Basic Introduction to Yingde Black Tea

Yingde Black Tea is one of the famous black tea specialties in Yingde City, Guangdong Province. It is cultivated using the local open hill slopes and the natural environment with rivers winding around. The tea leaves are processed through traditional local tea-making techniques. Yingde Black Tea has full-bodied leaves and a clear liquor. It is smooth and fragrant when tasted, and even more delicious with a bit of milk or sugar added. It is a common beverage for chatting after meals in Hong Kong, Macao, and Southeast Asian regions. Yingde Black Tea is known locally as the “Golden Beauty of the East.”

Nutritional Value

1. Anti-aging properties of Yingde Black Tea

The antioxidants in Yingde Black Tea help resist aging. During human metabolism, if over-oxidation occurs, it can produce a large number of free radicals that cause aging and damage cells. SOD (superoxide dismutase) is a free radical scavenger that can effectively eliminate excess free radicals and prevent them from harming the body. The catechins in Yingde Black Tea can significantly increase the activity of SOD and scavenge free radicals.

2. Antibacterial properties of Yingde Black Tea

Research shows that the catechins in Yingde Black Tea have inhibitory effects on some bacteria that cause disease in humans, while not harming the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the intestines. Therefore, Yingde Black Tea has the function of regulating the intestines.

3. Lowering blood lipids

Animal experiments conducted by scientists show that the catechins in tea can reduce total cholesterol, free cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides in plasma. They also increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Experiments on humans have shown that it has the effect of inhibiting platelet aggregation and reducing the incidence of arteriosclerosis. Yingde Black Tea contains flavonols, which have antioxidant effects and can prevent blood clotting and platelet aggregation, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

4. Weight loss and fat reduction

Yingde Black Tea contains theophylline and Caffeine, which can activate protein kinases and triglyceride lipase through various actions, reducing the accumulation of fat cells, thus achieving a weight-loss effect.

5. Preventing dental caries and freshening breath

Yingde Black Tea contains fluoride, and its catechins can inhibit the action of cariogenic bacteria, reducing the occurrence of dental plaque and periodontal disease. The tannic acid in tea has a bactericidal effect, preventing the proliferation of bacteria in food residue, thus effectively preventing bad breath.

6. Cancer prevention

Yingde Black Tea has inhibitory effects on certain types of cancer, but the mechanisms are still in the speculative stage. To prevent the occurrence of cancer, drinking more tea is certainly beneficial.

7. Whitening and UV protection

Experts have found in animal experiments that the catechins in Yingde Black Tea can combat skin cancer caused by UV-B rays.

8. Improving digestive problems

Recent research reports show that Yingde Black Tea can help improve digestive issues, such as acute diarrhea caused by bacteria. Drinking some Yingde Black Tea can alleviate the condition.

Product Characteristics

Yingde Black Tea is produced in Yingde City, Qingyuan, Guangdong Province, utilizing the unique geographical advantages of the area. The open hill slopes and natural environment with rivers winding around provide an ideal setting for growing tea trees. The hills receive abundant sunlight throughout the year and have a temperate climate, making them highly suitable for tea cultivation. Tea farmers must follow the method of picking two leaves per bud and use traditional processing methods, including withering, cutting, fermentation, drying, re-drying, and sorting, to refine the tea. The tea-making techniques in Yingde have a long history, and the produced black tea is characterized by tightly rolled, fine, and uniform leaves, with a clear liquor. When consumed, the tea is smooth and fragrant, making it a renowned premium black tea specialty in the region. It is a popular beverage during chats after meals in Hong Kong, Macao, and Southeast Asian regions, earning the reputation of being the “Golden Beauty of the East.”

The superior natural environment contributes to the cultivation of high-quality black tea. This is associated with the selection of Yunnan large-leaf varieties, Phoenix Oolong, and new high-aromatic, high-quality large-leaf black tea varieties, achieving good tea garden management and laying an excellent foundation for the high aroma and rich flavor of “Yinghong.” Yingde Black Tea products are divided into four categories: leaf, broken, fannings, and dust. Each category includes different grades represented by multiple tea numbers. The content of caffeine is 4.12%, amino acids 1.8%, polyphenols 21%, theaflavins 0.8-1.2%, thearubigins 8-12%, and water-soluble substances 38.16%, making it an international premium black tea.

History and Folk Customs

Determining Authenticity of Yingde Black Tea

1. Smell: Smell refers to the aroma of the tea. You can smell it dry or after heating. If it has the inherent aroma of tea, it is genuine tea. If it has a greenish fishy smell or other strange odors, it is fake tea.

2. Look: Look at the shape of the leaves. After Steeping the tea in boiling water, although different tea varieties may have varying leaf shapes, they all share certain characteristics. First, tea leaves generally have 16 to 32 pairs of serrations on their edges, with the serrations being denser and deeper at the top and sparser and shallower at the bottom, becoming smooth near the petiole. Fake tea leaves either have serrations all around or lack serrations altogether. Second, the underside of tea leaves has prominent veins, with the main vein being obvious and branching out into 7 to 10 pairs of lateral veins. These lateral veins extend to about one-third of the distance from the edge and then curve upward in an arc to connect with the upper lateral veins, forming a closed network system. Any leaves lacking these features are fake.

3. Testing: If the caffeine content is between 2 and 5 percent and the polyphenol content is between 10 and 20 percent, it is genuine tea. Otherwise, it is fake.