Spring is a great time for tea, as it's the best season to harvest top-quality green teas like West Lake Longjing, Biluochun, and Lu'an Guapian. After winter's rest, the tea leaves picked during this time not only have an excellent flavor but are also rich in nutrients. I recommend drinking light tea water regularly during spring.

1. What are the benefits of drinking tea?

1.1 Drinking tea helps with antioxidants.

Tea contains tea polyphenols, which act as antioxidants. Studies show that the free-radical scavenging effect of tea polyphenols is 9 times that of SOD (superoxide dismutase) and 18 times that of vitamin E.

1.2 Drinking tea helps protect against radiation damage.

Tea polyphenols and their oxidized products can absorb radioactive substances.

1.3 Drinking tea can refresh the mind, improve alertness, and relieve fatigue.

The Caffeine in tea can enhance the excitatory process in the cerebral cortex, making you feel more alert and improving your cognitive and memory functions. Drinking tea also has a diuretic effect, reducing the time harmful substances stay in the kidneys and aiding in the excretion of lactic acid, which helps alleviate fatigue.

1.4 Drinking tea can help lower fat levels, aid digestion, and promote weight loss.

Caffeine, vitamin B1, and vitamin C in tea can increase gastric juice secretion, aiding digestion. The aromatic compounds in tea also have a fat-reducing effect.

2. When is the best time to drink tea?

It is recommended to drink tea at intervals from meals.

Drinking tea before a meal can dilute stomach acid, affecting the digestion and absorption of food. Drinking too much tea after a meal may affect the absorption of minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc.

3. How much tea should one drink per day?

Do not overindulge or drink overly strong tea. For healthy individuals, especially middle-aged and older adults, 4-5 cups per day is appropriate, and it's better to drink it lightly brewed. Excessive fluid intake can increase the burden on the heart and kidneys. Strong tea can overexcite the brain, accelerate heartbeat, cause frequent urination, and lead to insomnia.

4. Is Green Tea better than Black Tea?

Both green and black tea have their own benefits. Green tea, being non-fermented, retains more of its natural components like tea polyphenols and caffeine. During the fermentation process of black tea, although the content of tea polyphenols and caffeine decreases, it is more suitable for those who are sensitive to caffeine.

In general, if you are intolerant to tea polyphenols and caffeine and experience palpitations or stomach pain after drinking tea, you might choose black tea; if you feel comfortable after drinking green tea, then go for green tea.

5. Can you use a thermos to brew tea?

Brewing tea in a thermos keeps the tea leaves submerged in hot water for an extended period, causing a large amount of tea polyphenols and tannins to leach out, resulting in a dark color and a bitter taste.

Additionally, maintaining high water temperatures can cause the tea's aromatic oils to evaporate more quickly, diminishing the aroma, and can also damage nutrients like vitamin C, reducing the Health benefits of the tea.

Generally speaking, if you want to drink hot tea, you can use a purple clay pot or ceramic teaware to brew the tea first, and then pour it into a thermos once it's ready.

6. Should women avoid tea during menstruation?

While tea has many benefits, there are two special periods when women should avoid drinking too much tea.

The first is during menstruation. Women lose a significant amount of iron during menstruation, and the high tannin content in tea can reduce the body's ability to absorb iron.

The second is during menopause. Women going through menopause often experience dizziness, fatigue, rapid heartbeat, irritability, and poor sleep quality. Drinking too much tea during this time may exacerbate these symptoms.

(Yu Kang, Professor of Clinical Nutrition, Peking Union Medical College Hospital)