. Quality is even more difficult. Here is a rough introduction to the method of identifying dry tea. The appearance of dry tea is mainly viewed from five aspects, namely tenderness, stringiness, color, wholeness and clarity.

Tenderness

Generally, tea with good tenderness meets the shape requirements ("light, flat, smooth, straight").

However, the tenderness cannot be judged only by the amount of fine fur, because the specific requirements of various teas are different, such as the best Shifeng Longjing has no fluff on the body. The tenderness of buds and leaves is judged based on the number of fluffs, which is only suitable for "fluffy" teas such as Maofeng, Maojian, and Yinzhen. What needs to be mentioned here is that the tenderest fresh leaves also have a bud and a leaf. The one-sided picking of the bud heart is not appropriate. Because the bud core is the imperfect part of the growth, the contained ingredients are not comprehensive, especially the chlorophyll content is very low. Therefore, tea should not be made from buds purely in pursuit of tenderness.

Strips

Strips are a certain shape of various types of tea, such as fried green strips, round pearl tea, Longjing flat, black broken tea granular shapes, and so on. Generally, long-striped tea depends on the elasticity, straightness, strength, thinness, roundness, and weight; round tea depends on the tightness, uniformity, weight, and emptyness of the particles; flat tea depends on the smoothness and whether it meets the specifications. Generally speaking, the strips are tight, the bones are heavy, round and straight (except for flat tea), indicating that the raw materials are tender, the workmanship is good, and the quality is good; if the shape is loose, flat (except flat tea), broken, and there is smoke and coke The taste indicates that the raw materials are old, the workmanship is poor, and the quality is inferior. Take the standard of green tea strips in Hangzhou as an example: first level: fine and tight, there are front seedlings; second level: tight but still have front seedlings; third level: still tight; fourth level: still tight; fifth level: slightly loose; sixth level : Rough loose. It can be seen that the priority is to tighten, firm, and sharp seedlings.

Color

The color of tea is closely related to raw material tenderness and processing technology. All kinds of tea have certain color requirements, such as black tea black oily, green tea emerald green, oolong tea green brown, dark tea black oily color and so on. But no matter what kind of tea, good tea requires consistent color, bright luster, oily and fresh. If the color is different, the shade is different, and it is dark and dull, it means that the raw materials are different, the workmanship is poor, and the quality is inferior.

The color and luster of the tea has a lot to do with the origin of the tea tree and the season. Such as high mountain green tea, the color is green and slightly yellow, fresh and bright; low mountain tea or flat tea has dark green and light color. In the process of making tea, due to improper technology, the color often deteriorates. When buying tea, judge according to the specific tea purchased.

Brokenness

Whole and broken refers to the shape and degree of brokenness of the tea. It is better to be even and broken into second. A more standard tea review is to place the tea in a tray (usually made of wood), so that under the action of the rotating force, the tea will form an orderly layered layer according to the shape, size, weight, thickness, and size. Among them, the strong ones are in the uppermost layer, the dense and heavy ones are concentrated in the middle layer, and the broken and small ones are deposited in the lowermost layer. For all kinds of tea, it is better to have more middle tea. The upper layer is generally rich in coarse and old leaves, with a lighter taste and lighter water color; the lower layer has more broken tea, which tends to have a strong taste after brewing, and the liquid color is darker.

Cleaness

It mainly depends on whether the tea is mixed with tea chips, tea stems, tea powder, tea seeds, and the amount of inclusions such as bamboo chips, wood chips, lime, and silt mixed in the production process. Tea with good clarity does not contain any inclusions. In addition, it can also be identified by the dry aroma of the tea. No matter what kind of tea, there must be no strange smell. Each type of tea has a specific aroma, and the dry and wet aromas are also different, which need to be determined according to the specific situation. The green aroma, smoke burnt taste and cooked stuffy taste are not desirable. The easiest way to judge the quality of tea is the taste, aroma and color of the leaf tea after brewing. So if allowed, try brewing as much as possible when buying tea. If you prefer a certain kind of tea, it's best to find some information about the tea to accurately understand the characteristics of its color, flavor, shape, and compare the teas you buy with each other. If you have more times, you will be able to quickly grasp the key points. . For non-professionals, it's unlikely that each type of tea can be judged as good or bad. It's just a few of the ones you like. The tea from the place of origin is generally purer, but the quality of the tea varies due to differences in tea making techniques.

Aroma

The north is commonly known as "tea fragrance". After the tea leaves have been brewed in boiling water for five minutes, pour out the tea juice into the review bowl and smell whether the aroma is normal. Pleasant aromas such as floral, fruity, and honey aroma are preferred. The smells of smoke, rancidity, mildew, and old fire are often caused by poor manufacturing and handling or poor packaging and storage.

