Silver Kettle

1. Softening Water: When water is boiled in a silver kettle, it softens, producing a remarkable softening effect. The ancients referred to this as “silk-like water,” describing how soft and smooth the water feels.

2. Flavor-Preserving Health Benefits: Silver is clean and odorless, with stable thermal chemical properties that prevent rusting, ensuring the Tea does not absorb any unwanted flavors. Silver has strong thermal conductivity, which can quickly dissipate heat from blood vessels, effectively preventing various cardiovascular diseases.

3. Sterilization: The silver ions released when boiling water in a silver kettle have a high level of stability and low reactivity, conduct heat rapidly, are soft in texture, and are resistant to chemical corrosion. The positively charged silver ions in the water can adsorb bacteria and seal off their enzyme systems, rendering them inactive, thus achieving sterilization. Just one part per fifty million (ppm) of silver ions in a liter of water is enough to kill most bacteria.

Iron Kettle

1. A Powerful Tea Brewing Tool: An iron kettle boils water at a higher temperature than a regular stainless steel kettle, up to 5-6 degrees higher, and retains heat for longer periods. Using this high-temperature water to brew tea enhances and elevates its aroma. For aged teas, which have been stored for a long time, sufficiently hot water is necessary to fully release their aged fragrance and character. Iron kettles have become essential professional teaware for tea enthusiasts who appreciate, compare, and evaluate teas during tea gatherings.

2. Spring Water Effect: Spring water, filtered through sandstone layers in mountains, contains trace minerals, especially iron ions and very few chlorides, making it sweet-tasting and ideal for brewing tea. An iron kettle releases trace amounts of iron ions while also absorbing chlorine ions, producing water similar to spring water.

3. Iron Supplement: Scientists have discovered that iron is an essential component in hemoglobin production. Adults require 0.8 to 1.5 milligrams of iron daily, and severe deficiencies can affect cognitive development. Experiments show that using iron utensils like kettles and pots for drinking water and cooking can increase iron absorption. Iron kettles release easily absorbable ferrous ions into the water, which can help prevent iron-deficiency anemia.

A combination of an iron kettle and a silver kettle can generally meet the needs of tea brewing, enhancing both the taste and aroma of the tea. The thermal conductivity of iron is 80 W/mK, while that of silver is 429 W/mK. The higher the value, the better the thermal conductivity, and there is a difference of 4.3 times between the two. This means that the iron kettle conducts heat more slowly than the silver kettle, retains heat better, and slows down the cooling process of the water inside.

“Iron Kettle Enhances Flavor

Silver Kettle Enhances Aroma”: An iron kettle is suitable for brewing heavily fermented teas, such as Black Tea and dark teas (e.g., Pu'er and aged teas). A silver kettle is better suited for lightly fermented teas, such as Tieguanyin and Green Tea. This can be analyzed based on the activity levels of iron and silver ions, where iron ions are more active than silver ions. Therefore, the impact of an iron kettle on water is greater than that of a silver kettle, making the brewed tea more complex, which is what heavily fermented teas like black tea and Pu'er need.

Copper Kettle

The density of copper is relatively high, and compared to aluminum and iron, it decomposes in smaller quantities, making it more stable. However, all metals decompose to some extent during the boiling process. A copper kettle will release trace amounts of copper elements under certain temperatures, which are highly beneficial to the body.

1. Copper is a catalyst for the synthesis of hemoglobin. Anemia is a common blood disorder, often iron-deficient, but even with adequate iron supplementation, 20 to 30 percent of cases remain unresponsive. It turns out that the muscles lack copper. Copper not only participates in the formation of copper proteins in red blood cells but is also a major component of several copper enzymes in the human body. These copper enzymes play a catalytic role in the absorption, utilization, transformation, and metabolism of iron ions in red blood cells. Thus, a deficiency in copper directly affects the synthesis of hemoglobin, making anemia difficult to improve.

2. Copper has cancer-preventive effects. Reports suggest that copper can inhibit the transcription process of cancer cell DNA, aiding in the fight against tumors. Cancer patients typically have lower levels of copper in their bodies. In some remote areas, women and children wear copper jewelry, and daily life involves using copper utensils like pots and cups. These regions have lower incidences of cancer. Additionally, premature graying of hair and vitiligo can also result from a copper deficiency.

3. Copper helps prevent cardiovascular disease. Previously, high-fat diets were blamed for coronary heart disease, but recent American research has shown that a copper deficiency is the primary cause. Collagen and elastin, which maintain the integrity and elasticity of the heart and blood vessels, require copper-containing oxidase during their synthesis. Clearly, when there is a copper deficiency, the synthesis of these enzymes decreases, contributing to the development of cardiovascular disease.

4. People today consume insufficient copper, averaging only about 0.8 mg daily, whereas the recommended intake is 2 mg per day. Experts recommend consuming foods rich in copper, such as animal livers, oysters, beans, vegetables, fruits, and oats, and using more copper utensils to supplement the body's copper requirements. Folk remedies involve using copperware to treat illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Patients wearing copper bracelets or using copper foot warmers for several months can experience relief or elimination of joint pain symptoms. According to measurements, copper bracelets release an average of 13 mg per month, with some copper ions dissolving in sweat and then entering the bloodstream through the skin. They are then transported to the liver and delivered to inflamed tissues, exerting their specific anti-inflammatory effects.

In the past, people knew little about verdigris and even believed it to be toxic. Verdigris is actually very stable. According to Professor Toyomaru Yukihiko's “Hygiene Report on Copper” from Tokyo University's Medical School, verdigris is insoluble in cold and hot water, so it is not absorbed by the body when ingested. Copper kettles, pots, and water containers have been used for thousands of years without any medical reports linking them to adverse health effects, proving that verdigris is non-toxic and harmless to humans.

Summary

【Silver Kettle】

A silver kettle softens water and has sterilizing properties. Silver is clean and odorless, with stable thermal chemical properties that prevent rusting and ensure that the tea does not absorb unwanted flavors.

【Iron Kettle】

An iron kettle boils water at a high temperature, allowing for a nuanced flavor profile in the tea. The water boiled in an iron kettle has a spring water effect, making it sweeter, which is needed for heavily fermented teas like black tea and Pu'er. It is particularly suitable for brewing heavily fermented teas such as black tea and dark teas (Pu'er and aged teas).

【Copper Kettle】

The copper ions in a copper kettle benefit the prevention of various diseases. A copper kettle releases trace amounts of copper elements at certain temperatures, which are highly beneficial to the body. Verdigris is insoluble in cold and hot water, so it is not absorbed by the body, proving that verdigris is non-toxic and harmless to humans.