With summer's arrival, many people prefer to choose various icy drinks to cool off from the heat. However, while icy beverages can provide a refreshing chill, they don't necessarily eliminate the internal heat and dryness in the body. On the other hand, natural Tea can make you feel cool and comfortable both inside and out.

With the vast variety of Chinese teas available, how should one choose? Tea enthusiasts might consider selecting a tea that matches their own constitution and the nature of the tea, to comfortably navigate through this hot summer~

01

Understanding Teas

Drinking Tea

Chinese teas are primarily categorized into six types: Green Tea, Oolong tea, black tea (red tea in China), dark tea (black tea in China), white tea, and yellow tea.

In Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica, it is recorded: “Tea has a bitter and sweet taste, is slightly cold, and non-toxic. It enters the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney meridians. It is a yang within yin, capable of rising and descending.” Due to differences in origin and production methods, each type of tea within the six categories has different properties. Generally, the six categories of tea can be classified as cold, cool, warm, or neutral.

Green tea, being unfermented, is rich in chlorophyll and vitamin C, and has a cool and slightly cold nature.

White tea, which undergoes minimal fermentation, has a cool nature (mildly cool and soothing). As the saying goes, “Old green tea is like grass, but aged white tea is a treasure,” indicating that aged white tea has the effect of dispelling evil and supporting health.

Yellow tea, partially fermented, has a cold and cool nature.

Oolong tea (including Tie Guan Yin) is semi-fermented, with a neutral nature, neither cold nor hot.

Black tea (red tea in China), fully fermented, has a warm nature.

Dark tea (black tea in China), post-fermented, has a mild and warm nature, with a rich and sweet taste that is not overly stimulating.

02

Selecting Tea Based on Individual Needs

People with a hot constitution should opt for cool teas, such as green tea, white tea, and yellow tea; those with a cold constitution should choose warm teas, such as black tea and dark tea.

Different constitutions and occupations also call for different tea choices.

Those with a hot constitution who are prone to overheating should first choose green tea or oolong tea. Overweight individuals (those with a hot constitution) should drink cool teas like green tea or oolong tea (including Tie Guan Yin), as these teas have a stronger cooling effect and help clear heat and detoxify, soften blood vessels, and lower cholesterol.

People with a weak spleen and stomach or an external heat and internal cold constitution should primarily choose black tea and dark tea. In summer, the human body is actually externally hot and internally cold. Eating cold foods and staying in cool environments can easily damage the spleen and stomach, leading to abdominal pain and diarrhea. At this time, drinking warm teas can help regulate the spleen and stomach.

Those who work long hours at a computer, teachers, pilots, athletes, and announcers should drink high-quality green teas, which can protect against radiation, improve mental alertness, enhance brain function, keep the mind clear, and ensure ample energy.

Office workers who have less physical activity and are prone to obesity should choose green tea, raw Pu'er tea, or oolong tea, which can effectively remove oiliness and reduce cholesterol.

Hospital doctors, nurses, miners, or those frequently exposed to radiation or toxic substances should choose green tea, Pu'er tea, Liu Bao tea, or black tea, which have better health benefits.

Regular smokers or passive smokers and heavy drinkers should drink more green tea, dark tea, and black tea, which can effectively alleviate damage caused by smoking to the lungs and excessive alcohol consumption to the liver.

03

Choosing the Right Time to drink tea

Choose your tea based on the season. Generally, drink floral tea in spring, green tea in summer, oolong tea (green tea) in autumn, and black tea in winter.

During the warm spring when flowers bloom, drinking floral tea helps to dispel the cold accumulated in the body during winter. Its strong fragrance also assists in promoting the generation of yang qi.

In the scorching heat of summer, drinking green tea, white tea, or raw Pu'er tea can help cool down, reduce dryness, and soothe the mind.

In autumn, when balance is key, oolong tea, neither cold nor hot, aids in alleviating autumn dryness and nourishes the body.

In the cold of winter, the red and pleasant black tea, the smooth and sweet ripe Pu'er, and the rich and sweet aged white tea can effectively drive away dampness and cold, warming the body and the heart.

You can also adjust your tea choices throughout the day.

Avoid drinking strong tea on an empty stomach in the morning.

Drinking black tea in the morning is preferable. Black tea promotes blood circulation, helps to dispel internal cold, and ensures adequate blood supply to the brain.

After lunch and a brief rest, a cup of light tea can help regulate emotions and restore energy. Drinking green tea or white tea at this time can help alleviate liver heat and clear liver and gallbladder heat.

By three or four o'clock, enjoy a cup of oolong tea with some tasty snacks to relieve work fatigue, replenish energy, and increase efficiency.

When drinking tea in the evening, opt for a lighter brew and teas with higher fermentation levels. For example, fully fermented ripe Pu'er has a lower stimulatory effect on the digestive system and a smaller impact on sleep, and can also aid digestion.

Adjust your tea choices based on changes in your physical condition.

When your health is good, it's easier to experience the delightful sensations of drinking fine tea, such as a refreshed throat, relief from loneliness and boredom, a slight sweat, clarity in the muscles and bones, and a gentle breeze blowing under the armpits.

However, when your health is not optimal, you should carefully consider the timing of your tea consumption and the type of tea you drink. For instance, women during menstruation, pregnancy, and postpartum should only consume light