Tea drinking for health is widely recognized, and this is especially true for Black Tea, which, processed through special techniques, makes for a suitable health tea all year round. In spring, warm black tea can be drunk to moisten the intestines and relieve constipation; in summer, chilled black tea can help remove dampness and cool down from the heat; in autumn, black tea can replenish moisture and relieve dryness; in winter, warm black tea can warm the stomach and invigorate qi.

Spring: Drink Warm Black Tea to Relieve Constipation

With the continuous improvement of living standards, modern life has become dominated by high-protein, high-fat meats and refined foods like white flour, leading to a decreasing intake of dietary fiber. Urban residents generally have reduced physical activity, and this poor diet and lifestyle are the main causes of constipation.

Black tea contains a high level of fiber, up to 35% to 40%, with even higher amounts in Fu Brick Tea (over 40% dietary fiber). The fiber in black tea softens stools and increases their bulk, promoting bowel movement and facilitating intestinal evacuation, ensuring smooth bowel movements. It also cleanses the intestines and helps prevent colon cancer. A lack of fiber and sedentary behavior can lead to chronic constipation and hemorrhoids. The fiber in black tea can solve constipation issues and also help prevent hemorrhoids. Black tea is known for its ability to “lubricate the intestines and relieve constipation” and “facilitate both large and small intestine functions.” Preventing colitis is another significant benefit of black tea, particularly aged black teas, which are effective in treating chronic colitis.

Summer: Cool Black Tea to Beat the Heat

According to Traditional Chinese medicine, the period after the Summer Solstice and before the beginning of autumn is the hottest time of the year and when the body loses the most nutrients. Care should be taken with supplements during this time, and emphasis should be placed on adjusting one's diet. Tea is rich in nutrients and can quickly replenish bodily fluids while also providing a cooling effect and strengthening the spleen and stomach. Drinking black tea chilled in summer has obvious effects in relieving heat and quenching thirst, with a sweet taste. Additionally, drinking black tea in summer can also aid digestion and promote weight loss.

Autumn: Drink Black Tea to Replenish Moisture and Alleviate Dryness

In autumn, the wind is sharp, flowers and trees wither, and the climate becomes dry, causing dry mouth and throat and chapped lips. This condition is referred to as “autumn dryness” in traditional Chinese medicine.

Drinking black tea regularly in autumn can soothe the throat and generate saliva, replenishing both moisture and nutrition. Black tea contains various vitamins and rare elements essential to humans. For ethnic minorities who live in pastoral or plateau regions and primarily consume meat with little vegetable intake in their diet, “a day without food is better than a day without tea.” They often crush brick tea and mix it with milk to make milk tea, which can help digest fatty foods, replenish water and vitamins.

Winter: Drink Warm Black Tea to Warm the Stomach and Invigorate Qi

Winter is the coldest season of the year, when physiological functions decline and yang energy weakens. Traditional Chinese medicine suggests that “in the cold of winter, all things store their vitality, and human physiological activities are in a state of suppression. The key to health preservation lies in keeping warm and protecting against the cold.” Therefore, drinking warm black tea in winter can help warm the stomach and invigorate qi.

Black tea is a post-Fermented tea that is processed under steam pressure, reducing the amount of Caffeine, which can stimulate the stomach, making it less likely to irritate the gastrointestinal tract. Black tea is rich in warming compounds such as theaflavins, and drinking it hot has excellent effects in warming the stomach.