Taste

In the north, it is usually called "chakou." Where the tea soup is mellow and fresh, it means that the water extract content is high and the ingredients are good. The tea soup is bitter and rough and old means that the composition of the water extract is not good. The weak and thin tea soup indicates insufficient water extract content.

Liquid

The main difference between the liquid color and the freshness of the quality and the tenderness of the fresh leaves are reviewed. The most ideal liquid color is that green tea needs to be clear, rich and fresh, and black tea needs to be red and bright. Low-grade or spoiled tea leaves are cloudy and dull in color.

Wet leaf

The evaluation of wet leaf is mainly to see its color and the degree of tenderness. The more dense and soft leaves on the bud tip and tissues, the higher tenderness of the tea. Rough, hard and thin leaves indicate that the tea is thick and old and its growth is poor. The color is bright and harmonious and texture is consistent, indicating that tea-making technology is well processed.

1. Baihe bathing (washing the cup): wash the tea set with boiling water; 

2. Avalokitesvara entering the palace (dropping tea): Put Tieguanyin into the tea set, and the amount of tea placed accounts for about half of the capacity of the tea set; 

3. Hanging pot high-chong (brewing tea): pour boiled water into the teapot or lid to make the tea rotate; 

4. Spring breeze (scraping foam): Use the lid to gently scrape off the floating white foam to make it fresh and clean; 

5. Guan Gong Touring City (pouring tea liquid ): Pour the tea liquid that has been brewed for one or two minutes into the juxtaposed tea cups in turn; 

6. Han Xin ordering soldiers (ordering tea): When there is only a little tea liquid left in the teapot, drip it evenly into each teacup; 

7. Appreciate the color of the soup (watch the tea): observe the color of the tea in the cup; 

8. Tasting Ganlin (drinking tea): Take the heat and sip, smell the fragrance first, then taste the aroma, sip and sniff, pour lightly. Although the amount of drink is little, it can leave the fragrance on the cheeks and teeth, but the bottom is sweet and refreshing. 

In the process of making tea, keep your body in a good posture, with your head straight and shoulders flat, your eyes and movements should be harmonious and natural, and your shoulders should be lowered, elbows, and wrists raised during the process of making tea. Do not lift up your elbows if you move your hands by ups and downs

Tea has a shelf life, but it is related to the variety of tea. Different tea has a different shelf life. As long as it is stored properly, not only will it not deteriorate, but it can even improve the quality of tea.

Preservation skills

If conditions permit, the tea leaves in the iron cans can be used to extract the air in the cans with an air extractor, and then welded and sealed, so that the tea can be stored for two to three years. If the conditions are not enough, it can be stored in a thermos bottle, because the water bottle is isolated from the outside air, the tea leaves are packed in the bladder, sealed with white wax, and covered with tape. It is simple and easy to use and easy to keep at home.

Ordinary bottles, cans, etc., for storing tea, use a clay pot with a double-layer inside and outside lid or a large mouth and abdomen to reduce air contact in the container. The lid of the container should be tightly integrated with the container body to prevent moisture from entering.

The packaging materials of tea must be free of strange smell, and the tea container and use method must be as tightly sealed as possible, have good moisture-proof performance, reduce contact with air, and be stored in a dry, clean, and odor-free place
Store in a cold room or refrigerator. When storing, keep the tea leaves sealed before putting them in.

Use quicklime or high-grade desiccant, such as silica gel to absorb the moisture in the tea, the preservation effect is better.

Using the principle of thin air in the tank and isolation of the tea leaves in the tank from the outside world after being sealed, the tea leaves are dried until the water content is about 2% and immediately put into the tank while it is hot, and then sealed, and can be stored for one or two years at room temperature.

Retail storage

At the retail site, tea leaves in small packages should be placed in dry, clean and sealed containers, and the containers should be stacked in a dry, odor-free place, and protected from sunlight. High-grade tea leaves should be stored in airtight tin cans, extract the oxygen and fill nitrogen , and kept in cold storage away from light. That is, the tea leaves are dried to 4%-5% in advance, put into airtight and opaque containers, extract the oxygen and fill nitrogen then tightly sealed, and stored in the tea cold storage at a dedicated place. Using this method to store the tea for 3 to 5 years can still maintain the color, aroma and taste of the tea without aging.

Moisture treatment

Treat the tea as soon as possible after it gets moisture. The method is to put the tea in an iron sieve or iron pan and bake it with a slow fire. The temperature is not too high. While baking, stir and shake it. After removing the moisture, spread it on the table or board and let it dry. Collect after cool.

Precautions

Improper storage of tea will cause temperature to return to moisture, and even mold. At this time, the tea must not be used for re-drying by sunlight, the sun-dried tea will become bitter and ugly, and the high-end tea will also become inferior in quality.