Puer is tea, Puer is business, Puer is a way of life, and Puer is health… Drinking Puer tea means appreciating the differences and nuances in each brew, sharing experiences with like-minded tea enthusiasts, enjoying the fun of Tea drinking, and passing on insights and expertise about tea. This has become a healthy and leisurely lifestyle for many in modern cities.

How to drink Puer tea healthily and tips related to Puer tea are among the most discussed topics online by tea lovers. Today, we have selected some tips shared by tea enthusiasts online to share with our readers.

How to Drink Puer Tea Without Insomnia?

How can you drink Puer tea without risking insomnia? Puer tea comes in raw and ripe varieties, with raw tea having higher levels of polyphenols and caffeine, making it more likely to cause sleeplessness. Ripe tea, however, undergoes fermentation, which transforms its polyphenol and caffeine content, making it less likely to cause insomnia. To avoid insomnia, one should drink ripe tea in the evening, and those prone to insomnia should avoid raw tea at night.

Proper brewing methods can enhance the Health benefits of Puer tea and reduce the risk of insomnia. While some argue that boiling Puer tea brings out its flavor, from a health perspective, it's better to brew rather than boil it. Boiling can result in a very concentrated brew, increasing the risk of insomnia and potentially affecting the spleen and stomach. When brewing, use a teapot with a large belly to prevent the tea from becoming too strong. The recommended amount of tea leaves is approximately 20% of the pot's capacity.

Additionally, timing and moderation are important when Drinking Tea. For healthy adults accustomed to drinking tea, consuming around 8 grams of Puer tea per day, spread across 8-10 infusions, is appropriate. For those who engage in heavy physical labor and consume larger meals, up to 20 grams of Puer tea per day may be acceptable. If you drink Puer tea at the wrong time, the risk of insomnia increases. Therefore, try to drink raw tea during the daytime, particularly in the afternoon, when your body might need a pick-me-up after several hours of work. Avoid drinking tea within half an hour before or after meals.

How to Schedule Your Three Meals with Puer Tea?

1. Drink a cup of mild Puer tea first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Be sure to drink a light infusion of Puer tea to avoid any adverse effects. You can enjoy it warm or, if your stomach can handle it, slightly cooled.

2. Half an hour after lunch, drink a cup of Puer tea at a moderate concentration. Make sure it's hot and sip it slowly to savor the taste.

3. Half an hour after dinner, do the same as you would after lunch – drink a cup of Puer tea at a moderate concentration and ensure it's hot.

For social events or other meals where you don't want to absorb too many calories, drink Puer tea during the meal. If this is not possible, drink it as soon as you can after the meal, preferably within two hours. In a tea house, choose Puer tea as your beverage.

Can You Drink Day-Old Tea?

Traditionally, it's said that day-old tea should not be consumed. The reasons given are threefold: tea left too long can spoil, it can produce nitrosamines which are carcinogenic, and it loses its nutritional value. Do these claims hold any truth?

The program “Is It True?” on CCTV 2, along with multiple research institutions, conducted investigations and studies to answer these questions. They analyzed Puer tea infusions left for 12 and 24 hours.

Regarding the claim that day-old tea spoils, studies found that while the color of the tea changes, it does not spoil. The change in color is primarily due to the oxidation of polyphenols in the tea, producing yellowish-brown or reddish-brown compounds. Regarding the claim that it produces nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic, the national standard for drinking water requires nitrosamine levels to be less than or equal to 1 mg/L.

Testing revealed that both fresh and 12-hour and 24-hour old Puer tea infusions had nitrosamine levels below 0.2 mg/L. Therefore, the claim that day-old Puer tea produces nitrosamines and poses a cancer risk is unfounded.

As for the claim that day-old tea lacks nutrition, testing showed that not only did the nutritional content not decrease, but the levels of polyphenols and amino acids actually increased. Although it is safe to drink day-old tea, the color may darken or become cloudy, affecting the sensory experience. Additionally, the bitterness may increase, and the aroma and flavor may diminish, resulting in a less enjoyable taste.